Veggie Ideas - need some new ones

2

Replies

  • healthymissfit
    healthymissfit Posts: 648 Member
    i LooOoOove going to my local grocery store (luckily, my fiance works there too!) and asking the produce guys all about the different fruits and veggies theyve got going on and what i can use them for.
    i'm intrigued by squash, next on my list to try (google it, there's TONS of fun stuff to do!)
    but my go-to when it seems we've exhausted all other options is to sautee a bunch of different veggies as a side. i throw in:

    colorful bell peppers (i LOVE yellow!)
    red onions
    fresh jalapenos (we lovelovelove spicy)
    a little celery
    some carrots
    tomatoes
    and whatever my random veggie of the week was!

    i just garnish with a little garlic salt and oregano. DELISHHH
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    Mangetout is my absolute favourite vegetable! It goes great in a stir fry, with pasta and even a roast dinner.

    I also love leek and cabbage medley (most stores do it in a prepacked bag ready to stick in the microwave).

    My partner loves marrowfat peas but won't eat many other vegetables unless they're smothered in cheese sauce!

    I had to look up both mangetout and marrowfat peas, as they go by different names in the U.S. Still not sure on the marrowfat peas, other than that they are more mature peas. Are they dried? Do you have to soak them like dried beas, or do they cook without soaking like lentils? (I love mushy peas, and wikipedia tells me the marrowfat peas are used for that, so I'd love to know whether I can just used dried peas, or if I have to go looking for cans in the "international" aisle of the grocery store.)
  • SundayGirl1989
    SundayGirl1989 Posts: 94
    celery with peanut butter

    love this!
  • Squamation
    Squamation Posts: 522 Member
    Why is there no squash on your list!?

    Butternut, Acorn are in season, Yellow crook neck and zucchini are also delicious.

    Bell pepper,
    Peas (sugar and snap for different dishes)
    Green beans
    Wax beans *yellow- green beans*
    Beets - i like the yellow and orange ones better than the red (the taste is not as strong)
    Rutabagas
    Turnips
    Parsnips
    celery root- DELICIOUS but looks weird

    Buy 1 of EVERYTHING in the produce section of your grocery store, then google how to make it.
  • RockinTerri
    RockinTerri Posts: 499 Member
    Spinach, radicchio, and/or red leaf lettuce, mixed with some "salad" veggies - onions, cucumbers, celery, carrots, peppers, tomatoes - whatever you like.

    Another yummy lettuce that I haven't had in years (due to not being able to find at a reasonable price) is Boston lettuce. Mix some sugar, vinegar, and oil, then drizzle on top...yummy...
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    for the OP: you don't say how you are cooking the veggies you list in your OP, but if you haven't tried it, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and asparagus all take great to roasting -- especially cauliflower -- it really brings a nuttiness to it. (And if you don't do much roasting, there's also the more traditional litany of roasted veg, such as beets, turnips, carrots, onions, sweet potatoes, winter squash (I think that might be what are called marrow in the U.K. -- butternut, acorn, etc.) -- all good ideas as we get into fall and winter.
  • SundayGirl1989
    SundayGirl1989 Posts: 94
    Mangetout is my absolute favourite vegetable! It goes great in a stir fry, with pasta and even a roast dinner.

    I also love leek and cabbage medley (most stores do it in a prepacked bag ready to stick in the microwave).

    My partner loves marrowfat peas but won't eat many other vegetables unless they're smothered in cheese sauce!

    I had to look up both mangetout and marrowfat peas, as they go by different names in the U.S. Still not sure on the marrowfat peas, other than that they are more mature peas. Are they dried? Do you have to soak them like dried beas, or do they cook without soaking like lentils? (I love mushy peas, and wikipedia tells me the marrowfat peas are used for that, so I'd love to know whether I can just used dried peas, or if I have to go looking for cans in the "international" aisle of the grocery store.)

    Yeah sorry, didn't think about USA/UK differences.
    I don't really know what marrowfat peas are to be honest, all i know is i buy them tinned (the label says processed, not that i know what that means either) . They have a small amount of juice in them but not much and you can microwave them for a minute or so.
    Sorry i can't be more helpful!
  • lisaanne1369
    lisaanne1369 Posts: 377 Member
    Get a Nutra Bullet and go nuts !
  • pastamomma
    pastamomma Posts: 34 Member
    Bump for later!
  • newfiecandy4
    newfiecandy4 Posts: 12 Member
    We eat mushy peas where I am from in Canada as well. They are left in the pod until they are older, allowing them to be larger and to dry out a little. From my experience the peas require over night soaking before cooking, so maybe that's the "processing" part on the tin. They have a much drier texture than regular peas do, so your mushy peas would be different.
  • marisbowen
    marisbowen Posts: 15
    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.

