For the love of Produce...
Replies
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purplefizzy wrote: »I’ve been a produce *kitten* for years and years.
My ‘Apple thing’ is notorious among friends and family. That’s the one enduring phase (current obsessions are Koru, Pacific Rose, and HoneyBee apples)- in addition to my squash fixation (kabocha, mostly, but a well roasted spaghetti squash also makes me swoon.)
I love almost all things produce-related... roasted golden beets, thinly shaved fennel, kabocha-everything, cauliflower curry, roasted Brussels with Apple and bacon. Grilled asparagus with Meyer lemon couli. Seared peaches on salad. Turnip puree.
Don’t get me wrong. I love a good grass fed steak...next to my veggies!
My question:
Got a love affair of your own with the veggie realm?
What is the vegetable you love introducing to nonveggie-loving friends?
What new-to-you veggie are you surprised that you like?
How do you boost nutrition in meals/recipes with innovative veggie additions?
Are you doing cool stuff with jackfruit? Spiralizing celerac?
Wat preparation method changed your mind about a particular vegetable/fruit?
Inspire me with your produce bounty!!
Below:
Roasted Kaocha in miso glaze with Pom and tahini
Crispy Orange Slices
Sweet potato soup
Food porn.5 -
jhanleybrown wrote: »purplefizzy wrote: »I’ve been a produce *kitten* for years and years.
My ‘Apple thing’ is notorious among friends and family. That’s the one enduring phase (current obsessions are Koru, Pacific Rose, and HoneyBee apples)- in addition to my squash fixation (kabocha, mostly, but a well roasted spaghetti squash also makes me swoon.)
I love almost all things produce-related... roasted golden beets, thinly shaved fennel, kabocha-everything, cauliflower curry, roasted Brussels with Apple and bacon. Grilled asparagus with Meyer lemon couli. Seared peaches on salad. Turnip puree.
Don’t get me wrong. I love a good grass fed steak...next to my veggies!
My question:
Got a love affair of your own with the veggie realm?
What is the vegetable you love introducing to nonveggie-loving friends?
What new-to-you veggie are you surprised that you like?
How do you boost nutrition in meals/recipes with innovative veggie additions?
Are you doing cool stuff with jackfruit? Spiralizing celerac?
Wat preparation method changed your mind about a particular vegetable/fruit?
Inspire me with your produce bounty!!
Below:
Roasted Kaocha in miso glaze with Pom and tahini
Crispy Orange Slices
Sweet potato soup
]
Food porn.
I SO agree...if I could only eat those two dishes for a decade, I'd be happy lol!3 -
danstewartmartin wrote: »Good grief - reading through this, I'm feeling so very basic/boring/old.
I eat a lot of produce, but nowhere near the variety of all of you.
< snip list of yummy stuff, for length>
Plus garlic/onions in most meats, and that just about covers all of it. I'm amazed by what some of you are making!
Suspect many of us see this thread as vegetable-geek-land, so mostly post the more unusual items, or unique combinations. Odd is not obligatory, but experiments are fun. Dive in!
@AnnPT77 — haha “vegetable geek-land” ☺️
Love that.2 -
danstewartmartin wrote: »Good grief - reading through this, I'm feeling so very basic/boring/old.
I eat a lot of produce, but nowhere near the variety of all of you.
< snip list of yummy stuff, for length>
Plus garlic/onions in most meats, and that just about covers all of it. I'm amazed by what some of you are making!
Suspect many of us see this thread as vegetable-geek-land, so mostly post the more unusual items, or unique combinations. Odd is not obligatory, but experiments are fun. Dive in!
I second this! I love trying unusual varieties of produce but my current staples are brussel sprouts, fennel, broccoli, spring greens, peppers of all kinds, green beans, asparagus, butternut and acorn squash, apples, pears, kiwis, jicama, persimmons, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, sweet potatoes, and squash. Course there's onions, garlic, etc.
Purple Fizzy, picked up another kabocha squash, whenever I see them I think of you now!1 -
What seasoning do you all use on your vegetables? I don’t know how to make them taste good.0
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What are your produce plans for Thanksgiving? I'm bringing roasted vegetables (beet, turnip, delicata squash, onion, mushrooms, garlic, 3 colored carrots, brussel sprouts) with balsamic and olive oil (still deciding on spices) and a salad with pear, pomegranate seeds, feta, almonds, and maybe dried cranberries with a vinaigrette. I'm nowhere near as fancy or experienced of a cook as all of you so I'm curious what you're planning!
