Veggie Ideas - need some new ones

Sautee some fresh green beans in a little bit of olive oil and garlic. Add salt and pepper. Delish!

Sautee some fresh green beans in a little bit of olive oil and garlic. Add salt and pepper. Delish!

Basically how I prepare all my vegetables. It's the best.

roast everything. Broccoli, cabbage, green beans, brussel sprouts...just a little olive oil, garlic, a little salt and pepper....oh god, it's the best thing ever....ESPECIALLY roasted cabbage... mmmmmmmmm

Love sliced yellow squash & zucchini with some chopped onion (purple preferred) with a little bit of olive oil. Toss in the skillet & squeeze some fresh lime juice & season lightly with salt & pepper. YUM!!

Zuchinni, red onion and grape tomatoes sauted in some italian dressing!! Delish!!

What about aubergines (or eggplant for the Americans )?
I just made some Aubergines alla parmigiana on Sunday, rather fiddly, but sooooo worth it!!! Also, it's full of cheesy goodness... Yum!

Another one of my favourites is Ratatouille.
Take some onion, some garlic, some courgettes (or zucchini) you can add aubergine if you want to, add some bell pepper (green or yellow), take some tomatoes and just cook everything in a bit of olive oil. You need to cook it until all the ingredients are rather soft and some of the water has evaporated. Add some rosemary and thyme and maybe bay leaves (salt, pepper) to taste. Takes some time, but once all the chopping is done you only have to stir occasionally. And basically you can serve the ratatouille with anything (rice, pasta, potatoes) you want!

I absolutely HATE cauliflower. I've tried it a few times, in different forms, raw, mashed, steamed, and I just couldn't eat it. However......today I tried roasted curry cauliflower for the first time and I absolutely LOVED it. Not only does it taste good, it's also healthy! Here's the recipie. My coworker uses grapeseed oil instead of olive oil because it has a higher burning temp for roasting.
•1 large head cauliflower, rinsed, cored, and broken into medium florets
•3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or grapeseed oil)
•1 tablespoon good-quality curry powder
•1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 425° F. Place the cauliflower florets in a large bowl. Drizzle with the oil, sprinkle with the curry powder and salt, and toss together until the florets are evenly coated. Pour the cauliflower and any oil remaining in the bowl into a roasting pan or large baking dish, and spread the florets into a single layer. Place the cauliflower in the preheated oven and roast, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender and begins to caramelize, about 35 to 40 minutes.

BUMP for later!

What about spinach? Either raw in a salad or sauteed with garlic and black pepper? I also have cut a romaine heart in half, grilled it, and served whatever protein I was having (salmon, chicken, pork, whatev) on top.

try mashing carrots w/parm and little olive oil
mix potatoes and fennel for gratin recipe on foodnetwork>barefoot contessa
parsnips are delish mashed
eggplant roasted or grilled w/little olive oil, salt & pepper or make into baba ghanoush
jicama is great in salads
radishes are lovely roasted
salad turnips are also deliciously sweet when roasted
mushrooms - stuffed, roasted or sauteed w/onion and garlic - finish with drizzle of balsamic vinegar
celeriac or celery root makes a lovely salad thinly shaved and tossed w/lemon viniagrette
I don't like beets but I LOVE when they become sliders or borscht - slider recipe on food network>guy fieri
butternut squash roasted or made into soup
acorn squash - cut in half, seeded then fill w/craisins, walnuts, apple chunks, brown sugar and cinnamon - bake until soft (depends on how big it is)
delicata squash is sweet and roasts in no time
onions roasted in foil w/olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper - SWEET
sesame snow peas - be sure to string the peas steam 2 min dress w/sesame oil, soy sauce, and toasted sesame seeds
minty mushy peas - food network>jamie oliver
cheesy corn bake
mexican corn on cob - dressed grilled or steamed corn w/olive oil, salt & cayenne or an alternate way is olive oil, salt, pepper, lime juice and crumbly cheese of your liking (queso fresco is authentic, but I prefer ricotta or goat)
creamed corn and creamed spinach I make my own with very little half/half
roasted pumpkin
salad caprese w/tomatoes, basil and mozz - I could go on enlessly about salad variations
green beans almondine
haricot verts w/shallots and garlic
sprouts are lovely in salads and on sandwiches
raddichio is wonderful roasted and drizzled w/viniagrette
cucumber boats - peel and seed cuke lengthwise, fill w/cubes of granny smith apples, craisins and drizzle with champagne vinegar
roasted red peppers are delish in sandwiches or use as dippers for hummus
EAT THE RAINBOW It'S FUN
mix a bunch of different olives with a provencal viniagrette

Zucchini is cheap and delicious.
* Slice it up, and saute with a bit of oil, garlic, and salt. I also love adding some spicy chipotle powder for an extra kick!
* Slice it and use it in the place of noodles, particularly in lasagna
* Cut in half, scoop out the seeds and put pizza stuff in the "boats" and bake
* Slice very thin, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and garlic. Broil until browned for chips
* Slice, toss in italian dressing (fat free works too) and grill

I will make a huge batch of sliced zucchini and carrots, put in small and large baggies and freeze. Then I can pull out a big one for dinner or a small one to add to a can of soup (along with a baggy of chicken or steak) for a great, healthy lunch.

Eggplant
* Great as noodles or chips just like above!

Portobello mushrooms
* Spice and grill or use as a pizza "crust" delicious!

Spinach adds well to any egg or pasta dish

Spaghetti squash
* Use in place of spaghetti noodles
* Fry and use in place of hashbrowns.
* Use in patties. I add tuna/salmon, an egg or some greek yogurt, feta and cheddar, and spices. OMG! Way low calorie and so delicious.

celery with peanut butter

We like to eat beets and kale. In the Fall and Winter, we like to have butternut squash soup as a meal.