From a health standpoint, vegetables are an unbeatable food which are naturally nutrient-rich, better tasting than a vitamin pill, low in calories and high in fibre and packed with disease-fighting phytonutrients. All types of vegetables can be nourishing and delicious – local, local organic, organic, fresh, frozen, juiced, blended.

I have enjoyed experimenting with my dehydrator because now I can make my own kale chips — translation, more veggies in my diet.  As well, I am adding leafy greens like spinach, kale and romaine to my green smoothies — translation, more veggies.  I have even pulled out my juicer!  That’s right, I have been juicing vegetables making my own awesome rendition of that 8 vegetable canned drink sold in the juice aisle at the grocery store.

No matter how you put it, adding vegetables into your grocery cart, onto your plate and into your mouth can only benefit your health.  Vibrant health begins with making one little change  and every change counts!  Start today by deciding what change you will make to add more veggies.

Eating plantifully (lots of vegetables — full rainbow of wonderful colour) should be the foundation to your dietary choices.    In other words, vegetables should make up the bulk of your diet.  Remember vegetables are rich in powerful antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.  Then add a couple of servings of fruit and some protein and voila, you have a balanced health-giving diet that is unique to you.

So how can you add vegetables to your day?

• Add some vegetables like spinach, kale, mushrooms, onion, peppers to an omelet
• Throw some leafy greens into a smoothie for a snack or breakfast
• Create egg muffins filled with lots of veggies
• Sprout your own sprouts to add to salad, smoothies, or sandwiches
• Try pea, sunflower or broccoli sprouts on your next salad
• Pop some snap peas into a container for snack time with some yummy hummus
• Make a vegetable soup for lunch, snack or dinner
• Try kale chips instead of tortilla or potato chips 

Share some of your ways to use vegetables in your daily diet.