How to use vegetables for a faster weight loss

One of the best ways to lose weight is to ditch junk food and eat more vegetables, which are lower in calories.
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One of the best ways to lose weight is to ditch the junk food and eat more veggies, which are lower in calories.

Not only are veggies rich in fibre, but they can also help control your blood sugar levels and keep you full for lower.

In fact, eating veggies might even be a quicker way to burn calories and lose weight! However, we recommend eating a healthy and balanced diet with the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

chopped-vegetables-in-plastic-containers- serving of vegetables

How to add more veggies into your diet

A recent study found that a generous intake of fruit and vegetables may also assist in weight management because they are low in energy but high in fibre and water to produce a satiating effect.

However, while veggies are important, a balanced diet is equally important. Not just eating one thing over another.

You could aim to eat five portions of veggies a day for your diet. Try grating veggies into your meals or investing in a spiraliser to help bulk out meals with veggies.

10 hacks to add veggies into your food

1. Put carrot or spinach into your Healthy Mummy smoothie it’s virtually impossible to detect.

2. Add chopped mushrooms, zucchini or grated carrot to a meatloaf or spaghetti bolognese.

3. Make homemade sweet potato fries instead of using store-bought ones.

4. Add some finely grated (and peeled) zucchini into your pancake mix.

5. Blend baby spinach with a smoothie that has raspberries or blueberries. It will mask the green colour.

6. For healthy mashed potatoes, include some mashed cauliflower and other mashed vegetables.

7. Want a creamier-tasting smoothie? Add avocado to it to give a creamy consistency.

8. Peel and finely grate zucchini (drain excess water) into vanilla cupcakes or a cake mix.

9. When making a risotto, puree carrots and add, will give it a sweeter taste.

10. Finely grate carrots and zucchini and add to homemade sausage rolls.

Simple ways to get your 5-a-day serving of vegetables into your meal plan!

serving of vegetables - fruit and veggies in a bowl

If you’re struggling to get your 5 a day of vegetables, don’t stress. There are some simple ways to get your share of fresh fruit and vegetables into your healthy eating plan.

A recent survey conducted by the Australian government found over 90% of people above the age of 16 did not consume the recommended servings of vegetables daily.

We will show you a few simple ways to get your recommended daily servings of veggies in your day. It takes practice, but we can all do it.

The aim is to eat vegetables or fruit at each meal or snack.

Breakfast

Most people see having a couple of cups of fruit for breakfast as a typical and tasty breakfast meal. Often people think of breakfast as a no go vegetable zones. There are plenty of healthy recipes that you can enjoy some fruit or even get your vegetable intake included in your breakfast.

  • There are plenty of healthy recipes like omelettes where you can add 1 cup of spinach and a ½ cup of chopped mushrooms. That would be 2 of your 5 serves done by breakfast time.
  • Think of roasted capsicums and fetta cheese on grainy toast. That is 1 serve of veggies there as well.
  • Or you could add 1 cup of baby spinach, a puck of frozen spinach, and some fresh fruit like raspberries or blueberries to your Healthy Mummy Smoothie.

These are just a few simple tricks to start the day off with a veggie bang.

Snacks

serving of vegetables - hummus and veggie sticks

People often head for a piece of fresh fruit as a snack, mix it up next time and try some veggies instead.

  • Some suggestions for veggie-based snacks are, of course, vegetable sticks. Still, these could also be served with a veggie or legume-based dip (legumes like chickpeas and lentils are deemed veggies!!). You could again knock off 2 servings of veggies just in your mid-morning or afternoon snack.
  • How about 3 or 4 celery sticks with some peanut butter. Yum! The protein hit will also keep you feeling fuller for a little longer.
  • A cup of dried fruit is also a great snack that can help increase your serving of fruit if you struggle to get them.
  • Have some veggie-based dips as a snack, like a beetroot dip or a spinach dip. Not only is the dip made of vegetables, but if you consume the dip with some carrot and cucumber sticks, you may make up a whole serving of vegetables in a snack.
  • Find some other veggie-based snacks you could eat. This does not mean beetroot chips in a bag! They have just as much fat, sometimes more, than standard chips. What about having cut-up veggies for snacks, cucumber, carrot, celery. Eat them with reduced-fat cream cheese, ricotta, hummus, or a nut-based spread for extra protein. Take them to work, take them to school or uni, take them wherever you go.

