Easy store bought toppings for dressing up vegetables.

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ChaoticMoira
ChaoticMoira Posts: 103 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all. I am trying to find easy (i.e. not a recipe - but store bought items) ways to dress up my vegetables. I usually just saute or roast them and throw on a few squirts of butter spray, but it is getting old. I randomly bought some stir fry sauce but it ended up being gross (just tasted like thickened soy sauce). I hate to cook, so I am not interested in making any homemade sauces. I figured there must be some things (seasonings or sauces) I can buy and just throw on them.

So if any of you have items you use to throw on your veggies, please share.
Thanks. :)

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Replies

  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,981 Member
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    Personally, I like some combination of a splash of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, a grind of pepper, and a grating of parmesan or crumble of goat cheese.

    If that seems too much like cooking to you, maybe some bottled salad dressing (since you're already using butter, I'm guessing you're not looking for super-low-cal options). A lot of people seem to like ranch dressing on all kinds of things, but there are all sorts of flavors available.
  • dfwesq
    dfwesq Posts: 592 Member
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    A good addition to vegetables is toasted sesame oil. When I'm sprinkling seasonings on, I sometimes spray on olive oil spray - the kind with air as a propellant. It adds flavor and helps other seasonings adhere.

    By the way, they make pump sprayers for oil. You could use one to spritz your favorite oil on vegetables.
  • littlegreenparrot1
    littlegreenparrot1 Posts: 693 Member
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    Herbs and spices for the roast veg.
    I like zaatar on Mediterranean veg and smoked paprika on butternut squash and carrots.
    But there are loads to choose from.

    Just toss the veg in a little bit of oil and a spoonful of whatever you have chosen before roasting.

    A squeeze of lemon or lime juice can be very good to liven things up a bit.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,419 Member
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    I like nutritional yeast and garlic powder on my roasted veggies.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    salt, pepper, and garlic (either crushed or powder) are my go-to.

    italian seasoning

    marinade in (anything really- i use italian dressing a lot) and grill or roast

    saute

    toss in air fryer with spritz of olive oil and parmesan and garlic

    raw on salads w/dressing of choice

    raw w/ ranch dressing (usually a yogurt based - i like the bolthouse farms ones)

    raw w/ other dip or spreadable cheese of choice (the laughing cow cheese are nice and the low calorie ones are pretty good

    julienned in wraps (usually i will just buy them precut

    asians sauces vary GREATLY in quality and taste. go to an actual asian STORE- you will find much better ones (tip- dont buy the ones you recognize from the grocery store)-ask another shopper or a store clerk who speaks english.
  • EyeOTS
    EyeOTS Posts: 362 Member
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    Love me thai peanut sauce on random vegrables
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,494 Member
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    A really quality fruit, chocolate or other balsamic.

    Truffle salt. Sooooo fragrant and dark.

    Check local stores or farmers markets for local jams, relishes or chutney type products.

    Relishes tend to be pretty low calorie.

    I’m using up a jar of Vidalia onion relish right now. Delish, and 15 calories a tbsp.

    But really, a light spray of olive oil, a dash of balsamic, and some feta on roasted vegetables is a feast, and again the next day, chilled, on top of some fresh salad greens.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
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    Tajin chile-lime is a favorite for me.

    Just about any stir-fry sauce (I like satay & housing), a bit of cheap basalmic vinegar, black pepper & garlic powder, or a sprinkle of PB2 peanut butter powder for a satay vibe.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,219 Member
    edited August 2021
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    Miso, which is a paste that comes in different types (or colors) that have different flavors. Flavor is rich/umami and salty. Thin with warm water if needed, toss with cooked veggies.

    If you like spicy things, try gochujang chile sauce or sriracha (or salsa, of course).

    If it exists where you live, Better Than Bouillon (brand) concentrates are flavorful, low calorie. Thinned as needed, they can be used to stir-steam veggies, or tossed with veg pre- or post-roasting. They come in lots of flavors, ham, beef, chicken, roasted garlic, mushroom, vegetable, etc. Few calories, lots of flavor, also good in soups, stews, etc. (It's a paste, comes in jars.)

