How do you cook vegetables?

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  • fitinyoga14
    fitinyoga14 Posts: 448 Member
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    i love experimenting with different ways to eat vegetables. here are some of my favorites:

    kabobs on the grill - nothing added required. just chop up some fresh bell pepper, red onion, zuchinni and stick them on the skewers. ( my dad does the grilling part, so i'm not exactly sure how to write instructions for that)

    stir-fry - chop up any fresh veggies - broccoli, caulaflower (sp.?), bell pepper, red onion, green beans and add to a heated skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. add some seasoned salt and black pepper to taste. add a tablespoon of water to the skillet if needed. stir-fry until onions appear transparent, broccoli is bright green, and peppers are soft. very quick!

    on the grill- wrap some fresh cubed potatoes with chopped onion, butter, salt, pepper, and rosemary (optional) in aluminum foil. place on the grill until potatoes are tender.

    make fresh salsa and place on top of tacos with lots of added veggie toppings.

    fry up some chicken strips in a skillet and add chopped pepper/onion with fajita seasoning to the skillet. fill tortillas with your mixture and you have fajitas!

    sloppy joe is easy to disguise veggies in. so is chili and soup
  • debbyknits
    debbyknits Posts: 8 Member
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    I will often mcrowave vegetables and then add a spritz of butter spray. I also saute frequently in a tablespoon of olive oil often adding diced onion or chopped roasted red peppers to the primary vegetable I'm cooking. I may then sprinkle with a spice like marjoram, thyme or basil.
  • simona1972
    simona1972 Posts: 355 Member
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    I can't digest raw veggies at all so I have to cook all of mine.

    I'm a BIG fan of roasting and grilling. The flavour's enhanced without having to add a lot of fats.

    My mom used to make a great brussels sprouts dish that I still make today...steam or boil the sprouts until almost cooked through. Drain them. Put them in a dry frying pan to dry roast. Before they're done browning, add some parmesan cheese. Yummy!

    Also...try finding vegetarian websites...they have a host of different side dish ideas for veggies.
  • lordfrog
    lordfrog Posts: 12
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    If you have a metal colander or a steamer then use them. If the former, then put water in a saucepan, place the veg in the colander and the a lid on the top. Remove from the heat when desired crispness/softness is reached.
    Also if using frozen the try thawing first, draining and cooking in a little water in a microwave. Put in for a shorter time than you think as you can alsways put in for longer if required.
    Some good supermarkets/greengrocers or food stores will give you advise if you ask, but ask you must..

    Hope this helps and good luck
  • somigliana
    somigliana Posts: 314 Member
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    When I cook frozen veggies, I microwave them in a glass bowl without adding anything. Seems to work a charm :)
  • suejonestx
    suejonestx Posts: 256 Member
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    I didn't read all of the threads but had to put my 2 cents in on this one!

    1) Gas grill is AWESOME for veggies. Simply cut up veggies (onion, red pepper, mushrooms, squash, zucchini, broccoli, corn...anything!) into chunks, throw it all into a large ziplock baggie, drizzle with olive oil and salt/pepper, zip and gently toss with hands. Then, pour into hot grill basket and grill/toss until cooked as desired. This is the best way, imo to cook veggies.

    2) Raw. Try a large, veggie-laden salad using raw veggies and lettuce. A low cal dressing can add tons of needed flavor.

    3) Steam. Toss veggies in a steamer basket and cook on stovetop. Spritz with spray butter, salt/pepper when done. Dee-lish!

    4) Sneak them in. The Sneaky Chef book talks about cooking and then pureeing certain vegetables and adding them to recipes like spaghetti, lasagna, mac and cheese and even cupcakes! BTW, spaghetti is a good way to get your veggies in...just pan sear onion, pepper, mushrooms along with ground turkey, then drain any grease and add sauce. You (and your kids) hardly know veggies are in there, especially if you finely chop the veggies. The sauce masks them.

    5) Veggie scramble. Saute veggies and add to scrambled eggs. Eat plain or spoon onto crunchy toast.

    6) V8. Enough said. (some say you can add certain veggies to smoothies, but I haven't tried this...apple carrot sounds pretty good, though!)

    7) Get creative. Try dishes like stuffed peppers, pasta with veggies, and bean & veggies salads. Experimenting is key.

    Hope this helps.
    --Veggie Lover
  • suejonestx
    suejonestx Posts: 256 Member
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    One more veggie option:

    8) Shish-kabobs. Thread water-soaked bamboo skewers with chunks of chicken, mushroom, onion, tomato, pepper, etc. and grill until meat is cooked through. If desired, dip final product in steak sauce or homeade dip (I like soy sauce, lime juice, minced garlic & spices)
  • kelkie11
    kelkie11 Posts: 18
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    I use fat free italian dressing in a fry pan instead of oil and cook them in there. Adds good flavour.
  • cds2327
    cds2327 Posts: 439
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    I pretty much steam it all.
  • cvtga
    cvtga Posts: 118
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    One of my favorite easy meals I am actually cooking tonight.

    Roast chicken breast season with salt. pepper and garlic powder 350 degrees until cooked.

