Five delicious ways to eat your veggies in cooler months.

Five ways to eat your veggies in the fall and winter.

One of the best things you can do to maintain a healthy weight is to eat your vegetables. Admittedly, it feels harder to do in the winter when the farmer’s markets have closed and the produce is less abundant. A fresh salad is less apetizing when the days are cold and short.

Before you venture into the frozen isle for something quick and easy, you might want to check out these options. All are almost as easy as a salad and equally as healthy.

Five healthy ways to eat your veggies:

1/ Warm salads

Add warm grains and/or roasted vegetables to mixed green to make a hearty and satisfying salad. Top with some dried fruit and nuts for more color and protein.

2/ Soups

There are so many good options for vegetable soups that you could probably find a new recipe for every week of the fall and winter. Think about what fun it would be to source recipies and to try new flavors. Repeat your favorites.

With that said, there is one that we should all skip. According to Dr. Joel Kahn, Holistic Cardiologist we should all skip the bone broth craze. Despite the health claims, animal bones leech toxins when cooked that are not healthy for you to consume. Vegetable broths are delicious and a healthy base for any soup.

3/ Vegetable Chili

The Whole Foods cookbook has a great recipe that will get your tastebuds popping. You can serve it on repeat if you mix up the toppings and sides to keep the meal interesting.

Suggestions: avocado, blue tortilla chips, coleslaw with vegan ranch dressing, whole grain croutons made with olive oil, fresh greens for crunch and texture.

4/ Pasta

There are so many healthy versions in the pasta isle as well as the fresh area. Try whole grain, cauliflour, spinach and chic pea noodles with different sauces and toppings.

If you purchase sauce, check the label for sugar content. Making your own sauce from scratch isn’t as easy as opening a jar but being able to change the spices is another way to mix things up. The Whole Foods cookbook has some good ideas.

5/ Grain Bowls

Another great option are grain bowls with different legumes, beans, nuts, roasted veggies and fermented veggies. Hearty and delicious plus family friendly. Everyone gets to build their own which kids love.