I must pat myself on the back for doing really well with regularly eating tons of vegetables so far this year. I’m really planning on keeping it as a habit throughout Lean in 2014.

My “secret” to doing so is pretty simple – I’ve learned how to make vegetables taste as good as possible. And I’m not just talking about salads (because – let’s be real – you can make anything good by covering it in salad dressing).

In the past I would just force myself to eat veggies in any form because I knew it was good for me, but that never lasted. So instead of making vegetables just bearable, I’ve realized what a difference it makes to have vegetables taste delicious - something I actually want to eat!

Here are my 5 tips for making vegetables tasty (and not hate eating them).

1. roast them.

Roasting vegetables is hands down my favorite way to cook them. Here’s a great guide to roasting vegetables:

My favorite roasted vegetable is definitely butternut squash with a bit of salt and cinnamon. It gets all caramelized and sweet!

2. add avocado.

I love adding avocado to just about everything. It adds great flavor, a buttery texture, and healthy fats. I actually prefer avocado over salad dressing – if you use a really ripe avocado you can mash it up into a “guacamole dressing” of sorts.

3. add butter.

Butter seems to have gotten a really bad rep, but I’m a huge fan of it. First of all, just a little bit of butter goes a LONG way and can add incredible flavor to vegetables. Secondly, I fall in the camp that believes saturated fat is not bad for you. Not to mention that fat helps your body absorb nutrients, and you want to get the most out of those veggies, right?

4. “pizza-fied.”

One of my favorite ways to enjoy vegetables is to PIZZAFY them. Simply add:

* marinara sauce
* Italian seasoning
* parmesan cheese

This works especially well with steamed greens, roasted broccoli, brussels sprouts, and spaghetti squash. Obviously this is no replacement for real pizza, but it’s still delicious!

5. in soup.

Most soups already have vegetables in them, but I like to take it up a notch by adding my favorite greens (spinach or kale) in the mix. I actually prefer chunky over thin/watery soup, so extra vegetables help bulk it up while adding nutrients at the same time.

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What’s your favorite way to eat vegetables?