Insanely Fast Veggie Side Dishes You’ll Love

I love veggies. But I don’t always love chopping or prepping them. Nor do I always have time to (deliciously) roast them. So, on busy nights, what do I do? Just order pizza or get take-out and try to get as many veggies in as I can? Well, yes, I do that, but I also pair it with one or two insanely fast veggie side dishes that I always keep in my freezer. Because, life. (Note: these two companies sent me samples to try for review, but I love them so much that they have become a part of my weekly dinner rotation and hence this Healthy Obsession post!)
And these are not your usual boring veggie medly mixes of peas and carrots and that creepy little baby corn (I’m not the only one creeped out by that, right?). They’re full of flavor, variety and are so insanely easy to prepare whether you’re gluten-free, vegetarian, Paleo or just want more fruit and veg in your life.

Tommy’s Superfoods

Tommy’s Superfoods is super (see what I did there?) because they’re all-natural, gluten-free, low-calorie and full of delicious fruits and veggies. The brand picks their produce at the peak of ripeness and then flash freezes all of its blends, so that you get the most nutritional bang for your buck. All you do is nuke them it the microwave (they come in a microwaveable steam bag) or saute in a pan on the stove. Sauteing gives you the best taste results, but in a pinch, I found the microwave to be muy convenient.
While I didn’t find the brand’s Seasoned Brussels Sprouts to be my absolute favorite, the Natural Greens with Uncured Bacon was heavy on the greens and tasted great with a runny egg on top.

And the Seasoned Root Fusion was one that I wish came in an extra large bag because my husband, daughter and I all fought over who got the final bite. (Gwen won.)

Nice nutritionals and ingredient list, too.

I also tried the brand’s Fiesta Quinoa.

And despite not getting a great photo of it and it not being as heavily veggie dominant, I loved it. In fact, my whole family loved it. It tasted like Mexican rice, but had more protein and mango in it.

All in all, Tommy’s Superfoods made having veggie side dishes ready in a snap and, oh, just insert smiley emoji with hearts for eyeballs here.

Boulder Canyon Riced Veggies

Riced cauliflower is a trend we love. And it’s only gotten more awesome and convenient. First, you had to rice your own veggies. Then, Trader Joe’s started selling already rice cauliflower. Then broccoli. And now Boulder Canyon offers frozen Riced Broccoli, Riced Carrot and Riced Sweet Potato — plain and in flavors — and it’s kind of making our healthy lives.
I tried the plain Riced Broccoli and although I did have a little extra water to drain off after steaming it in the microwave (pro tip: err on the side of more minutes in the microwave than fewer if you’re unsure of your cooking time), it was still awesome and easy to prep. (I served some of my African Chicken Peanut Soup over it, and it was deeelicious.)
But, the Thai Curry Riced Carrot really stole the show.

I may have eaten the whole bag for lunch today. And I may feel pretty good about that.

It came out sweet, savory and fluffy. Had plenty of curry flavor without being too heavy on the curry. And, like the collard greens, went really well with a couple of runny eggs.

I couldn’t be more thrilled to find these two brands. I’m not usually someone who hits the frozen aisle for more than frozen spinach, blueberries and fish, but I’m a full-out convert now. A few bags of these in your freezer and you always, ALWAYS have a healthy veggie side dish option at the ready.
Eating healthy is about motivation and decision-making, but it’s also about planning. And this is like the plan B that always, always works.
Do you have any other quick veggie side dishes that you love? Like Aladdin, I’m finding a whole new world here. —Jenn