Vegetables, Zucchini, and Squash

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LesleeBeAlive
LesleeBeAlive Posts: 504
in Food and Nutrition
Does anybody have good recipes for vegetables?
I am trying really hard to incorporate better vegetables into my diet. I tend to fill my calories with bad calories rather than good.

Any help would be awesome!

Replies

  • hmparkin23
    hmparkin23 Posts: 91 Member
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    Squash makes a great robust curry or soup. In both instances, roast it in spray oil first for extra flavour, then add to your curry sauce or puree with cumin and stock to make a soup.
    Zucchini (courgettes in the UK) are also great roasted, or can be added grated to stews or bolognaise sauce or chilli.
  • mcrowe1016
    mcrowe1016 Posts: 647 Member
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    Cut up some zuch and sautee (in nonstick pan with a quick spray of olive oil) with just one or two servings of spicy bbq sauce for ten to twenty minutes. You can also sautee with nothing and toss with a LITTLE bit of feta cheese :-)

    If you use the spicy bbq, you only need a little bit to get lots of flavor.
  • Lina4Lina
    Lina4Lina Posts: 712 Member
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    I'm boring because I basically just steam and eat, sometimes add a dash of salt and pepper, maybe garlic.

    A good generic way though to cook veggies would be to cook with onions and garlic. Basically, sautee some chopped onions and garlic in a pan for 5-10 minutes, deglaze with water if need be, add in sliced half moons of zucchini, add salt, add some pepper and/or red pepper flakes, stir, cover, stirring every few minutes until zucchini is slightly soft. If the zucchini is sticking, add some splashes of water.
  • pinkroseacct
    pinkroseacct Posts: 31
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    Put 1 tbsp olive oil in a non stick pan. Add 1 tbsp minced garlic and 1/2 a sliced onion. Let saute until translucent. Add in about 1/2 cup carrots (coins or baby) and let cook 4-5 minutes. Slice up into coins or half coins one small zucchini and one small summer squash. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh basil or other herb. Really great with grilled chicken or sauteed fish and brown rice.
  • LesleeBeAlive
    LesleeBeAlive Posts: 504
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    Awesome advice! Thnk you!! :)
  • lhergenr
    lhergenr Posts: 242 Member
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    i was eating kale chips that i just made as i read this thread. it's a really simple snack. just tear off pieces of kale, throw out the ribs, drizzle with olive oil and bake for about 10 minutes (til crunchy) at 375 degrees. then sprinkle with salt. it's surprisingly good! i put too much salt on mine, thought they would need it but they don't!
  • unlocke
    unlocke Posts: 149
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    Steam them. It's the healthiest way to cook veggies, and keeps flavor in. You can sprinkle with whatever seasonings you like if needed. :smokin:
  • LesleeBeAlive
    LesleeBeAlive Posts: 504
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    Steam them. It's the healthiest way to cook veggies, and keeps flavor in. You can sprinkle with whatever seasonings you like if needed. :smokin:

    This may sound odd, but how do you steam vegetables?
    I know, I suck. Haha
  • LesleeBeAlive
    LesleeBeAlive Posts: 504
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    i was eating kale chips that i just made as i read this thread. it's a really simple snack. just tear off pieces of kale, throw out the ribs, drizzle with olive oil and bake for about 10 minutes (til crunchy) at 375 degrees. then sprinkle with salt. it's surprisingly good! i put too much salt on mine, thought they would need it but they don't!

    Have you tried Squash chips?
    Super good too!
  • talkytina9
    talkytina9 Posts: 22 Member
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    Hmmm..I like to add zucchini to my stir fry..I also make zucchini bread..stuffed zucchini..stuffed squash...you can also take the skin off zucchini and fry it..but as good as those things are..they aren't the healthiest recipes..sorry...:)
  • Lina4Lina
    Lina4Lina Posts: 712 Member
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    Steam them. It's the healthiest way to cook veggies, and keeps flavor in. You can sprinkle with whatever seasonings you like if needed. :smokin:

    This may sound odd, but how do you steam vegetables?
    I know, I suck. Haha

    For convenience sake, I use a microwave steamer. The traditional way would be to use a double burner type steam pan. Basically, the bottom contains water, then the top lays a few inches from the bottom, not touching the water, put whatever in and heat until steam starts coming out of the pan. Cook until vegetables are tender.

    My super lazy way to steam that works fairly well without a microwave steamer would be to cut up veggies on a plate, cover with a wet papertowel, then cook for a few minutes in the microwave. This might not work with heartier vegetables but it'd work with greens and summer squash.
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
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    Steam them. It's the healthiest way to cook veggies, and keeps flavor in. You can sprinkle with whatever seasonings you like if needed. :smokin:

    This may sound odd, but how do you steam vegetables?
    I know, I suck. Haha

    For convenience sake, I use a microwave steamer. The traditional way would be to use a double burner type steam pan. Basically, the bottom contains water, then the top lays a few inches from the bottom, not touching the water, put whatever in and heat until steam starts coming out of the pan. Cook until vegetables are tender.

    My super lazy way to steam that works fairly well without a microwave steamer would be to cut up veggies on a plate, cover with a wet papertowel, then cook for a few minutes in the microwave. This might not work with heartier vegetables but it'd work with greens and summer squash.

    I also have a lazy steam option. I buy a lot of frozen veggies (broccoli, green beans, corn, etc.) I put them in a cereal-size bowl and fill up with enough water to almost cover the tops of them. Then I flip a plate up-side-down on top and microwave for three minutes (time is variable). Let cool for a minute or so and drain the water. Then I spray with a little spray butter and season with whatever bottle of Mrs. Dash is smiling at me from the spice rack that day.
  • linz1125
    linz1125 Posts: 441 Member
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    I like to grill mine! Squirt a little lemon juice on them and yummy! I just cut them in slices and stick them on kabob skewers. I have also put them in a tin foil wrap up with lemon juice.

    Last week I also put cauliflower, eggplant, and zucchini in a tin foil wrap with a little lemon juice and a spritz of olive oil. Even my hubs who hates cauliflower loved it!
  • Lina4Lina
    Lina4Lina Posts: 712 Member
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    I also have a lazy steam option. I buy a lot of frozen veggies (broccoli, green beans, corn, etc.) I put them in a cereal-size bowl and fill up with enough water to almost cover the tops of them. Then I flip a plate up-side-down on top and microwave for three minutes (time is variable). Let cool for a minute or so and drain the water. Then I spray with a little spray butter and season with whatever bottle of Mrs. Dash is smiling at me from the spice rack that day.

    With frozen veggies, I just cook them on a plate as there is usually enough water in them to steam. Sometimes, I'd cover them with a wet paper towel as well.
  • scs143
    scs143 Posts: 2,190 Member
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    We had this the other night and it was awesome. You could sub the eggplant for the squash.

    http://www.marthastewart.com/921630/provencal-vegetable-tian
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
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    check out skinnytaste.com

    Lots of great ideas there.

    As well as lowsodiumcooking.com

    As for zucchini & squash.

    I love to drizzle a very small amount of olive oil on zucchini and sautee on the BBQ. In addition to zucchini bread & muffins.

    Squash can be baked & mashed to be served as a side dish. But, squash soup is also a great option.
  • LesleeBeAlive
    LesleeBeAlive Posts: 504
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    Thanks! Awesome advice and Ideas ladies and gents!

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