Embracing A Greener Diet: Adding Nature's Bounty

Adding more plants to your diet is an excellent way to improve your health and well-being. A plant-based diet is one that is primarily made up of foods from plants, including vegetables, whole grains, fruits, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds. These foods are packed with nutrients and fiber and have been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Even if you're not ready to give up meat entirely, you can still incorporate more plant-based foods into your meals in a variety of ways.

Add greens to every meal

Adding greens to every meal is a great way to boost your health and ensure you're getting a variety of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Here are some ideas for incorporating greens into each meal of the day:

Breakfast

• Add spinach to scrambled eggs or an omelet.
• Make a breakfast burrito with greens such as Swiss chard or kale.
• Top oatmeal with chopped nuts, fresh fruit, or nut butter.
• Make a smoothie with leafy greens such as spinach or kale, and add other vegetables like beets or avocados.
• Try a green smoothie bowl with combinations like berries, kale, oat milk, chia seeds, and almond butter.
• Make a breakfast salad with a base of spinach or baby kale, topped with fried eggs and avocado.

Lunch

• Add greens to soups, stir-fries, and pasta. Try vegetables like broccoli, kale, or bok choy, which are high in B-vitamins and other nutrients.
• Use large leaves like romaine or butter lettuce as wraps for sandwiches or burgers.
• Make a veggie-topped sweet potato toast with mashed avocado, arugula, sprouts, and cilantro.
• Try a green fruit kabob with apples, kiwi, or melon, served with Greek yogurt or nuts.
• Make a simple salad with a variety of greens like spinach, arugula, romaine, and avocado, and top with protein like salmon, chicken, or chickpeas.

Dinner

• Roast a variety of green vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, and asparagus.
• Add greens to stir-fries, soups, and pasta dishes.
• Make a veggie frittata with greens and other vegetables.
• Try a Buddha bowl with a base of brown rice or quinoa, topped with roasted vegetables and dark leafy greens.
• Use cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles as a low-carb alternative to regular rice or pasta.
• Add broccoli to your favorite pasta dish.
• Top any roasted fish or chicken with fresh herbs.
• Make a green goddess dressing with herbs like parsley or cilantro to drizzle over salads or other dishes.

Snacks

• Make chocolate-covered fruit pops with kiwi, dark chocolate, and shredded coconut.
• Bake your dark leafy greens into chips. Simply toss greens like kale or collard greens with oil and seasonings, and bake until crispy.
• Freeze green grapes for a sweet and healthy snack.
• Enjoy a handful of nuts and berries.
• Try plant-based snacks like sweet potato chips, plantain chips, or taro chips.
• Make your own salsa fresca with chopped tomatoes, parsley, onion, jalapeño, and lime juice, or opt for guacamole or hummus.

Upgrade your oatmeal

Oatmeal is a blank canvas for just about anything. Here are some ways to upgrade your oatmeal with plants:

Use Different Liquids

Try cooking your oats with milk, water, or a nondairy beverage made from almonds, cashews, oats, or coconut.

Add Nuts and Fruits

Top your oatmeal with chopped nuts, fresh fruit, and nut butter. You can also add a serving of healthy fats to your oats such as a tablespoon of nut or seed butter, or 1 ounce of chopped nuts or seeds. If you're going the savory route, you can even add sliced avocado or a drizzle of olive oil.

Portion Sizes

Be mindful of your portion sizes. A casual scroll through social media will likely turn up voluminous bowls of oats topped with an endless array of toppings. In your everyday life, keep it simple and choose just a few. Portions count, so have a handful of berries, not the whole bowl.

Make it Savory

Who says oatmeal has to be sweet? Oats are a versatile whole grain that can be used in savory recipes just as much as other grains like brown rice, farro, or quinoa. Try cooking oats in a low-sodium vegetable broth instead of water or milk, and add chopped vegetables such as baby spinach, mushrooms, and onions during cooking. Top your bowl with a sprinkle of fresh parmesan cheese and a fried egg for added protein and staying power.

Make it Ahead

No time to cook in the morning? Make overnight oats by combining 1/2 cup of rolled oats with 1 cup of milk or milk alternative. Add an optional 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt for a creamier texture and more protein. Mix in 1/2 cup of your favorite fruit, and add 2 tablespoons of nuts or seeds for a dose of healthy fats and fiber. Refrigerate overnight, and it will be ready to go in the morning.

Make a sandwich with a difference

The base

Start with a healthy bread base. Opt for a multigrain bread, or a bread with added seeds, such as Dave's Killer Bread, or a sourdough. If you're feeling adventurous, you could try a wrap or pita bread.

The fillings

Add a variety of vegetables to your sandwich. Try to include a range of colours, such as bright bell peppers, beetroot, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, or arugula. You could also add sliced avocado, cucumber, or tomato. If you're feeling creative, roast or pickle your veggies first.

For extra protein, include some beans, pulses, or legumes, such as chickpeas, lentils, or butter beans. You could also add a plant-based cheese or yoghurt, or a vegan egg substitute, such as tofu.

The spreads

Instead of butter or mayonnaise, spread your bread with pesto or hummus. You could also add a vegan cheese spread, or a tangy white bean spread.