    Meanwhile in a large saute pan, heat 2-3tbsp olive oil and add:

    1 medium yellow onion sliced
    1/2 green bell pepper sliced
    1/2 red bell pepper sliced
    3 cloves of garlic minced
    8 oz sliced mushrooms
    1 bag fresh baby spinach
    1 can diced tomato's (flavored with basil and oregano)
    season with salt and pepper
    add chicken top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

    You get a ton of veggies and a ton of flavor. You could even toss this chicken and veg dish with some pasta. Its yummy, give it a try
  • signchik
    signchik Posts: 17
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    I love balance9's comments. gonna use some of them.
    Here's one of mine. I keep a bag of frozen mixed veggies around and throw some in my soups. Adds color and taste the easy way. If I'm too impatient to wait for the soup to cook the veggies, I nuke them and add them into the soup when they are done. Progresso soups are my favorite right now. They have many veggie laden ones. Really tasty and not at all boring. They go on sale in St. Louis for 10 for $10 from time to time and I stock up.:smile:
  • signchik
    signchik Posts: 17
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    Also homemade soups. Again, the easy way. Use a store bought roasted chicken or roasted turkey breast. In a stock pot use chicken broth and reheat the chicken or turkey until it falls off the bone. Remove bones and skin. Cut meat into smaller pieces. Add mixed veggies. You can add noodles or gnocchi if you like.
  • aprildh
    aprildh Posts: 90
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    Thanks everybody for all of the wonderful ideas. I actually tried an Italian Lentil Soup last night from an old BH&G cookbook I have. It was delicious and Lentils was a first for me. I know its considered a superfood so I wanted to start incorporating them into my diet. I have never thought of roasting other veggies other than the root veggies so I will definitely start doing that. I did not grow up steaming veggies so I was never sure exactly how to go about it. It's good to have all these ideas to boost my knowledge and begin incorporating more veggies in my life.
    Thanks again everyone. Keep coming with the ideas.
    April
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    If they just taste bland... do throw some spices in there! You could also put some slivered almonds in almost any kind of vegetable & it will be tasty. Also, garlic powder makes anything taste amazing... as well as rosemary or basil.
  • GuyanaGold21
    GuyanaGold21 Posts: 50 Member
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    Sounds great, thanks!
  • ouryve
    ouryve Posts: 572 Member
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    Fresh veg, either cooked into a sauce or boiled in minimal water until just tender.

    Frozen veg, apart from peas, are weirdly squidgy.
  • atgnat1
    atgnat1 Posts: 29 Member
    edited February 2019
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    Depends on the vegetable. I spent most of my life thinking I hated broccoli for instance, and it turns out it's a completely different experience made in a steamer basket, just cooked barely enough to be tender and with a little salt and a lot of lemon juice. I love my parents but the boiling things to brown mush and melting in a quarter stick of butter method that generation employed just make me gag and cringe now.

    Yellow squash, zucchini, asparagus etc I just barely drizzle with olive oil, lightly salt, maybe add some italian seasoning and stick in the oven on 425. All of those pair well with roasted tomato wedges too.

    Okra gets the olive oil and then I hit it with salt pepper garlic paprika and cayenne and roast it till it gets dark on the edges. It's amazing and the first time I tried that I stopped craving it fried.

    Greens of any kind are good with a dash of apple cider vinegar. (ok sure they're still BETTER with bacon but I had to make some sacrifices) And finally, kale I always pair with grilled chicken or pork. Take the meat out of the pan, shove a big handful of the leaves into the juices, and slap the lid down a few minutes. Spinach sauteed with onions or mushrooms if I have them, and I'm still learning and experimenting with other veggies too.


  • AustinRuadhain
    AustinRuadhain Posts: 2,574 Member
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    Don't forget roasting! My teenager likes me to quarter fresh Brussel sprouts and bake them in the oven until tender and getting a bit brown and crispy around the edges. Works well with asparagus, too.

    Steaming is great if you don't overdo it. Greens with thin slivers of red onion steamed together and then sprinkled with an herb/spice mix is great, for example.

    Frozen vegetables are often fresher and more flavorful than what you get fresh in a regular grocery store, so no shame in eating them if you find them easier to manage.

    Experiment with herb and spice mixes to sprinkle on top. All flavors of Mrs Dash are great. Spike is great. McCormick's Italian Mix is great. You'll figure out what you like.

    The idea about chopped salads is excellent. Here's a recipe from America's Test Kitchen that got me started on chopped salads several years ago:
    https://www.kcet.org/food/recipe-mediterranean-chopped-salad
  • atgnat1
    atgnat1 Posts: 29 Member
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    AustinRuadhain wrote: »

    Frozen vegetables are often fresher and more flavorful than what you get fresh in a regular grocery store, so no shame in eating them if you find them easier to manage.

    It was such a great day when I discovered this because for some things, buying frozen is just sooo much simpler. Frozen veggies are usually quite a bit fresher, and the 'fresh' produce meanwhile sat in a warehouse a week or two and then spent days being transported.
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
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    necro-thread.jpg



    This thread made it almost 9 years without being necroposted, but now it has been! This may be a record.

    Speaking of records...for the record I like my vegetables roasted or sauteed.

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