I'm doing a small and casual Thanksgiving, so will likely only have roasted brussels and sauteed green beans with almonds and dill, plus a salad. I have tons of winter squash so may do a dessert involving winter squash. My sister usually does a half potatoes, half cauliflower mash. (She also usually does my mom's traditional cauliflower and broccoli with cheese veg, but we are saving it for Christmas this year.)
My big thing this year is a holiday party in mid December.2 -
These are fava bean shoots I had in August that cropped three times. Please excuse dirty windows. The current pea shoot crop looks pathetic in comparison. I might try a tray indoors on a window sill.
You can grow them inside without much light? I'm guessing I'd be able to grow a tray on my deck though they wouldn't get much sun over winter. How much sun is required? Most of my herbs overwinter so perhaps these would do well too. I'm in CA (9b).
Not sure if this is the same thing, but I think it is. I do sprouts year round on a kitchen counter, a variety of legumes. Artificial light seems fine (I'm in Chicago).1 -
Repeating myself.0
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Annagrace75 wrote: »What seasoning do you all use on your vegetables? I don’t know how to make them taste good.
@annagrace75 - I love rosemary or saffron on cauliflower!
Also - herbs de Provence on asparagus, brussel sprouts or any root vegetables.
🌿
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Annagrace75 wrote: »What seasoning do you all use on your vegetables? I don’t know how to make them taste good.
Salt, pepper, lemon juice are basics for me. That’s all they need because I love the taste of vegetables anyway.
Which is not to say I don’t spice them up when using them in a million ways. Vegetables are often the central ingredient in my meals, so I’ll use what works best for the ‘mood’ of the meal. Cumin, dukkah, chilli flakes, herbs of all sorts, harissa, za’atar, sumac, nutmeg, garlic, horseradish, mustard...it’s endless, honestly!2 -
What are your produce plans for Thanksgiving? I'm bringing roasted vegetables (beet, turnip, delicata squash, onion, mushrooms, garlic, 3 colored carrots, brussel sprouts) with balsamic and olive oil (still deciding on spices) and a salad with pear, pomegranate seeds, feta, almonds, and maybe dried cranberries with a vinaigrette. I'm nowhere near as fancy or experienced of a cook as all of you so I'm curious what you're planning!
I'm doing a small and casual Thanksgiving, so will likely only have roasted brussels and sauteed green beans with almonds and dill, plus a salad. I have tons of winter squash so may do a dessert involving winter squash. My sister usually does a half potatoes, half cauliflower mash. (She also usually does my mom's traditional cauliflower and broccoli with cheese veg, but we are saving it for Christmas this year.)
My big thing this year is a holiday party in mid December.
I posted this earlier, but this is a favourite squash based dessert of mine.
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/pumpkin-custard-recipe1 -
Annagrace75 wrote: »What seasoning do you all use on your vegetables? I don’t know how to make them taste good.
I really love vegetables, just on their own - well, most of them. (Not wild about lima beans, and dislike seaweed as a vegetable, though nori is OK as a wrapper.)
It sounds like maybe you're not a fan? (Or maybe I'm mis-reading between the lines . . .
).
I think the place to start is with finding cooking methods that make them taste good to you. Many people like many veggies better roasted rather than boiled or steamed. Pan-browning in just a touch of fat/oil, or broiling, are also good for some things.
After that, it's a matter of figuring out what seasonings you like with particular ones. If you like things spicy, consider fermented chili paste, harissa, options like "buffalo cauliflower" recipes, or the classics, horseradish (including wasabi) sriracha or salsa. If you like thing savory, consider amping up the umami with mushroom powder, caramelized onions, soy sauce, fish sauce, dark miso, nutritional yeast, a dusting of fresh-grated parmesan, meat add-ins or broths, among others.
If tart seems nice, you can use vinegars (plain, flavored or seasoned) or vinaigrettes (like you'd use on salads) on cooked veggies, or something like a balsamic glaze. If you'd prefer them a bit sweeter, consider combining fruits with your veggies, or using things like pomegranate or regular molasses, balsamic glaze, or that sort of thing.