Lunch

10 budget-friendly lunches for under 400 calories
Salmon and Beetroot Salad

When you are having lunch, opt for a healthy recipe that you can veggify. Salads are obviously the easy option, but you don’t have to stick to salads. You can include many other possibilities in your meal plan and get your 5 a day.

Think about bulking up your sandwich or wrap with ½ cup of carrot or 1 cup of leafy greens. Try one or the other or both, and you could be ticking off another 2 serves!

Try and eat a few servings of veggies with your lunch. Have a side salad, an extra serving of grated carrot in your sandwich, or even if you have a Healthy Mummy Smoothie, add some spinach.

You’re now halfway through your day and have ticked off 4-6 serves of veggies in your healthy eating or weight loss meal plan.

Dinner

Throw It In The Oven Dinner - Sausage and Veggie Tray Bake
Sausage and Veggie Tray Bake

Dinner is the obvious time to meal prep and include veggies in the meal plan, but if you’ve been following our tips, you’ve already ticked off about 4-6 serves, so you can take it easy at dinner time.

Try to always eat your dinner with a side of veggies; aim for 3 serves. You can have them in the actual meal, hidden or part of it, and then add them on the side.

One way to help with vegetable consumption at night is to try and have at least 2 vegetarian meals per week. You can also add salad, steamed veggies, roast veggies, ratatouille or a host of other veggie side dishes to your main meal to add vegetable content for the day.

So don’t delay; add some veggies to every meal today!

You could potentially be at 6 serves following this eating plan!

5 hidden veggie recipes for all the fussy eaters out there.

hidden veggies recipes

For years we have been told that we need at least five servings of vegetables per day to maintain a healthy diet, but sometimes this can be a struggle, especially if you have fussy kids.

So how do you get nutritional goodness without fighting the kids or even your taste buds? Add some hidden veggies to your favourite recipes.

We have found five hidden veggie recipes for you and your family to try, plus some BONUS chocolate brownies.

Red fish curry with hidden veggies

Red fish curry with four hidden veggies

This red fish curry is so full of flavour even the most discerning taste buds won’t be able to tell it contains a good dose of veggie goodness! Plus, you can cook a double batch and freeze some for an easy dinner later.

Get cooking this delicious recipe now.

Healthy lamb and feta meatballs with hidden veggies

healthy lamb feta meatballs with hidden veggies

Just because you’re eating healthy doesn’t mean you need to miss out on your favourite comfort foods. These Healthy Lamb Feta Meatballs are not only tasty but are so nutritious you can have them on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

Enjoy these tasty meatballs with all your family.

Healthy hidden veggie sausage rolls

Sausage rolls are a kid’s party favourite. This recipe, sent in by mum of 3 and 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge participant Beth Henke, also includes hidden veggies which makes them suitable for kids.

Make these for your next kid’s party and pair them with one of our Kids Smoothies to give them that extra boost of nutritional goodness.

Pink pancake pockets with hidden fruit and veg

hidden veggie Pink Pancakes

Breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day, so why not start your day right with these yummy and healthy pink pancakes. Not only do they appease your early morning sweet tooth, but they also contain extra nutritional goodness with some sneaky veggies included.

Kids both big and small will love this healthy breakfast treat.

Gooey chocolate cake and sauce with sneaky veggies

hidden veggie Chocolate Cake and Sauce

This recipe is for all those sweet tooths out there. With multiple vegetables mixed into the batter, there is no way you can say no to treating yourself to a piece of this Gooey Chocolate Cake.

Treat yourself to this chocolate cake.

BONUS: Hidden veggie brownie recipes.

We have gathered some yummy and nutritious brownie recipes for all the chocolate lovers out there, including some sneakily hidden veggies. You can quell those chocolate cravings without hurting your healthy eating plan.

Check out the healthy recipes here.

Want to access thousands of healthy recipes like this?

Our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is a family-friendly, breastfeeding-safe program designed FOR MUMS to help them tackle their health and lose the baby weight.
april-challenge-ticks

Every week you are given a different meal plan to follow, and each month we add heaps of NEW recipes to the Healthy Mummy App. That way, you’ll never get bored and stay on the weight loss track while digging into healthy, yummy recipes.

Learn more about our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge HERE.

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