10 Vegetable Recipes That Taste Like Treats

So long, boring zucchini! Oven-roasted zucchini is no longer the preferred way of eating this versatile vegetable. The zucchini is now the darling of the farmers market. If you still haven't tried making vegetable noodles with a spiralizer, it's time you did. It's a great way to increase the amount of vegetables in your diet.

Zucchini has a neutral taste, it's a low-carb alternative to pasta and it takes on the flavor of any food it's combined with. It pairs perfectly with cherry tomatoes for a double dose of vitamin C. Whip up the yogurt and feta dressing to add a little protein and calcium and some great flavor.

​Recipe & Nutritional Info:​ Mediterranean Zoodles With Creamy Feta Dressing

Sweet potatoes lend moisture and sweetness to this healthy and light breakfast cookie. Plus, they give you a kick of beta carotene to start your day. Whole-grain rolled oats and pecans will help fill you up with a good dose of fiber. Since most adults don't get the recommended amount of fiber per day (25 grams for women and 38 grams per day for men), these cookies are a fun way to help meet your goal.

Sweet potato cookies can be made with milk or nondairy milk (for those with allergies or intolerances). Maple syrup adds a less refined source of sugar that has just the right amount of sweetness. You won't skip breakfast again with these waiting for you.

​Recipe & Nutritional Info:​ Sweet Potato Maple Pecan Breakfast Cookies

Nutritionists often say you shouldn't eat foods that you can't pronounce. This salad is one exception to that rule. Cruciferous (kroo-sif-er-us) vegetables are a class of healthy foods like broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower and many others.

A 2016 meta-analysis published in ​JRSM Cardiovascular Disease​ found that eating cruciferous vegetables daily decreased the risk of cardiovascular disease. You could eat regular high-fat coleslaw to get in your daily dose of cabbage, but this updated version uses a dressing comprised of peanut, ginger and lime that will make you want to eat cruciferous vegetables all day, every day.

​Recipe & Nutritional Info:​ Cruciferous Trio With Peanut Ginger Lime Dressing

Did you know corn can be considered a vegetable and a whole grain? Fresh corn is usually considered a vegetable, while dried corn — think popcorn — is a whole grain, according to the Whole Grains Council. Either way, you're getting a good amount of fiber.

Mexican street corn is a favorite summer dish for grillers everywhere. Traditionally, it's slathered in mayo and grilled straight on the cob. But this twist adds more tasty veggies and spices. A creamy avocado dressing takes the place of mayo and adds healthy monounsaturated fats and no cholesterol. It's great as a side dish or as a topping for grilled fish or chicken.

​Recipe & Nutritional Info:​ Mexican Street Corn With Avocado Dressing

There's no better way to elevate ho-hum carrots and cucumbers than to pickle them in a delicious brine. Pickling is an age-old process of food preservation. While experienced picklers love using a canning preservation method, these pickled veggies use the refrigerator to keep them tasty and crispy.

While it's possible to eat these pickled veggies after a day or two, their flavor is much better after the full week. Worried about soggy veggies? Don't be! Thin and evenly sliced carrots and cucumbers stay crunchy in the refrigerator for months with a nice dill pickle flavor.

​Recipe & Nutritional Info:​ Pickled Carrots and Cucumbers With Fresh Dill and Black Peppercorns

On the days when your local farmers market is loaded with zucchini and summer squash, grab a few and use them to make a pizza. That's right — pizza! Zucchini and squash are not only low in calories, but they're high in vitamin C. This light pizza is loaded with squash and topped with arugula when it comes out of the oven.

Since the recommendation of the United States Department of Agriculture is that half of every dinner plate should be filled with fruits and veggies, filling this pizza with zucchini, summer squash and peppery arugula help get you closer to that goal.

​Recipe & Nutritional Info:​ Summer Squash Pizza With Creamy Mozzarella and Arugula

Who doesn't love ravioli? But you might be too intimidated to try making your own. Why not take some assistance from packaged wonton wrappers? Ravioli are the perfect vessel to get more vegetables, and they fit nicely in the Mediterranean diet.

This way of eating is rich in plant foods, pastas, cheeses, olive oil and bread. It also came in as the number-one best overall diet for 2019 by U.S. News and World Report. Numerous studies, including a 2015 article published in ​Nutrients​, indicate the role of the Mediterranean diet in prevention of chronic disease. The elements of this dish, including vegetables and olive oil, make it a perfect addition to a Mediterranean diet eating pattern.

​Recipe & Nutritional Info:​ Tuscan Ricotta Ravioli With Spinach and Mushrooms

Beets just might be one of the healthiest vegetables you aren't eating. They're naturally high in nitrates, which sometimes get a bad rap for being used as a preservative in foods. But nitrates from beets are broken down into nitric oxide in the digestive system.

According to a 2017 review in ​Nutrients​, the juice from beets may improve athletic performance by improving muscle function. Not an athlete? Beets are still a nutrition powerhouse. They provide vitamin C, iron and potassium, and one cup gives you almost four grams of fiber.

​Recipe & Nutritional Info:​ Slow-Roasted Beets With Basil Pistachio Pesto