Sweet spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, etc.) work well with some, and there are savory/sweet mixed spices like curry powder or 5-spice. If you enjoy herbal flavors, then experiment with individual ones (oregano, thyme, basil, etc.) or mixes (Italian seasoning, herbs de Provence, beau monde, etc.). If you have a nearby Trader Joe's, they sell some interesting spice mixes (read labels; see what sounds good to you).
Experiment: It's fun. Maybe pick a "veggie of the month", familiar or unfamiliar, and look up online recipes that use it. Try things with an open mind, see what you like.
Best wishes for veggie enjoyment!7 -
Thank you for the great suggestions! Unfortunately, I am not a fan of vegetables, but I really want to be! I heard that if I start eating them consistently, my taste buds will change.1
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Green salad with halved grapes, blue cheese and candied nuts.
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Annagrace75 wrote: »Thank you for the great suggestions! Unfortunately, I am not a fan of vegetables, but I really want to be! I heard that if I start eating them consistently, my taste buds will change.
If you want to eat more because you think they might be good for you, I'd point out that there's a huuuuuuge range of flavors & textures. Be brave. Experiment. Get a small amount of one, try it. What's the worst that could happen? If you don't like it, spit it out (as my father-in-law used to say ), and try another in a week or two.
If it comes to worst, hide them: Blend (puree) into soups or spaghetti/pizza sauce. Mince fine and put in scrambled eggs or enchiladas. Mix mashed winter squash into mac'n'cheese before baking. And so forth. There are bunches of these ideas online, for getting veggie-avoiding kids to eat them without knowing.2 -
These are fava bean shoots I had in August that cropped three times. Please excuse dirty windows. The current pea shoot crop looks pathetic in comparison. I might try a tray indoors on a window sill.
You can grow them inside without much light? I'm guessing I'd be able to grow a tray on my deck though they wouldn't get much sun over winter. How much sun is required? Most of my herbs overwinter so perhaps these would do well too. I'm in CA (9b).
Not sure if this is the same thing, but I think it is. I do sprouts year round on a kitchen counter, a variety of legumes. Artificial light seems fine (I'm in Chicago).
I have a florescent set up for tomatoes, I could use that, didn't even think of it until you mentioned artificial light.1 -
Annagrace75 wrote: »What seasoning do you all use on your vegetables? I don’t know how to make them taste good.
I have a bunch of seasoning blends from Penzey's and a few from Trader Joe's. If you're interested I'll list them and what I like them on. Basics are garlic powder, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, pepper blend, and Himalayan salt. Garlic olive oil (cooked together in pot for 10 minutes) is great brushed on veggies then roasted. I grow herbs and love rosemary on potatoes, dill on delicate veggies like green beans and asparagus, and Italian herbs with zucchini, squash, and tomatoes. Winter squash and sweet potato are great with a chili blend I have, pumpkin spice seasoning, ginger and cinnamon. Love apples with those too.1 -
OK fellow produce lovers! I got a bag of tomatillos in my produce box and am curious what you all do with them. I have the cilantro "soap" gene so that's out. I've googled recipes but am curious how others eat them.0
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OK fellow produce lovers! I got a bag of tomatillos in my produce box and am curious what you all do with them. I have the cilantro "soap" gene so that's out. I've googled recipes but am curious how others eat them.
I'm boring. I usually cook them (outer leafy shell removed but whole/unpeeled, pan on stove, water to just cover, bring to simmer & cook until skin starts to split, chop) then make them into salsa, with oven-roasted sweet corn (ears > kernels for this), pan-caramelized onions, some kind of smoky dried peppers, salt. (I'd add the cilantro, but I read what you wrote. ).
You can add some black beans to make heartier salsa/dip, or use the salsa on black bean/sweet potato chunk/corn tortilla soft tacos.
I kinda think they'd be good cooked with cabbage, too, but I haven't tried it.2 -
@AnnPT77 That sounds really good! I don't have corn tortillas or dried peppers so if I do that I'd have to wait until next week as the store was insane today! I do have jalapenos and shishito peppers but the latter aren't spicy so far.
Ah, improvise.
