We all know green vegetables are good for us right?

We all know we need to eat more...right?

But lets face it they are pretty............BORING!

Darren and I are great believers in eating for health and part of eating for health means enjoying the food you eat and not getting sucked into those feelings of guilt that often come with eating something 'naughty' - this is especially true for Darren who is pretty much addicted to cheesecake - well just any cake really, just in case you hadn't worked that out for yourself!

This week I've been encouraging a client to eat more greens but the problem she has - like most of us - is that she just doesn't really like green veg much so it's never top of her shopping or cooking list.

So, I thought I'd share my top tips for disguising your green veg in order to increase your intake -

1.  Stir fry - use sweet veg as your base - carrots, peppers, onion etc - but add finely chopped pieces of broccoli and/or some curly kale to the pan as well. The other great thing about stir fries is that with the other flavours you're cooking with - garlic, ginger, tamari etc - your green veg won't really taste like green veg.

2.  Curries - make whatever type of curry is your favourite and then just add in some small chunks of broccoli or some curly kale (it wilts down similar to spinach). There is of course always my favourite - Sag - a great choice if you're going out for a curry.

3.  Courgetti - whatever pasta sauce you like to make served with ribboned courgette (just use a peeler to create the ribbons - see recipe below).

4.  Green Salad - have lots of mixed leaves, not just iceberg lettuce, and cucumber with a few other colourful bits such as tomato/radish/grated carrot or beetroot and then add a tasty (homemade) dressing, serve with hummus or simply use a drizzle of olive oil & balsamic vinegar to add flavour - try adding some baby leaf spinach to increase the 'greenness'

5.  Pesto - make clean pesto and add the same amount of spinach as basil for a massive hit of concentrated greens - http://coventrypersonaltrainer.co.uk/1155/clean-pesto-courgetti-mmmmm/

6.  Frozen spinach - fresh is great and of course needed for salads BUT a bag of frozen spinach is the way to go for cooking with - just chuck in a few chunks to any dish you've made - curry, stew, shepherds pie, etc - I promise you won't taste it!

7.  Blanch and drain some curly kale and then fry it in a pan of butter or coconut oil with some garlic - this goes great on the side of any dinner (if you want to spice it up go for garlic, ginger & chilli)

8.  Cauliflower - Ok so it isn't green but it is cruciferous, good for you and another of those not so favourite vegetables! Make cauliflower rice - whizz up a head of cauli in a blender and then fry some onions and garlic in some oil, add the whizzed up cauli and then steam for literally 2 minutes. Add any flavourings e.g. turmeric gives a subtle flavour and nice colour, or it could be chilli if you like! I also like to chuck some frozen peas in for their sweetness and the increase in green.

9) Greens Drink - always a bonus to a good diet rather than a replacement to eating green stuff! We like www.getleanwithgreens.com Have it in the morning to set you up for the day - and get it out of the way!

Don't forget it's nearly time for our next bootcamp - we start this Monday the 22nd June!

If you've been thinking of joining for a while and have been putting it off have a look at the application form which will tell you if we are for you or not - apply here www.achievebootcamp.co.uk/application

Fran 'Jolly Green Not-So-Giant' Checkley