    I also like a mix of rice vinegar and soy or chile sauce, maybe a few drops of toasted sesame oil, but maybe that's too much like cooking.

    Ditto for bottled prepared mustard mixed with good vinegar to thin. If not too much cooking, it's especially good on cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, or other heartier veg like that. Any kind of mustard works, and mustard comes in lots of flavors. I particularly like dill mustard, though that's less common in stores than some other flavors.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Seasoning blends like Weber and McCormick's Grill Mates. They both come in a veggie variety. Roasting veggies in the air fryer, yum!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,912 Member
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    springlering62 wrote: »
    A really quality fruit, chocolate or other balsamic.

    Truffle salt. Sooooo fragrant and dark.

    Check local stores or farmers markets for local jams, relishes or chutney type products.

    Relishes tend to be pretty low calorie.

    I’m using up a jar of Vidalia onion relish right now. Delish, and 15 calories a tbsp.

    But really, a light spray of olive oil, a dash of balsamic, and some feta on roasted vegetables is a feast, and again the next day, chilled, on top of some fresh salad greens.

    @springlering62: TRUFFLE SALT?!? This I have to try!

    There are 568 results for "Truffle salt" on Amazon - what brand do you use, where do you buy it, and how much does it cost?
  • ChaoticMoira
    ChaoticMoira Posts: 103 Member
    edited August 2021
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    Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the ideas!


    wunderkindking wrote: »
    Ranch seasoning POWDER - very, very very low calorie and big punch of flavor.

    Thanks, this is a good idea. I will try it out. I have heard of people putting ranch dressing on their cooked veggies before but that would be too many calories, and honestly I didn't think it sounded good on cooked vegetables. But just the seasonings on the cooked veg might be good.

    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    ... maybe some bottled salad dressing (since you're already using butter, I'm guessing you're not looking for super-low-cal options)..

    That is my mistake. I should have put butter spray in quotes. I am using I Can't Believe it's Not Butter spray. It is 1 calorie per spray, and I use about 5-10 sprays. It actually does have to be super low calorie. I don't like to waste calories on veggie toppings. I would rather have a serving of delicious mashed potatoes, or a yummy stuffing with my meal than put cheese, or some high calorie sauce on vegetables - which for me will not be as satisfying.. I like veg, I just don't loooove them.

    dfwesq wrote: »
    I sometimes spray on olive oil spray - the kind with air as a propellant. It adds flavor and helps other seasonings adhere.
    By the way, they make pump sprayers for oil. You could use one to spritz your favorite oil on vegetables.

    I have never found oil to be much on flavour. I know some people love it. My best friend absolutely loves dipping bread in specialty olive oils, and I am usually sitting there with something covered in cheese baffled by her pleasure, lol. I do use a local artisan herbed olive oil for my cooking already, so it does offer a little something, but it is very light.

    Yes, I LOVE my Mysto sprayer!!! That is how I cook with oil, and I have spritzed air popped pop corn just little to get seasonings to stick to it.

    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    the laughing cow cheese are nice and the low calorie ones are pretty good
    asians sauces vary GREATLY in quality and taste. go to an actual asian STORE- you will find much better ones (tip- dont buy the ones you recognize from the grocery store)-ask another shopper or a store clerk who speaks english.

    Laughing Cow! What a good idea. I love those cheese wedges. I could toss one in my saute pan and melt it right into them. I will try that.

    I have considered marinades. Then I went to get one and realized there are dozens of them. I had no idea which ones would be good on vegetables. I am not a huge fan on vinegar on cooked vegetables.

    Thanks for the tip on the Asian sauces. I will look into that. I would love to find an actual good bottled stir fry sauce!

    EyeOTS wrote: »
    Love me thai peanut sauce on random vegrables

    What brand do you get? I have never purchased a satay sauce outside of a restaurant, nor put it on anything besides meat. But I loooove satay sauce.

    springlering62 wrote: »
    relishes or chutney type products.
    Relishes tend to be pretty low calorie.
    I’m using up a jar of Vidalia onion relish right now. Delish, and 15 calories a tbsp.

    Oh that is a good idea. Vidalia onion relish sounds delicious. It that something you got locally, or it is in supermarkets?

    rosebarnalice wrote: »
    PB2 peanut butter powder for a satay vibe.