    ^^ This sounds delicious, I have a head of cauliflower and was wondering what seasonings to toss with it. Thanks!
  • livelaughlove384
    livelaughlove384 Posts: 100
    http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2011/09/recipe-for-julienned-zucchini-spaghetti.html

    OMG this is the best ever! One pot meal plus lots of veggies =D
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    Thanks, that does help; it probably means I should look for canned (tinned) (it's like we speak two different languages when it comes to food, isn't it ;-) peas in the "U.K." shelves of the international aisle.

    ETA: Sorry, I guess I haven't figured out how all the quote and reply buttons work; I meant to respond directly to the OP's reply about marrowpeas.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    We eat mushy peas where I am from in Canada as well. They are left in the pod until they are older, allowing them to be larger and to dry out a little. From my experience the peas require over night soaking before cooking, so maybe that's the "processing" part on the tin. They have a much drier texture than regular peas do, so your mushy peas would be different.

    I think what I've had as mushy peas are made from the marrowpeas. I've had them in restaurants that offer what passes here for traditional British or Irish pub fare (e.g., fish and chips, shepherd's pie), and at a chain that originated in South Africa, and I can tell that they're different than the smaller peas you can get it in a U.S. grocery store. Thanks for the info on the soaking; I'll check the dried beans aisle as well and see if they have larger peas (I only remember seeing split peas, but it's amazing what you can find if you keep looking -- I found garbanzo flour at the grocery store last weekend for a falafel recipe I want to make, after a very helpful store employee finally gave up looking for "chickpea flour," which is what I had asked for since that was the term the recipe used, even though I know both terms are used here and I should have thought to ask for that as well).
  • andijean31
    andijean31 Posts: 139 Member
    Bump!
  • sarah_lou22
    sarah_lou22 Posts: 79
    a few of my favorites (minus what you have added) include:

    spinach
    squash
    zucchini
    eggplant
    tomatoes
    cucumbers
    peas
    carrots
    green beans
    sweet potatoes
    onions
    wax beans
    edamame (soy beans)
    leeks

    just to name a few :)

    *edited for typo*
  • feelin_gr_8
    feelin_gr_8 Posts: 308 Member
    We had Portabella Pizzas last night and I wish I had bought more so I could make it again tonight!!!

    1 portabella cap
    1-2 Tbsp spaghetti sauce
    Cheese
    Toppings (we did pepperoni, olives, and bell peppers)

    Cook until the cheese is golden brown. SO. DANG. TASTY
  • just4nessa
    just4nessa Posts: 459 Member
    I sub cooked veggies for a cold slaw with dinner some nights... savoy or napa cabbage with kholrabi (both raw and sliced into thin strips...not as gas-inducing IMO as when cooked), with some chopped cilantro or dill. Whisk up a dressing with olive oil, dijon mustard, lemon juice, minced garlic & a little salt and pepper. Crisp and refreshing, and a nice change of pace over steamed, smothered, or roasted veggies.
  • RosyBest
    RosyBest Posts: 303 Member
    Greens: my personal favorite is Collard.

    Boil them, season with white onion, green pepper, salt and pepper...and it is Amazing! If you really want flavor boil a turkey drumstick in the water before adding the greens.
  • missbliss25
    missbliss25 Posts: 7
    Avocados!!! Such a good food for you! I don't know if you mean you're looking for food specifically with more fiber, but avocados have tons of good fats and amino acids. Studies have shown that eating an avocado with, say, a burger, will actually maintain your triglycerides at a lower level for the rest of the day than if you had just eaten the burger alone.

    They're fantastic on turkey burgers, eggs, or with a little salt and lemon juice right out of their skin :) Plus they have a pretty long life span in the fridge
  • renatewolfe
    renatewolfe Posts: 91 Member
    Roasted parsnips and carrots. Yum. Just spray some Pam onto a baking sheet, cut up your parsnips and carrots, drizzle with a little olive oil, add some salt and pepper and bake for 20-30 min at 400. Yummy. Onions and peppers are good roasted too as are zucchini and summer squash.

    Have you tried spaghetti squash? Brown some lean ground beef or turkey, add it to some homemade or jarred marinara sauce, and put over spaghetti squash. Just as yummy as pasta, only with out the calories, AND you get your veggies!

