Veg Rules - 3 Part Series #3: Yes, Veggies Can Be Delicious!

By this point, you’re smashing the cost and health wins with vegetables. Let’s keep that momentum going with a batch of recipes that turn veg into flavours you’ll crave — including desserts that sneak in extra goodness!

The two dinners are great standalones to support your 'one vego meal per week' plan, but also work well as a side dish to introduce more veg into your life.

The sweets are... well, just delicious.

Dinner Recipe #1 — Zucchini Noodle Pasta with Roast Veg Sauce (Serves 4)

Est. cost: ~$12 total

Why it’s great: Swap some pasta for zucchini noodles (“zoodles”), add roast veg and a rich tomato sauce.

Ingredients

• 3–4 zucchini (spiralised)

• 1 eggplant, diced

• 1 red capsicum, sliced

• 1 jar tomato pasta sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Garlic + herbs

• Parmesan (optional)

Method

1. Toss eggplant/capsicum with oil, roast 20 mins at 200°C.

2. Warm sauce in pan, add garlic and herbs.

3. Sauté zoodles 2–3 mins.

4. Combine zoodles with sauce and roast veg.

5. Top with a sprinkle of parmesan.

Tip: Zoodles shrink and they are not as filling as regular spaghetti — mix half pasta/half zoodles to help fill you up, or to help kids or picky eaters enjoy some extra veg without missing out on pasta.

Dinner Recipe #2 — Hearty Veg & Bean Stew (Serves 6)

Est. cost: ~$15 total (~$2.50/serve)

Why it’s great: Freezer-friendly, fibre-rich, and uses cheap veg/beans.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 carrots, diced

• 2 potatoes, cubed

• 1 can diced tomatoes

• 1 can kidney beans

• 1 can corn

• Stock cube + herbs

Method

1. Sauté onion + carrots in pot.

2. Add potatoes, tomatoes, beans, corn.

3. Pour in water + stock, simmer 30 mins.

4. Season and serve.

Serve with: Wholegrain toast or rice.

Sweet Treat #1 — Carrot & Apple Muffins (Makes 12)

These muffins are sweet, moist, and sneak in veggies!

Ingredients

• 2 cups wholemeal flour

• 1 cup grated carrot

• 1 cup grated apple

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 2 eggs

• ½ cup yoghurt

• ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup

• 2 tsp baking powder

Method

Mix dry ingredients; whisk wet ingredients; combine; bake 180°C for 18–20 mins.

Why it’s clever: Adds fruit + veg — extra fibre and nutrients over plain muffins.

Sweet Treat #2 — Sweet Potato Brownies (12 squares)

Yes, brownies with sweet potato! Rich, fudgy, and nutrient boosted.

Ingredients

• 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato

• ½ cup cocoa

• ¼ cup coconut oil

• ½ cup honey/maple syrup

• 2 eggs

• ½ cup flour

• ½ tsp salt

Method

Blend all ingredients; bake 180°C for 20–25 mins.

Sneaky veg boost: Sweet potato adds fibre, vitamins and moisture.

Final Tips to Love Your Veg

Mix textures: roast crunchy veg with soft grains

Sauces & herbs: fresh basil, parsley, lemon zest elevate flavours

Frozen veg = convenience: add to pastas, curries, soups

Get the fam involved: fun veggie naming (“rainbow salad”, “forest pasta”)

I hope you love this series! I should mention one caveat... if you are iron deficient in any way, reducing meat can be a big problem for your iron levels. Bring in more veg, but don't sacrifice the iron-containing meat if you need to keep your levels up (especially important for menstruating women and for growing children).

Before making a big change to your diet, always speak to a health professional, like a nutritionist or naturopath, to ensure it is safe for you to do so!

See you next time ♥