    Interesting idea. I wonder if I added some coconut extract to PB2 if it would be close enough to work as a low cal satay sauce..

    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Miso, which is a paste that comes in different types (or colors) that have different flavors...
    ... Better Than Bouillon (brand) concentrates are flavorful...
    ... mustard mixed with good vinegar to thin. If not too much cooking, it's especially good on cabbage, brussels sprouts...

    I will have to try the miso paste. I have never had miso anything, but I know it is popular.
    Better than Bullion!!!! Oh goood idea! I LOVE that stuff. I always use it in place of normal broth or when almost any savoury recipe calls for water. It is so flavourful.
    Mustard on cabbage and brussel sprouts sounds yummy. Especially with a little balsamic or even a jam...
    Btw, I love dill mustard too.

    TeaBea wrote: »
    Seasoning blends like Weber and McCormick's Grill Mates. They both come in a veggie variety.

    Interesting. I didn't know they had veggie varieties, but now I am just thinking of the one I have for meat and wondering how it would be. I will give this a try.

  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,494 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    springlering62 wrote: »
    A really quality fruit, chocolate or other balsamic.

    Truffle salt. Sooooo fragrant and dark.

    Check local stores or farmers markets for local jams, relishes or chutney type products.

    Relishes tend to be pretty low calorie.

    I’m using up a jar of Vidalia onion relish right now. Delish, and 15 calories a tbsp.

    But really, a light spray of olive oil, a dash of balsamic, and some feta on roasted vegetables is a feast, and again the next day, chilled, on top of some fresh salad greens.

    @springlering62: TRUFFLE SALT?!? This I have to try!

    There are 568 results for "Truffle salt" on Amazon - what brand do you use, where do you buy it, and how much does it cost?

    Amazon: Sabatino Tartufi brand. Truffle salt isn’t cheap but a little goes a long way so a small jar lasts a long long time.

    Truffle salt on lightly buttered (or, hellllllo low cal margarine) hot air popcorn is to die for.

    w95veofo4lss.jpeg
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,629 Member
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    For dipping raw veg into, I love Thai seafood dipping sauce. It's hot, acidic, sweet and salty. I use the Maesri brand.
    https://www.theasiancookshop.co.uk/maesri-seafood-dipping-sauce-12709-p.asp
  • Safari_Gal_
    Safari_Gal_ Posts: 1,461 Member
    edited August 2021
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    Balsamic vinegar! Also love raw veggies with some hummus, taramosalata or tzatziki.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,494 Member
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    Safari_Gal_ wrote: »
    Balsamic vinegar! Also love raw veggies with some hummus, taramosalata or tzatziki.


    You forgot baba ganoush
  • Safari_Gal_
    Safari_Gal_ Posts: 1,461 Member
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    springlering62 wrote: »
    Safari_Gal_ wrote: »
    Balsamic vinegar! Also love raw veggies with some hummus, taramosalata or tzatziki.


    You forgot baba ganoush

    Yaaassssss :)
  • yayamom3
    yayamom3 Posts: 939 Member
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    Trader Joe's has some delicious seasoning blends. My favorites are Everything But the Elote and Citrusy Garlic.
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 878 Member
    edited August 2021
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    I think you could probably browse your grocery store's seasoning section and find some good seasoning mixes to try out....but as far as seasonings go I like:

    Garlic salt/pepper
    Parmesan cheese
    Tajin
    Chili powder
    Za'atar - a Middle Eastern spice blend that is....delicious on bread/potatoes/veggies
    Balsamic vinegar
    Feta cheese
    Roasted sesame oil (I do not cook with this, I put it on after I'm done cooking whatever I'm having it on)
    Dash of fish sauce (a DASH)
    Similar to the above (fermented seasoning/sauces - miso, shrimp paste, marmite...etc.) Extremely flavorful, but use sparingly.
    Furikake - a rice seasoning mix that comes in a bunch of diff flavor combos
    Also I consistently keep the powdered Hidden Valley ranch seasoning packet (you are supposed to mix it with sour cream and mayo --- I use plain greek yogurt and a bit of mayo)....to have on hand to dip veggies in.
    Tzatziki sauce

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