    Acorn and butternut squash are also good this time of year too.
  • pearsol
    pearsol Posts: 30
    Thanks for asking the question. Lots of good ideas here. . I just made kale chips this weekend and they were amazing.
  • PhearlessPhreaks
    PhearlessPhreaks Posts: 890 Member
    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.

    Me too. I particularly love doing brussel sprouts (I cut them in half) and asparagus this way. Oh, and broccoli.

    OP, what about ratatouille? You can go meatless, or make it with ground Italian sausage. We usually do spicy, with eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and tomato, seasonings as you please :)

    Concerning cauliflower, I'm not a big fan, but slowly coming around; I introduced it to my 20mo the other evening by making it into it's own little casserole, with a white sauce.

    Sweet potato bake= the yummiest thing ever, Cut two sweet potatoes (or yams) into 8-12 pieces and add them to baking dish; throw a few small pieces of butter in there with some brown sugar, and pop in the oven until tender. Or make sweet potato wedges, toss with olive oil, pepper and parmesan, then bake.

    Primavera- whatever vegetables you have around (the more colorful, the better) sauteed in whatever you like- butter, bacon drippings or olive oil- with whatever seasonings you're in the mood for; I like adding a little marsala wine... toss that with some pasta, add some chicken or seafood... there's dinner.

    Hope this helps :)
  • RangiRose
    RangiRose Posts: 42
    We had Portabella Pizzas last night and I wish I had bought more so I could make it again tonight!!!

    1 portabella cap
    1-2 Tbsp spaghetti sauce
    Cheese
    Toppings (we did pepperoni, olives, and bell peppers)

    Cook until the cheese is golden brown. SO. DANG. TASTY

    yummo- thanx,will try this tonight :bigsmile:
  • dogacreek
    dogacreek Posts: 289 Member
    So many good ideas here - Thanks for all the replies. :drinker:
  • MrsMof4
    MrsMof4 Posts: 9 Member
    Bump bump bitty bump
  • TigerBite
    TigerBite Posts: 611 Member
    Steamed broccoli florets tossed w/ crumbled goat cheese and pumpkin seeds (add sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste ...)

    Arugula salad w/ petite peas (in the freezer section, thaw them ... PETITE: this is important, they taste better than the generic "mature" frozen green peas) pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, diced avocado, and a balsamic and walnut oil vinaigrette (balsamic vinegar, toasted walnut oil, champagne vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt/pepper)...

    Cauliflower Gratin:

    Steam cauliflower florets, spread evenly in a glass baking dish, top with shredded Gruyere cheese, toss it, then sprinkle the top with grated pecorino Romano ... Bake for about 20 minutes, then put on broil for about 5 or so minutes or until the top is crispy ...
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
    Steam 2 cups of baby carrots. Combine 1 tablespoon of melted butter, 1 tablespoon of honey and some ginger (grated fresh, paste, or powder would work). Toss carrots in honey-ginger glaze.

    I always have a big bag of baby carrots around for eating raw with hummus, so this is a quick and easy side dish with ingredients that are already on hand.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    1. Have lots of fresh veggies in the fridge.
    2. Think of a couple of them that you want to use today.
    3. Google.

    For example, one night I had both an eggplant that needed using and a previously roasted sweet potato waiting its turn. Who knew that googling "eggplant sweet potato recipes" would find some great Thai and Indian curries? Bingo! Curry for supper.

    Beyond the every week staples (mushrooms, carrots, celery, peppers, cabbage, lettuce, etc.), we adjust what we get in the produce aisle by what looks good or what is on sale. For example, I only buy fresh beets when they are huge since the price per bunch or the number of beets in the bunch doesn't vary much and flavor doesn't really vary with the size.

    Some veggies are truly "out there" on the flavor scale, e.g. fennel, cilantro, etc., but for a lot of the others, the flavors fall into families. So, if you like onions, you are likely to enjoy leeks. If you like coleslaw made with green cabbage, you are likely to enjoy red cabbage slaw as well, or Brussels sprouts slaw for that matter. Squashes, both summer and winter, are fun to play with. And don't forget mushrooms of various sorts. I recently spotted an online recipe for a loaded sweet potato stuffed portobello cap -- basically, a large lump of veggie redeemed by being topped with bacon and cheese. Yummy! We've had it twice now.

    Make the veggies an integral part of what you cook rather than a forlorn, over-boiled, pile of obligation on the side of the plate. Start your meal planning with the veggies rather than the meat and as others have said here, "Eat the Rainbow" rather than boring beige food.
  • skinnyiverson
    skinnyiverson Posts: 80
    Bump for later

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