Jalapenos will work. It just tastes kind of nice to have a bit of smoky flavor in there. Maybe roast the jalapenos, over open flame if you have a gas stove, remove any peel that turns papery/carbony that comes off easily. Corn tortillas are nice, but just black beans and sweet potatoes with the salsa are the heart of the tastiness, IMO. Some smoked cheese in there would be another way to get a little smoky flavor, if you have some. 2 -
What are your produce plans for Thanksgiving? I'm bringing roasted vegetables (beet, turnip, delicata squash, onion, mushrooms, garlic, 3 colored carrots, brussel sprouts) with balsamic and olive oil (still deciding on spices) and a salad with pear, pomegranate seeds, feta, almonds, and maybe dried cranberries with a vinaigrette. I'm nowhere near as fancy or experienced of a cook as all of you so I'm curious what you're planning!
This sounds delish!
I’m the anti fancy.
I’m brave. Not fancy.
I’m doing a hack on Salvadorian style turkey, but subbed a ton of veggies and other stuff out.
This is my turkey inspo:
I’ve had it saved for a year.
https://salvikitchen.com/2014/05/13/salvadorian-christmas-turkey/amp/
My version is very ‘mine.’
Substitute heavy (I hate bell peppers and tomatoes suck this time of year. And always in supermarkets. And i was out of the Italian canned ones and the store with those is far.)
Mine has kabocha cubes (oven roasted first), hominy, chick peas.
But flavor profile holds.
Sort of.
Mine has the olives, capers, etc because I happen to have them all.
I hate oregano so none of that.
Mine has sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, am out of sesame.
Also I used bone broth instead of white wine. Upped the acid back with a splash of lime.
Using the Trader Joe’s 1/2 chicken breast.
In instapot.
Because I swore I would never do a whole bird again. And I won’t.
So it’s a hack Salvi turkey meets posole.
Serving with handmade-ish-but-bought tortillas, avocado, cilantro, lime wedges, shredded cabbage.1 -
danstewartmartin wrote: »Good grief - reading through this, I'm feeling so very basic/boring/old.
I eat a lot of produce, but nowhere near the variety of all of you.
< snip list of yummy stuff, for length>
Plus garlic/onions in most meats, and that just about covers all of it. I'm amazed by what some of you are making!
Suspect many of us see this thread as vegetable-geek-land, so mostly post the more unusual items, or unique combinations. Odd is not obligatory, but experiments are fun. Dive in!
Exactly.
I do not post my ‘I microwaved a bunch of precut veggies and dumped defrosted curry on them’ survival meals.
Or the ‘screw it Ill eat protein bars in bed’ nights.
Don’t be intimidated!!
Nothing better than perfectly steamed in season produce!!5 -
What are your produce plans for Thanksgiving? I'm bringing roasted vegetables (beet, turnip, delicata squash, onion, mushrooms, garlic, 3 colored carrots, brussel sprouts) with balsamic and olive oil (still deciding on spices) and a salad with pear, pomegranate seeds, feta, almonds, and maybe dried cranberries with a vinaigrette. I'm nowhere near as fancy or experienced of a cook as all of you so I'm curious what you're planning!
Oops, missed that question until Purplefizzy answered it. And I should leave it lie, because I'm dull.
Your plans sound fabulous!
My very dear in-laws "kept" me after my husband died in 1998, as I have no immediate blood family. I'll go there for Thanksgiving, and I'm normally asked to bring salad. These are not adventurous eaters; really the contrary. I try to please.
BIL really likes regular mayo-type coleslaw, so that (cabbage, carrot, tart apple, mayo, tiny bit of onion/garlic, salt, maybe a dash of mortared celery seed - that's it). Then I usually do a pasta/vinaigrette thing, as SIL usually already has a green salad. Thinking chickpea "rice", roasted cauli, roasted sweet corn, vidalia onion, orange bell pepper, sweet cherry tomatoes, cucumber, maybe cannelini beans. Not sure whether the walnut vinaigrette I made a couple days ago in excess will suit and is still good (no egg, so possible), with or without fresh thyme added. If not, something simpler with the thyme, probably.
Basic basic basic.
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A favourite way to eat salad. Charred on the cast iron griddle pan and drizzled with ranch.
4 -
What are your produce plans for Thanksgiving? I'm bringing roasted vegetables (beet, turnip, delicata squash, onion, mushrooms, garlic, 3 colored carrots, brussel sprouts) with balsamic and olive oil (still deciding on spices) and a salad with pear, pomegranate seeds, feta, almonds, and maybe dried cranberries with a vinaigrette. I'm nowhere near as fancy or experienced of a cook as all of you so I'm curious what you're planning!
Oops, missed that question until Purplefizzy answered it. And I should leave it lie, because I'm dull.
