Eating greens every day is one of the best things you can do for your health. Greens like spinach, kale, arugula, and broccoli contain essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and disease-fighting antioxidants.

Unfortunately, most Americans fall far short of the recommended daily servings of vegetables, especially nutrient-dense greens. The typical person only eats 1.4 cups servings daily, while nutritionists recommend 2 ½ to 3 cups or 9 servings.

The good news is that getting more greens in your diet doesn't have to be complicated or require a total diet overhaul. Simple strategies allow you to triple or quadruple your daily meal with greens intake.

In this article, we will share seven incredibly delicious and easy ways to eat more greens daily by adding them to your cooking routine.

1. Add Greens To Your Morning Smoothie

One of the easiest leafy green recipes is to add them to your morning smoothie. Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard blend smoothly and don't overpower the flavor of your other ingredients.

Just a handful of greens packs a big nutritional punch, adding fiber, vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, iron, and more to your breakfast. The trick is using fruits like bananas, berries, mango, and pineapple to naturally sweeten and mask any bitter flavors from the greens.

Start with a cup of greens and work up once your tastebuds adjust. The dark, leafy greens will turn your smoothie a deeper green color, but you won't taste them.

2. Use Lettuce Wraps Instead Of Bread

If you want to reduce your carbohydrate intake, use lettuce wraps instead of bread. The lettuce adds extra nutrients to your diet.

Instead of nutrient-poor white or wheat bread, wrap your favorite sandwich fillings in crisp lettuce leaves. Romaine, butterhead, or iceberg lettuce leaves create the perfect low-carb vessel for turkey, ham, chicken, tuna salad, egg salad, and more.

For burgers, skip the bun and opt for lettuce wraps instead. Place the patty and veggies between large romaine or iceberg lettuce leaves for a satisfying, crunchy, fresh take on the classic burger.

3. Toss Greens Into Pasta Dishes

Pasta is a great way to sneak more greens into your diet. Simply toss a handful of fresh spinach, kale, arugula, or other greens into any pasta dish. For pasta salads, chop some spinach, arugula, or broccoli florets and mix them into your favorite macaroni or rotini pasta salad recipe. The greens add texture and nutrients without altering the flavor.

Before baking, layer sautéed spinach or kale for lasagna with the pasta, sauce, cheese, and other ingredients. You will get an extra serving of veggies in each slice. And a sprinkling of fresh spinach or arugula on top of any saucy pasta dish adds color and phytonutrients.

4. Add Greens To Your Eggs

There are several recipes with leafy greens, and one of the simplest ways to eat more greens is by adding them to your morning eggs. Greens like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard add nutrients and volume to omelets, scrambles, frittatas, and other egg dishes.

When making omelets or scrambled eggs, simply sauté a handful of chopped greens before adding your beaten eggs. The greens will wilt down and incorporate seamlessly into the fluffy eggs.

Before cooking, you can add fresh greens like baby spinach to egg mixtures. The spinach will wilt perfectly within the eggs. Adding greens to your eggs boosts the nutrition to start your day right. And kids are more likely to eat greens when blended into their morning eggs.

5. Make Kale Chips As An Appetizer

Kale chips make for a delicious and healthy appetizer that packs extra greens. To make crispy kale chips, start with fresh kale and remove the stems and center ribs, which can be bitter. Cut the kale leaves into bite-size pieces and toss with olive oil, sea salt, and any other desired seasonings like garlic powder, lemon juice, or grated parmesan.

Spread the seasoned kale pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 275°F for 15-20 minutes until fully crisped. The low and slow baking gives you crispy, almost translucent kale chips that satisfy with a nice crunch.

Make them ahead for parties or enjoy them as an afternoon snack. With only kale, oil, and seasoning, kale chips are a wholesome and delicious way to get your greens.

6. Try New Salad Greens

Instead of always opting for lettuce, make salads with spinach, arugula, watercress, radicchio, endive, mustard greens, or other colorful leafy greens.

Each type of meal with greens has its unique flavor profile and health benefits. For example, bitter greens like arugula and radicchio contain compounds that may help combat cancer. Spicy greens like watercress have high concentrations of vitamin K. And spinach provides folate, vitamin A, and more.

Mix your favorite greens or pick one starring green for the base of the salad. Then, pile fresh veggies, beans, nuts, and lean protein like chicken or fish. Varying your greens makes salads anything but boring while letting you reap the diverse nutrients in different leafy green varieties.

7. Sauté Greens As A Side Dish

For an easy and delicious side dish packed with nutrients, try sautéing leafy greens. Greens like kale, spinach, chard, and collards cook quickly when sautéed with olive oil and garlic.

Remove any thick stems that take longer to cook down. Heat a skillet with olive oil over medium heat, then add chopped greens and garlic. Sauté until the greens are wilted and tender, about 3-5 minutes. The garlic adds a savory flavor that complements the greens' earthiness.

Toss with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Sautéed greens make the perfect accompaniment to any meal, adding color and nutrients. And they cook fast so that you can have a healthy side on the table in under 10 minutes.

Conclusion

Eating more greens daily provides immense health benefits, but figuring out recipes for leafy greens can be hard. With creativity and planning, incorporating greens is easier than you think.

You can effortlessly pack extra nutrients into every meal by adding them to the foods you already eat and love, like smoothies, eggs, pasta, and salads.

Focus on adding just one more serving daily, and you will quickly be on your way to better health.