Veggie-Loaded Roadmap: Step 1 Recipes
Are you a true veggie-skeptic who WANTS to eat vegetables while also loving what you eat? I’ve got you covered! Here are my tried-and-true veggie-loaded recipes to help even the iffiest of veggie eaters get started on their veggie-loaded journey!
What to learn more about The Veggie-Loaded Roadmap? Just enter your email here and I’ll send you this FREE resource to help you go from veggie-skeptic to veggie-lover in 3 easy steps!
How do I know if I should start at Step 1 in the Veggie-Loaded Roadmap
You might be at Step 1 if…..
- you are a veggie-skeptic.
- you prefer vegetables to be less obvious in a meal or recipe.
- you are looking for recipes that will help you eat more veggies but that you also enjoy eating.
Some tips for moving through Step 1
- You don’t need to veggie-load every day all day. I get it! It’s tempting to want to veggie-load everything! Especially when we’re using kitchen wizardry—like adding purees that you barely notice and in yummy recipes like smoothies and muffins. Aside from letting your body adjust to all the (ahem!) fiber, veggie EVERYTHING is not the goal!
- Branch out! No need to box yourself in to any one step! Does something you saw on TNN, Pinterest, Instagram, or TikTok look delicious but features vegetables in a more obvious way? Dig in! If you like it, add it to your lineup! Doesn’t hit the spot? Move on without guilt.
- Don’t force it. Allow yourself to NOT like certain veggies! Maybe your tastes will change with time…maybe they won’t. We’re not the judgey-type here!
- Slow and steady wins the race. Starting with a strong aversion to anything green? No problem! Simply perusing the recipes below and throughout TNN is a great start! Curiosity goes a long way.
- Honesty goes a long way. I never recommend lying to your friends and family about what is in a dish. This only breeds distrust and solidifies the idea that veggies are something to be choked down—rather than something to be enjoyed. Allow your kids to be in the kitchen (or even helping!) while you’re cooking—and answer honestly if asked what is in a recipe.
- Put foods on the table without fanfare. Will I make a separate meal? Personally? No. But, I also won’t make a bid deal about anyone choosing what they will or won’t eat. Trust me—no one likes to be forced to eat something they don’t want to! Modeling your own newly-found adventurous food journey is MUCH more fun. Even better? No power struggles!
What if different people in my family are at different Veggie-Loaded Steps?
That is the beauty of The Veggie-Loaded Roadmap is that you can easily use recipes from different steps to make meals that the whole family will love. These Step 1 recipes will be delicious and enjoyed by people at Step 1, 2, and 3!
I often will make a Step 2 recipe as part of meal for my 10-year-old daughter and add a Step 3 to the meal for me and my husband. This not only allows my daughter to eat veggie-loaded food that she enjoys and is where she is at on her own veggie-loaded journey, but exposes her to Step 3 veggie recipes for when she is ready.
Table of Contents
Breakfast
Healthy Chocolate Muffins (with Veggies!)
With over a hundred 5-star ratings, these Healthy Chocolate Muffins are a must-make! Packed with good-for-you ingredients and so fluffy, these delicious muffins can also be mixed up in your blender and are done baking in just 20 minutes. Loaded with greens and carrots, you are going to love how much your family adores these healthy muffins!
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Gluten Free “Superhero” Waffles
I'm pretty sure that any superhero would be happy to enjoy one of these delicious gluten free waffles for breakfast! High in protein, healthy fats, and veggie-loaded, these waffles have everything you need to head into the day! Naturally gluten free and dairy-free, these delicious waffles are easy to make and are great for stocking your fridge or freezer!
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Carrot Banana Protein Pancakes (vegan)
These vegan protein pancakes are not only loaded with carrots, but lentils to give them a punch of protein! Egg-free, dairy-free, naturally sweetened with bananas and a little maple syrup!
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Baked Carrot Chocolate Oatmeal
Easy to make and almost like having dessert for breakfast, this chocolate baked oatmeal is loaded with carrots, peanut butter and all kinds of healthy ingredients. Easily gluten free and vegan.
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Whole Wheat ABC Muffins (apple, banana, carrot)
These ABC Muffins are moist, tender, made with whole wheat flour, and are packed with apples, bananas, and carrots! Done baking in under 20 minutes, these veggie-loaded muffins are a great grab-and-go choice for a healthy breakfast or hearty snack.
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Blueberry Cauliflower Oatmeal
This Blueberry Cauliflower Oatmeal is the perfect way to get veggies into breakfast! The riced cauliflower almost melts into the rolled oats, making for a wonderful taste and texture. Naturally sweetened, kid-approved, adaptable and easy to make, this healthy breakfast is easy to make on the busiest of mornings!
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5-Minute Blueberry Spinach Smoothie
This Blueberry Spinach Smoothie is the perfect no-cook, healthy breakfast any day of the week. Delicious and easy to make, it is a great way to get fruits and greens into your day right off the bat! Easily dairy-free and a quick breakfast or snack the whole family will love.
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Sweet Potato Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
These Sweet Potato Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats are the perfect easy breakfast to throw together and take on the go. Perfectly sweet, veggie-loaded, and a classic flavor combo, this no-cook recipe will be a favorite.
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Fluffy & Filling Pumpkin Protein Muffins
These Pumpkin Protein Muffins are easy to make, fluffy, delicious and packed with protein from lentils and eggs! The perfect healthy breakfast or snack.
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Wholesome & Fluffy Banana Carrot Muffins
These Banana Carrot Muffins combine the beautiful flavors of banana bread and carrot into a light, fluffy, and moist muffin! Made with whole wheat flour, oats, and naturally sweetened, they are a healthy breakfast recipe or the perfect snack for a busy day.