The extras

Add some nuts or seeds for a satisfying crunch, such as pumpkin seeds or walnuts. You could also sprinkle on some herbs, such as basil or chives, or a few spices, such as paprika or turmeric.

The alternatives

If you're looking for a more adventurous sandwich, try a Portobello 'Bacon' Sandwich, with smoky Portobello mushroom "bacon", or a Greek Mushroom Pita Sandwich, with roasted mushrooms.

For a sweet option, make an Epic Vegan French Toast PB&J Sandwich, with vegan French toast, caramelized bananas, raspberries, granola, peanut butter, and strawberry jam.

Fruit and veg for snack time

Fruit and vegetables are a great way to add colour, texture, and variety to your diet. They are full of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, and are a great source of energy. Here are some ideas for adding fruit and vegetables to your snack times:

For Kids

• Involve your children in the process of choosing and preparing their snacks.
• Make snack time fun by offering dips like hummus or Greek yoghurt alongside their fruits and veggies.
• Make fruit or veggie kabobs using lollipop sticks.
• Create fun faces on top of a whole-wheat mini-bagel with cream cheese and sliced veggies.
• Make your own yoghurt by adding nuts, seeds, coconut, frozen berries, or oats.
• Make watermelon pizza or watermelon on a stick—you could even shape it into stars!
• Dip strawberries in yoghurt and coconut or white, dark, and milk chocolate.
• Freeze grapes after dipping them in yoghurt.
• Make strawberry and banana 'nice cream' by blending frozen bananas and strawberries.
• Make cherry tomato, basil, and baby bocconcini skewers—marinate in garlic, lemon juice, or olive oil and then grill.
• Make sweet potato fries or salad on a stick (cherry tomato, a spinach leaf, cheese, and an olive).
• Fill a small tub with baked beans.
• Fill a small container with dried fruits, nuts, and seeds.
• Make celery or carrot sticks with peanut butter and raisins.
• Make Greek yoghurt with crushed walnuts and berries.

For Adults

• Add spinach to scrambled eggs or a breakfast burrito.
• Stir kale into your favourite hot soup.
• Add arugula to sandwiches.
• Add sautéed Swiss chard to quesadillas and pasta dishes.
• Top oatmeal with chopped nuts, fresh fruit, or nut butter.
• Make a plant-powered smoothie with veggies like beets, avocados, collards, and fresh herbs.
• Add veggies to a turkey sandwich, such as bright bell peppers or greens.
• Swap pasta for veggie noodles like zucchini noodles or carrot noodles.
• Add veggies to scrambled eggs or a frittata, such as mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, or bell peppers.
• Make egg salad stuffed bell peppers by slicing a bell pepper in half, removing the seeds, and combining a smashed hard-boiled egg with mustard (or yoghurt), salt, and pepper.
• Chop veggies and serve with hummus.
• Make roasted turnip hummus and serve with Granny Smith apples or chopped veggies.
• Make sliced radishes and guacamole.
• Make a Greek yoghurt dip with lemon juice, garlic powder, dill, salt, and pepper, and serve with raw broccoli florets.
• Skewer cherry tomatoes and feta cubes.
• Make a green pea smoothie with spinach, bananas, fresh mint, and a scoop of nut butter.
• Make root vegetable chips by slicing root vegetables, tossing them in olive oil and sea salt, and baking at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes.
• Make spinach banana muffins—these are also great with a schmear of peanut butter.
• Make bell peppers with mashed pea avocado dip (combine mashed avocado with fresh or frozen peas and lime or lemon juice).
• Make zucchini carrot oat muffins—these are great for kids and adults and can be frozen in batches.
• Make cucumber bites with cream cheese and smoked salmon.
• Make caramelized onion white bean dip with tortilla chips.
• Make cauliflower with lemon tahini by whisking together tahini, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and serving with cauliflower florets.
• Make parsnip carrot cake granola with Greek yoghurt.
• Make a carrot ginger kale juice and serve with almonds.
• Make sweet potato cookies.

Grill fruits and vegetables

Grilling fruits and vegetables is a great way to add taste and colour to your meals. It is also an easy way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet.

When choosing vegetables to grill, select firmer vegetables such as asparagus, corn, peppers, zucchini, or squash. These vegetables can be cut into large pieces and brushed with olive oil, then seasoned with herbs and spices. Place the vegetables on a medium-hot grill and cook until tender, turning frequently to avoid burning.

Fruits such as apples, pineapple, pears, and peaches are also great options for grilling. It is best to select fruits that are not overripe as they may become too soft. Fruits can be peeled, sliced, and basted with lemon juice or olive oil before being placed on the grill. Remember that fruits have a higher sugar content, so grilling will bring out this flavour. Fruits also contain a lot of water, which makes them very hot, so be sure to let them cool slightly before serving.

• Asparagus and corn can be grilled whole, while other vegetables should be cut into large pieces to prevent them from falling between the grill grates.
• Potatoes should be parboiled before grilling to ensure they are cooked through.
• Softer fruits like peaches, plums, and papaya require less time on the grill to prevent them from becoming mushy.
• Bananas or plantains can be cut in half lengthwise and placed flesh-down on the grill for a quick, tasty treat.
• Eggplant, bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, and corn are popular summer vegetables to grill.

Frequently asked questions