12 Easy Meals That Make Eating More Vegetables Delicious

We all know we should eat more vegetables. We have heard it approximately 4,000 times. But knowing you should eat more veggies and actually wanting to eat more veggies are two very different things.

The good news? You don't have to sit down with a giant bowl of raw broccoli and pretend you're thrilled about it.

There are plenty of meals that make it ridiculously easy to pack in vegetables without feeling like you're forcing yourself to eat "healthy food." These are some of the best ones to keep in your regular rotation.

Soup might be one of the easiest ways to get a serious amount of vegetables into one meal.

Start with a vegetable broth and toss in whatever you have on hand. Carrots, celery, zucchini, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, green beans, onions and potatoes all work beautifully.

Add beans, lentils or your favorite protein to make it more filling.

The best part? You don't need a complicated recipe. Chop everything, throw it in the pot and let it simmer.

A stir-fry is basically an excuse to clean out the produce drawer.

Try broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, snap peas, cabbage and zucchini. Add tofu, chicken, shrimp or another protein and serve it over rice or quinoa.

A simple sauce made with garlic, ginger, coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce can make a mountain of vegetables disappear surprisingly fast.

This is the meal for nights when you have absolutely no interest in cooking.

Put chopped vegetables on a sheet pan with chicken, tofu, fish or another protein. Add olive oil and your favorite herbs and seasonings, then roast everything until the vegetables are tender and slightly browned.

Try combinations like:

One pan. Minimal cleanup. Lots of vegetables.

Build a bowl instead of wrapping everything in a tortilla.

Start with rice, quinoa or another grain. Then pile on black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, corn, peppers, onions, avocado and whatever other vegetables you like.

Add salsa, cilantro, lime juice and your favorite protein.

It feels more like a restaurant meal than a "you need to eat your vegetables" meal.

If you have a family member who thinks vegetables are suspicious, pasta can be your secret weapon.

Make your favorite pasta and load it up with zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli or roasted vegetables.

You can also blend cooked vegetables into the sauce. Roasted red peppers, carrots, pumpkin, butternut squash and tomatoes can all make delicious sauces.

Nobody said vegetables have to arrive at the table looking like vegetables.

Vegetables aren't just for lunch and dinner.

Throw spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, onions and zucchini into a scramble with eggs or tofu. Add avocado or a little salsa on top and you have a breakfast that can easily contain several servings of vegetables.

If you're not a breakfast person, this also makes a great quick lunch.

Bake a sweet potato and turn it into an entire meal.

Top it with black beans, broccoli, spinach, corn, tomatoes, avocado and salsa. You can also add chicken or another protein if you want something more substantial.

The sweet potato gives you a naturally creamy base while the vegetables bring plenty of flavor and texture.

Tacos don't have to be all meat and cheese.

Try roasted cauliflower tacos with cabbage and avocado. Or black bean tacos loaded with lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, onions and salsa.

You can even use sautéed mushrooms, zucchini or sweet potatoes as the main filling.

Add lime and salsa and suddenly vegetables are having a much better day.

A salad doesn't have to mean iceberg lettuce, a few cucumber slices and a sad tomato.

Build a giant bowl with several different vegetables and textures.

Start with greens, then add carrots, cabbage, bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, broccoli, roasted vegetables, beans, avocado or whatever sounds good.

Add a protein and a flavorful dressing and you've got an actual meal instead of a side dish pretending to be dinner.

Make a veggie burger, bean burger or your favorite protein and serve it alongside roasted vegetables instead of fries.

You can also pile lettuce, tomato, onion, sprouts, avocado and other vegetables directly onto the burger.

It's a simple way to make a familiar meal considerably more vegetable-heavy.

If you're trying to work your way toward eating more cabbage, this is an easy place to start.

Sauté shredded cabbage with carrots, zucchini, mushrooms and peppers. Add beans, tofu, chicken or another protein and season it with garlic, ginger and herbs.

You can serve it over rice or eat it on its own.

Cabbage also holds up well as leftovers, which makes this a great meal-prep option.

A smoothie can be an easy way to sneak in some vegetables, especially if you're still getting used to eating them.

Spinach is an easy starting point because its flavor can disappear into fruit. You can also experiment with cucumber, celery, zucchini or cooked and cooled carrots.

Pair vegetables with fruit, unsweetened milk or water and a protein source for a more balanced meal.

Just remember that smoothies shouldn't become an excuse to dump half the produce department into a blender. Start small and see what your stomach tolerates.

If you want to read more articles like this, click here...READ MORE

You don't have to completely overhaul your diet tomorrow.

Instead, start adding one extra vegetable to meals you already enjoy.

Making tacos? Add cabbage.

Eating pasta? Add spinach and zucchini.

Having eggs? Add peppers and mushrooms.

Making soup? Throw in another vegetable.

Eating a sandwich? Add lettuce, tomato, cucumber and avocado.

Making rice? Toss in broccoli, carrots and peas.

That's how eating more vegetables becomes a habit instead of another thing on your never-ending list of things you're "supposed" to be doing.

And honestly, the best vegetable meal is the one you'll actually eat. Start with the vegetables you already like, experiment with new ones slowly and find a few easy combinations you genuinely enjoy.

Because healthy eating works a whole lot better when dinner is something you're excited to eat.