How to Eat More Leafy Greens

We might be biased, but when it comes to veggies, we have a bit of a soft spot for leafy greens. That’s because in addition to being fat- and cholesterol-free, these veggies are also chock full of nutrients your body needs—from fiber to folate.

But unless you’re a salad-eating superstar, chances are good you’re not eating as many of these good-for-you greens as you should be. Try these simple ways of preparing leafy greens that don’t involve a single salad to make sure you get all the body boosting benefits:

Make Smoothies

Shakes and smoothies are a veggie-hater’s secret weapon. That’s because by blending greens with fruits and protein powders, you can easily mask their flavor and texture.

Try adding a cup of spinach, watercress, beet greens or kale to your next fruit smoothie or protein shake for a simple way to sneak in leafy greens you won’t taste. We like blending half a banana, a half cup of blueberries and a cup of spinach with one cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk for a tasty smoothie that counts as one SmartCarb, one Vegetable and one Extra on Nutrisystem.

Like it a little more filling? Stir in a serving of your Nutrisystem Vanilla Shake Mix and a little more water to add a PowerFuel to the mix. Want more help building the perfect smoothie? We’ve got you covered here.

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Sauté or Roast Them

If raw greens aren’t your style, make them a little more savory by spraying them with zero calorie cooking spray, sprinkling them with cracked black pepper or any of your favorite seasonings and cooking them for a few minutes on your stove top. Here’s how we saute spinach. For an even smokier flavor, try roasting green veggies like broccoli or asparagus.

Make Chips

The skeptics among us would never use “veggies” and “chips” in the same sentence. But you’d be surprised how tasty and crunchy homemade kale chips can be. To make them, spray a large bunch of kale (remove thick stems and rip into bite-sized pieces) with zero-calorie cooking spray, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion or garlic powder—or whatever seasonings you like. Then bake them at 350 degrees until the edges are golden brown and the kale is crispy (about 10 to 15 minutes).

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Sneak Them in Sauces and Meals

Making homemade pasta or pizza sauce? Try stirring in some pureed leafy greens. Making an omelet? Finely chop up spinach or kale and add them to your morning meal. Speaking of meals, try working more greens into your Nutrisystem meals.