Your plans sound fabulous!
My very dear in-laws "kept" me after my husband died in 1998, as I have no immediate blood family. I'll go there for Thanksgiving, and I'm normally asked to bring salad. These are not adventurous eaters; really the contrary. I try to please.
BIL really likes regular mayo-type coleslaw, so that (cabbage, carrot, tart apple, mayo, tiny bit of onion/garlic, salt, maybe a dash of mortared celery seed - that's it). Then I usually do a pasta/vinaigrette thing, as SIL usually already has a green salad. Thinking chickpea "rice", roasted cauli, roasted sweet corn, vidalia onion, orange bell pepper, sweet cherry tomatoes, cucumber, maybe cannelini beans. Not sure whether the walnut vinaigrette I made a couple days ago in excess will suit and is still good (no egg, so possible), with or without fresh thyme added. If not, something simpler with the thyme, probably.
Basic basic basic.
I make about a month's worth of various salad dressings to keep in the fridge, so holding salad dressing a few days should not be a problem. Basic mustard vinaigrette (not pictured), ranch, Vietnamese nuoc cham, Indonesian lalab dressing, Japanese goma dressing are typically in my fridge.
Following a tip from the Food Lab cookbook, I store them in squeeze condiment bottles so you just need to shake and squirt. No need to create a dirty spoon stirring and serving from jars or tupperware. For dressings that contain solid bits such as chilli flakes and sesame seeds I needed to widen the openings of my squeeze bottles by cutting them down with a stanley knife. Alternatively those bidon top water bottles (such as Evian) could be re-purposed for the same thing and they have quite wide openings. Only inconvenience is that they would need to be filled with the help of a funnel.
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chris89topher wrote: »
It's a halved baby gem, but anything sturdy like romaine or iceberg would work well. In the summer its a nice thing to do on the BBQ so you have something to feed people quickly while they wait for meat.
Drizzle some olive oil on the cut side of the salad and grill cut side down. Salt and add dressing. I like ranch or blue cheese dressing, but a drizzle of balsamic is good too.3 -
chris89topher wrote: »
It's a halved baby gem, but anything sturdy like romaine or iceberg would work well. In the summer its a nice thing to do on the BBQ so you have something to feed people quickly while they wait for meat.
Drizzle some olive oil on the cut side of the salad and grill cut side down. Salt and add dressing. I like ranch or blue cheese dressing, but a drizzle of balsamic is good too.
That sounds very tasty! And I swear I can spell. That's what I get for phone typing and eating at the same time. Lol.1 -
What are your produce plans for Thanksgiving? I'm bringing roasted vegetables (beet, turnip, delicata squash, onion, mushrooms, garlic, 3 colored carrots, brussel sprouts) with balsamic and olive oil (still deciding on spices) and a salad with pear, pomegranate seeds, feta, almonds, and maybe dried cranberries with a vinaigrette. I'm nowhere near as fancy or experienced of a cook as all of you so I'm curious what you're planning!
Oops, missed that question until Purplefizzy answered it. And I should leave it lie, because I'm dull.
Your plans sound fabulous!
My very dear in-laws "kept" me after my husband died in 1998, as I have no immediate blood family. I'll go there for Thanksgiving, and I'm normally asked to bring salad. These are not adventurous eaters; really the contrary. I try to please.
BIL really likes regular mayo-type coleslaw, so that (cabbage, carrot, tart apple, mayo, tiny bit of onion/garlic, salt, maybe a dash of mortared celery seed - that's it). Then I usually do a pasta/vinaigrette thing, as SIL usually already has a green salad. Thinking chickpea "rice", roasted cauli, roasted sweet corn, vidalia onion, orange bell pepper, sweet cherry tomatoes, cucumber, maybe cannelini beans. Not sure whether the walnut vinaigrette I made a couple days ago in excess will suit and is still good (no egg, so possible), with or without fresh thyme added. If not, something simpler with the thyme, probably.
Basic basic basic.
I make about a month's worth of various salad dressings to keep in the fridge, so holding salad dressing a few days should not be a problem.
<snip for length>
I just wasn't sure if the pulverized walnuts might develop an off taste after a few days in vinegar/water/oil, not having done this before - though I couldn't see why they would. As expected, they were fine. Added the fresh thyme, and was happy with the salad.
Your dressings sound delish!2
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