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Lunch
Veggie-Loaded Pizza Rolls
These easy to make pizza rolls are kid-friendly, delicious and full of good-for-you veggies!
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Quick & Easy Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
This Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is going to get veggies in at mealtime in a whole new way! Super simple to make, family-friendly, and delicious!
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Dinner
Cauliflower Chicken Nuggets
These Cauliflower Chicken Nuggets are easy to make, super delicious and a veggie-loaded twist on a classic finger food! Done in under 30 minutes, they are perfect for lunch, dinner, or for stocking up your freezer.
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Vegan Leek Potato Soup
Vegan Leek Potato Soup is the perfect plant based comfort food! A flavorful one-pot meal that is done in 30 minutes and is full of veggies!
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Cauliflower Turkey Mini Meatloaves
Meatloaf is a classic cozy dinner recipe many of us grew up on. These Cauliflower Turkey Mini Meatloaves are a veggie-loaded twist that is easy to make, delicious, hearty and a perfect way to add in bonus vegetables.
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Veggie-Loaded Vegetarian Spaghetti Pie Recipe
This easy spaghetti pie recipe is packed with veggies and can be made with leftover pasta. Full of flavor and oodles of vegetables, it is the perfect meatless healthy family dinner.
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Healthy Meatballs (with veggies)
These healthy meatballs are going to change family dinners! Kid-approved and loaded with three kinds of veggies and a flavor that you expect from a meatballs. Freezer-friendly, egg-free and gluten free, this easy meatball recipe is going to become a family favorite.
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Veggie-Loaded Instant Pot Tomato Soup
This veggie-loaded Instant Pot Tomato Soup is easy to make in minutes and packed with goodness! Kid-friendly and can easily be made dairy-free and vegan, this is the perfect healthy soup to make for your family!
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Healthier Hamburger Helper (with veggies!)
This Healthier Hamburger Helper is creamy, delicious, easy to make, and loaded with veggies! This one-pot recipe is a perfect hearty dinner. It cooks up in just 30 minutes and can be easily made gluten free!
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Chickpea Vegetable Nuggets
These Chickpea Vegetable Nuggets are the perfect finger food for little eaters! Loaded with veggies and vegetarian protein! Easy to make and super delicious, enjoy these vegetable nuggets on their own, instead of meatballs, or dunk them in your favorite sauce!
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Flavorful Oven Baked Turkey Zucchini Meatballs
These Turkey Zucchini Meatballs are easy to make and full of flavor. Mixed up in one bowl and then into the oven they go, this veggie-loaded recipe is perfect for adding protein to any weeknight dinner or for stocking up your freezer.
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Easy Veggie-Loaded Pasta Sauce (from scratch!)
Pasta sauce is a delicious and easy way to add more vegetables to your family's meals. Loaded with tomatoes, spinach, zucchini, bell pepper, carrots, and onions, this homemade Veggie Pasta Sauce can be enjoyed chunky or pureed smooth to help even the most selective of eaters enjoy their veggies!
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Sides
Cauliflower Tots
These Cauliflower Tots are easy and a delicious way to eat more veggies! The combo of cauliflower with cheese, bread crumbs and seasoning makes for the perfect veggie tot and cooks up beautifully crisp in your air fryer or oven!
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Savory Double Corn Muffins
These Double Corn Muffins are perfect for dipping into a bowl of chili or enjoying as a BBQ side! Simple to make in one bowl, these savory muffins have a tender cornbread texture with whole pieces of corn in each bite!
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Mashed Instant Pot Potatoes with Cauliflower
These Mashed Instant Pot Potatoes with Cauliflower are delicious, creamy and easy! You can get these mashed potatoes on the table in about 30 minutes! Plus, they’re a great way to get more cauliflower into your family's diet!
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Savory 3-Veggie Muffins
These Savory Veggie Muffins are easy to make, full of healthy ingredients and are the perfect way to get more veggies in at any meal! Loaded with 3 different veggies (carrot, broccoli, zucchini), they are great for breakfast, in lunch boxes, or as a snack or a side to dinner!
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Desserts
Moist Chocolate Sweet Potato Cupcakes
These Chocolate Sweet Potato Cupcakes are rich, moist and the perfect sweet treat. Mixed all in one bowl, naturally sweetened, and done in 20 minutes, these cupcakes are dairy-free and easily gluten free. Top them with rich sweet potato frosting for an extra decadent dessert.
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Healthier One-Bowl Pumpkin Brownies
These Pumpkin Brownies are delicious and easy to make. Fudgy, made with healthier ingredients and less sugar than traditional brownie recipes, this is the perfect fall dessert.
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Zucchini Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
These lemon poppy seed cupcakes are tender and moist thanks to the addition of grated zucchini! Topped with an easy cream cheese frosting, they are naturally sweetened and lower in natural sugar than most cupcake recipes. The perfect treat for any celebration!
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Sweet Potato Chickpea Blondies
These Sweet Potato Chickpea Blondies are easy to make and are delicious. Perfect for a protein packed snack or healthy dessert. And you can't even taste the chickpeas!
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Sweet Potato Banana Bread
Super moist texture, the perfect balance of natural sweetness, and studded with chocolate chips, this sweet potato banana bread is quick to become a favorite. Easy to make and lighter on sugar than most banana bread recipes. Perfect for a healthier dessert or fun snack option.
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Soft Carrot Gingerbread Cookies
These soft Gingerbread Cookies are going to become a new holiday season baking staple. Perfectly spices, just the right amount of molasses, and the addition of carrots makes enjoying these holiday cookies a little sweeter!
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Chocolate Beetroot Cake (with raspberry whipped cream)
This chocolate beetroot cake recipe is going to dazzle all you chocolate lovers! Full of good-for-you beets, this delicious cake is so moist and rich. And the optional raspberry whipped cream topping is so good!
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