Moms Vibe:
By Krystle J Bailey
I don’t know about you,, but I get into lazy-mom mode in the winter. Frozen pizzas, takeout, and boxed macaroni slowly become our winter dinner staples. By the time the sun goes down at the end of the day, I simply don’t feel like cooking an elaborate meal and usually opt for a dose of comfort or convenience.
That being said, this year, I got a little too relaxed when it comes to fruits and veggies. As the sun begins to stay out a little longer and I come out of the winter blues, I’ve been looking for ways to sneak some fruits and veggies into everyone’s diet. My kids are super picky when it comes to the good stuff, so these creative, healthy hacks are necessary.
Veggie Cheese Sauce
This is a sneaky way to get cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, or any other lightly colored vegetable into your family meals. Simply puree your veggie of choice and mix it into the sauce you’re already using. My kids love boxed macaroni and cheese. You can use the cheese that comes with the box, simply adding to the sauce by adding pureed vegetables. The kids will hardly notice and you’ll take a mom dinner victory.
Beef Up the Beef
Whether you’re making tacos, meatballs, meatloaf, or some other meaty dinner, you can hide veggies in it. Shred broccoli stalk or finely chop and saute veggies of your choice before mixing it into the meat prior to cooking. Once the meat is cooked, the veggies will hardly be noticeable and everyone at the table wins. Adding sauteed mushrooms to any meat mixture beefs up the volume while adding nutrients and keeping the meal moist and delicious.
This for That
Baked goods are a super easy way to get some sneaky nutrients in. In most baked dishes, you can easily mask black beans or sweet potatoes. Butter and oil can be replaced with avocados, apple sauce, and Greek yogurt.
Check out this black bean, avocado brownie recipe from www.ambitiouskitchen.com.
Ingredients:
- 1 (15 oz) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 eggs or flax eggs (add an additional egg if you like cakier brownies!)
- 1/2 of a large ripe avocado
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar or sub brown sugar (or sub 1/2 cup pure maple syrup)
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips + 2 tablespoons for topping
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8×8 inch baking pan
Place all ingredients besides chocolate chips into blender or food processor. Process or puree until ingredients form a smooth batter. If the batter is WAY too thick and won’t process then add in a teaspoon or two of water. This batter needs to be very thick in order to produce fudgy brownies.
Add in 1/3 cup chocolate chips and fold into batter.
Pour batter into prepared pan, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of remaining chocolate chips. You can also fold in nuts or swirl in peanut butter.
Bake for 25-35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out somewhat clean and top of the brownies begin to crack. Cool pan completely on wire rack then cut into 12 delicious large brownies!
Butter it Up
When in doubt, butter it up. If you’re not a fan of sneaking veggies into meals, look for creative ways to serve the veggies as sides. Cooking veggies in flavors that the kids like can encourage them to try something they may otherwise turn their noses up at. Butter, garlic, salt, and parmesan cheese are all staple flavors for vegetable cooking. Melted cheese on anything is always a golden opportunity for the veggie-hater to give something a chance. When in doubt, switch it up. Your child might not like roasted carrots but maybe they’ll like them raw with a fun dip. Don’t give up after the first attempt.
Veggie fries, chips, and tots are all great ways to up the fiber intake this Spring. As the seasonal depression and cold winter days fade into the sunset, it’s time to refocus and re-energize. Fruits and veggies for the whole family will have everyone feeling vibrant and ready for the warm days ahead.
Krystle J Bailey. Multimedia journalist, Author, Poet.
Connect with Krystle on Instagram @thedailybailey5
