I try and have a vegetable dish at each dinner, we drink lots of milk and eat lots of dairy, whole grains are our friends. But I'm always wondering if there are some easy tricks that I don't know about for getting a balanced meal on the table. Any suggestions?

Protein and carbs are easy. It's the fruits and veggies that get me. My biggest downfall is that I get caught up in cooking the main and forget about the veg until the main is on the table. Not great timing! So I'm trying to keep things like carrots and broccoli on hand which are great raw with some salad dressing and only take a couple minutes to prepare. Frozen veggies are also quick. And if I want to cook something fancier, then I try to remember to start the veg first.

Other ideas off the top of my head: pickles, fruit-based desserts (or veg), hot dish (casserole), salads, soups, canned fruit, quick breads. Maybe get a great vegetable cook book like "Greene on Greens" or "From Asparagus to Zucchini" to get you excited about cooking veggies. Or you could pick 5 veggies that you will buy every week and then find 3 ways to cook each. Stick with that plan until you're a pro or you get bored and then add another vegetable.

Oh, and my rule for main dishes that include veggies is that those veggies don't count. I still need at least 1 fruit/veg on the table.

i basically always have a stock of frozen veggies. my favorites are either broccoli or peas (depending on what we are having) or even a mix of veggies for a stirfry!

what i found to be easiest is just get those ziplock bags for steaming, has the ammount and time to cook right on the bag! they are fantastic! then i dont feel like i have to cook ALL the frozen veggies and can just have what we will eat! plus you can add spices ;)

My mother-in-law has good, easy (2-3 ingredients, 5 mins) asian veggie receipes that can be done in the time it takes to plate the main dish. They are variations of the following: soy sauce/sugar (basically, a little vegetable oil, veggie, sugar --either white or brown -- and then soy sauce poured over the sugar which mildly thickens to a rich blend when cooked and stirred over high heat) or garlic/salt (vegetable oil, veggie, chopped fresh garlic and salt -- both to taste.

KC, are those for stir-frying? They sound great. And use ingredients I already have.

Great ideas! Jenns, I especially like your idea of picking 5 veggies and learning to prepare them three ways. That's brilliant. I like the chinese veggie idea too KC. I'm gonna have to try that. Kate, I wish I could do those steaming bags but...we have no microwave (I know...we're freaks) I do have a steamer though, and need to make better use of my freezer for veggie purposes...it's filled with quick meals right now, like frozen pizza.

Jenns: By stir-fry, do you mean lots of different vegetables? I'm sure you could, and it'd be great. I've only used individual veggies (like, broccoli and garlic/salt combo) and used a regular frying pan over higher heat. And, it'll be a side dish for anything else we're having.

I'm going to check out the reference books because I LOVE veggies and am always looking for new ways to prepare them!

mamajama! you arent a freak! i didnt have one for a long time - steamer on the stove works just as well

or if you are stirfrying you dont even need to really cook them first because they will cook during the stirfrying!

of course as soon as i hit send i thought of another one...

roasting veggies - just lightly coat all of them in olive oil or veggie oil or butter - whatever you like! then toss in some spices, thyme & rosemarry, or cummin and curry! and put it all on a cookie sheet and in the oven on 450 for 30ish minutes? (until you smell it, then just check for browning!)

YUM! and lots of veggies

you can do the same thing in a pot on the stove but they dont get crispy, so the texture is different which can be perfect for whatever else you are having

One night I was really late getting dinner started. I didn't have time to stop at the grocery before I got home and with only an hour I ran to the pantry, broccoli rice a roni great! Veggies included..LOL... okay for meat.....I had boneless skinless garlic chicken breast.....hmmm......okay I decided to take my glass baking dish, I put the rice a roni in the bottom added the water and the seasoning etc. I put the frozen garlic chicken breast on top stuck it in the oven at 375. I always keep crosaints in the bread boxI sliced apples in a bowl threw in some grapes and had a container of sweetened strawberries. Mixed them up and put them in the fridge.
That night everyone got home and thankfully dinner was ready. I was praying the whole time and everyone liked it so much that we have this meal at least once a week. that was a few years ago. It took less than an hour and was a great success.