How to flavor some steamed veggies

maidentl

What's wrong with butter, salt, and pepper? It doesn't take much butter to make your veggies taste better, and fat isn't bad for you. As long as it fits into your calorie budget, and it's real food, eat what you want.

This is very true! But nutritional yeast is also yummy. Sounds weird, but I like it! :bigsmile:

MaggiePuccini

Planning on having some steamed veg with dinner tonight (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower), but don't know what to put on them for a little flavor.

Please don't tell me to eat them plain, that just isn't going to fly in my family. We're taking babysteps.

I would usually have put butter and salt

Any yummy, non-fatty suggestions?

Well, a bit of low fat hummous is GORGEOUS with broccoli. a heaped teaspoon of low fat hummous not too high in cals and it goes a long way on a few broccoli florets.

chicabean420

What's wrong with butter, salt, and pepper? It doesn't take much butter to make your veggies taste better, and fat isn't bad for you. As long as it fits into your calorie budget, and it's real food, eat what you want.

I can agree with this. But if you're wanting to avoid them, buy Mrs. Dash Lemon pepper. I find it interesting that people say soy sauce & parm cheese - but both are totally loaded with sodium.

sjv1966

Lemon juice is good but for a change of pace also try lime juice or orange juice. You can punch it up more by grating some of the zest of the fruit on as well. Finish it up with salt and pepper or Mrs Dash and you are good to go.

Another great one -- GARLIC!

Flavored vinegars are also great. I have a very light taragon flavored vinegar that I use all the time on veggies. For an asian flare try some sesame oil. It has a ton of flavor so you only need a few drops.

And don't forget that a teaspoon of olive oil or butter only has 40 calories so if is a meal for four and you can stick to that portion it is just 10 calories per person.

CBranson0503

tiny bit of olive oil with some garlic poweder

k7n2w3

Mashed Potatoes!!! as in mixed completely into the taters hahaha that's actually how I used to eat them when I was not caring about health and smothered them so I couldnt taste or see them haha I had to say that when I saw the post title. There are some low fat/calorie cheese (cheddar or mozzarella) you can melt on it or of course the plain old olive oil or butter. There's some creamy sauces too like maybe a low calorie creamy italian dressing or non creamy italian dressing for like 25 calories if you go that way. A creamy low calorie parmesion dressing might be tasty too.

ac0rn

I just steamed a basket of tilapia and veggies last night. I sprinkled a bunch of Creole Seasoning over all of it. YUM!

HWeatherholt

I like Molly McButter.

gapm

What's wrong with butter, salt, and pepper? It doesn't take much butter to make your veggies taste better, and fat isn't bad for you. As long as it fits into your calorie budget, and it's real food, eat what you want.

I found that increasing my fat in-take a little drastically reduced my craving for junky snacks.

lleabrooks

Great ideas! I've been trying to find a way to make veggies more enticing. I wonder what Applebees and Olive Garden do to their veggies that makes them so yummy. Anyone know?

hesn92

seasoned salt

darlilama

These may have been mentioned already, but I use a lot of the "spice blends" from McCormick. You may have to watch sodium on some of them. I sprinkle them on before I steam the veggies. Seems to really get the flavor in them that way.

Seasoned Pepper Blend (black and bell peppers)
Salad Supreme
Parmesan Herb

Also, I can't remember the brand, but there are powdered "shake" cheeses - White Cheddar and Sharp Cheddar that we sprinkle on after steaming.

Good luck!!

ashie83

I agree!

mmstgr

Thanks so much everyone! I may have to try out a few of this in the next few day! Yummmmyyy

boggsmeister

What's wrong with butter, salt, and pepper? It doesn't take much butter to make your veggies taste better, and fat isn't bad for you. As long as it fits into your calorie budget, and it's real food, eat what you want.

This is very true! But nutritional yeast is also yummy. Sounds weird, but I like it! :bigsmile:

I need to get some of that. I have heard it's amazing on popcorn.

windybaer

I looked up the answer to your question in my favorite cooking guide, which I won't name
since I'm not promoting the guide, just using it.

Cauliflower doesn't "steam" well because it tends to overcook and get soggy. It also loses much of its flavor
along with many of its nutrients, including minerals, water soluble vitamins (such as C and B-complex vitamins) and health promoting phytonutrients. Chop it up (quarter the florets) and eat it raw if you don't have time to saute it in some chicken
broth for 5 minutes. Al dente cooking is the best alternative for cauliflower.

Additional flavoring might be: curry powder, tumeric (which is milder), capers, garlic, minced anchovies, parmesan cheese, minced parsley or even cilantro. Tamari sauce (soy) should be used sparingly for its sodium content is high. We often make a melted cheddar cheese sauce (low fat) to enhance both cauliflower and broccoli as a main dish.

Carrots steam just fine in only 5 minutes if you cut them into 1/4" slices. If you need some flavoring, render some orange juice
into a sauce to pour over the carrots.

Broccoli steams fine too, in only 5 minutes if you break down the florets to smaller sizes. If its undercooked it will still taste good. Buy it fresh and serve it hot.

If it's brown or overcooked, I wouldn't eat it if it was covered with swiss chocolate.

pa_jorg

I'm a fan of using a small spoonful of bbq sauce or honey mustard salad dressing to flavor veggies.

Carolyn_79

What's wrong with butter, salt, and pepper? It doesn't take much butter to make your veggies taste better, and fat isn't bad for you. As long as it fits into your calorie budget, and it's real food, eat what you want.

I agree. I use butter and salt.

lilRicki

Sometimes I use Club House salad herb mix...but usually I just make them plain, they do taste really good and although my family isn't into the whole "health" thing like i am, they still eat 'em

california_peach

Okay. Here is what I would do. Under steam the vegetables just a touch. Drain them and toss them with balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp of olive oil, cracked black pepper and minced fresh garlic. Put the veggies on a baking sheet and broil them for about 3 minutes. So delicious!

jamiem1102

Garlic and a teensy bit of olive oil go a long way. I usually also add sea salt and crushed red pepper. Mmmmm...

GreatSetOfBrains

Soy sauce!

Might as well use salt lol Both soooo good lol.

I uses the same seasonings I used to grill my meat, 0 calories

MichelleRenee13

I add garlic while they steam.

MichelleRenee13

Garlic and a teensy bit of olive oil go a long way. I usually also add sea salt and crushed red pepper. Mmmmm...

This is what I typically do and it is super tasty!

sillylily1960

I put Mrs. Dash on anything and everything.

RuthlessB

I spray Butter flavored Pam on the vegetables and then steam them....you can spray ALL you want....cause NO CALORIES!!!!.... and GREAT flavor!!....Hope this helps....

bstamps12

I use Mrs. Dash, like the generic one or the lemon pepper one depending on the veggies. It's no sodium, no calories...but lots of flavor to keep the steamed veggies healthy!

wdruker

I marinade them in Italian Salad Dressing then steam.

jarrodc

Low-salt soy sauce
Turmeric
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic
Salsa
Mixed herbs & spices
Cheese

To name a few

anabell31

I slice a lemon really thin and layer it on the bottom of my steamer before I put the veggies in. Also a little lemon juice on steamed broccoli is my favorite snack