We all know fruits and veggies are an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but sometimes we need a little inspiration to stay on track. You can go way beyond the fruit bowl and basic salad, so I’ve rounded up some easy and absolutely delicious ways to add more fruits and vegetables to your life.

Bake It.

Who says baked goods have to be bad for you? This is one of my favorite recipes to whip up at home - and *bonus* it’s totally toddler approved. My son Jack calls them “green cakes”, but these muffins are packed with avocado, blueberries, bananas and spinach!

The best part is that it’s so easy to customize - just start it out with your basic recipe of flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and an egg. From there - the possibilities are endless! Some other options include applesauce, pumpkin, cinnamon and dates.

1. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl:

-1.5 cups whole wheat flour

-1 teaspoon baking powder

-1/2 teaspoon baking soda

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

2. Mix wet ingredients in a food processor:

-1 large egg

-3/4 cup milk of choice

-2 cups fresh organic spinach (uncooked)

-1 ripe banana

-1/2 ripe avocado

-1/3 cup organic pure maple syrup

3. Add wet ingredients to dry, mix until just blended. Fold in 1/4-1/2 cup blueberries

4. Bake at 350 (12 minutes for mini-muffins or 17 minutes for regular-sized muffins).

Drink It.

Another yummy way is to drink your fruits and veggies! When it comes to inspiring a healthier lifestyle, Tropical Smoothie Café leads by example. Not only are their smoothies delicious - but they also have a huge selection of wraps, flatbreads and salads that help fuel your body and satisfy your tastebuds using fresh quality ingredients.

They recently launched their Live Better Smoothie Lineup, and two of the all stars are the Detox Island Green Smoothie and Chia Banana Boost Smoothie.

The Detox Island Green Smoothie is perfect this time of year because we could all use a little detox after too many cold weather comfort foods or winter treats. We know that leafy dark green vegetables are fantastic at cleansing the body from the inside out, but eating salad all the time can get BORING! The solution is to blend up greens and your favorite fresh fruits into a smoothie! Add a little fresh ginger and it’s a “zing” that also wakes up your metabolism.

The Chia Banana Boost Smoothie offers an energy lift with key ingredients like roasted banana, chia seeds, and whole grain oats. You can even customize and add peanut butter or strawberries to take your smoothie to the next level.

Whichever you choose -the Live Better Smoothie Lineup has something for everyone. Try one in the morning to kick start your day the feel better way or as an anytime pick-me-up. Just head to your nearest Tropical Smoothie Cafe today to stay on track and live better this year.