Veggie Dinner

SaraTonin

So, I have a friend whose birthday is coming up. I want to make a legitimately healthy-yet-delicious meal for him with veggies. He has high cholesterol (at age 24), and is hypoglycemic which can indicate early stages of Type II Diabetes. And he is clinically depressed. I really think eating better would help him out psychologically, but I can't just say that to him because he thinks he knows everything about nutrition (he's a chemist).

But really, what he knows is the reductionist science view (aka, he knows certain sugars aren't as bad for you because they take longer to break down than other sugars, but he doesn't step back and pay attention to the actual calories in something).

Aaaaaanyway, his birthday is coming up and I want to make him a legitimately awesome meal full of veggies. He's very picky, sticking to mostly "rawwwrrr man foods" - chili, meat, burritos. He also likes spicy things.

I want to make something that he can make on his own, too. Something that is packed with vegetables in the recipe.

I was thinking like a veggie pasta or maybe a curry... Any ideas? I just want it to be something awesome so he doesn't realize it's so veggie-packed.

abyt42

My recent favorites:
Alexia Spicy Sweet Potato Fries, roasted asparagus, a roasted portobello mushroom cap (add blue cheese at the end) on a bed of spinach. (lightly spray the asparagus with cooking oil, add a little salt or garlic powder..... spray the cap, too, then pour add a little balsamic vinegar into the gills. Add a little pepper and garlic.)

The fries, asparagus and a small mushroom cap all cook at 400 F in under 20 minutes. It's simple, colorful and tasty....but it's definitely identifiable as vegetables.

skinnyme125

I do spagetti.. here it goes... My husband likes hamburger meat mixed in with prego sauce on top of our noodles. Since this is not the healthiest choice i slice and dice up some yellow and green squash and some mushrooms and onion and bell pepers. I seer them with malt vinager till they are kind of soft. Start with the stiffer veggies first then go to the softer ones LIke the bell peppers then end with the mushrooms since they are the softest. \

Have your whole wheat noodles boiling while this is all going on.

then when the veggies are done you can either make your owne tomatoe sauce or do like me and use prego smooth veggie style. and mix them together till they are warmed and then when the noodles are done you place the veggie sauce on the noodles and add a touch of pamasian and maybe toast some whole wheat breat and add light butter and some garlic and you are good to go. I use the sarah lee 45 calorie bread and do one slice.

My husband and son loved it.

onawho

I am not a fan of Indian foods or curries, but I do like to stick to veggies as my main meal item. If he likes to grill and all RAAWWRRR men do, how about grilling large cap portabella mushrooms and making burgers out of them. Grilling corn, asparagus, zuccine (sp), roasted bell peppers. marinating veggies in Italian dressing or some other marinade makes them even better when grilling them.

my non veggie loving bf likes it when I saute zucs and summer squash with a splash of good olive oil, salt and pepper and at the end finish with a dash of Parmesan cheese.

pesto is delish and tasty. you can toss some veggies in a wok saute them with a bit of olive oil, salt pepper, while preparing some kind of pasta cooked till al dente, I like the cork screw ones, then at the end mix the veggies and pasta together and mix in the pesto ! nom nom I need to go and get some fresh basil.....

abyt42

Chile Verde?

(Hot green salsa, chopped onion, sliced zucchini and green bell peppers, can of diced jalapeno peppers, whole or halved garlic cloves, a cup of cooked pinto beans and a chopped bunch of cilantro in a slow cooker.)

SaraTonin

Ooh I like the Chile Verde and the spaghetti ideas!! Keep em coming!

Shananigans1

Great Post SarahTonin, I'm taking notes too!! (Non Veggie eating family at home):happy: