What to put on green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower?

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darcibean
darcibean Posts: 86
in Recipes
I am used to cooking green beans with butter/bacon fat and onion and bacon, broccoli with butter and cheese, same for cauliflower...now that I'm eating healthy what are some things I can make the veggies more flavorful with that aren't fattening or high in calories??

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  • DoreenN
    DoreenN Posts: 60
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    Usually what I do is use Pam spray and sautee them with seasonsings like garlic powder, italian seasoning, seasoned salt. It adds flavor and is healthy too!
  • tairui2009
    tairui2009 Posts: 37 Member
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    You can add ANY seasoning ~ go to the grocery store and just browse, there's so much to choose from...
    I also *love* the steamer packs that Birdseye has in the freezer section. THose have a little seasoning already on them, and they are so easy to prepare.. you can even take them to work.
  • LoriLou67
    LoriLou67 Posts: 173 Member
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    Olive oil and non-stick spray are my favorites for cooking....Mrs. Dash, explore your spice cupboard!!!
  • nroesler
    nroesler Posts: 81
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    garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper for me. love my green beans with an obscene amount of garlic
  • RLeighP
    RLeighP Posts: 232 Member
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    Yes, lots of seasonings. I usually saute in extra virgin olive oil and then use whatever seasoning I feel like that day. Sometimes I use a Mediterranean blend, sometimes just garlic, sometimes curry powder and cayenne pepper. When I started my new lifestyle, I went nuts in the spice aisle at the grocery store. :)
  • Sauchie
    Sauchie Posts: 357 Member
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    I'm partial to hot sauce & black pepper
  • MLgarcia3
    MLgarcia3 Posts: 503
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    lemon pepper and garlic salt is what i add to everything.. LOOOVE it
  • groucherella
    groucherella Posts: 207
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    I usually cook green beans with pepper and some chopped up onion and if I'm feeling froggy then I'll throw a couple slices of bacon in the pot. I don't think it will hinder your goals that much.
  • TraceB
    TraceB Posts: 26 Member
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    If you havn't roasted vegetables before you must start. I put all kinds together on a cookie sheet with a little olive oil and salt. Bake at 400 for 45 min. They are fab!! Tonight we had yellow pepper, yellow and green zuchini, snow peas, and asparagus. Brocolli and cauliflower are great too. Try it..
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
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    You can steam or microwave the vegetables and then add them to sauteed onions, and/or mushrooms and/or peppers. As other members posted olive oil or Pam are good choices for the sautee part, and a little bit of olive oil is a good source of fat.
    Instead of salt add low fat parmesan cheese and a spoon of shredded mozarella or low fat chedar cheese and put in the toaster over for few minutes, just to brown/melt the cheese.

    Try it, you may like it! :wink:
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
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    If you havn't roasted vegetables before you must start. I put all kinds together on a cookie sheet with a little olive oil and salt. Bake at 400 for 45 min. They are fab!! Tonight we had yellow pepper, yellow and green zuchini, snow peas, and asparagus. Brocolli and cauliflower are great too. Try it..

    You are right! I am going to roast peppers right now; red, orange and green. in the toaster oven. When I am done I store them in a glass jar in the fridge., They are great on sandwiches or on top of the salad. Yummy!
  • brityn
    brityn Posts: 443 Member
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    cauliflower mashed potatoes

    One head of cauliflower core removed and cut into medium pieces
    1/4 cup fat free plain yogurt
    1/4 cup shredded low fat cheese
    1 tsp. garlic salt

    I love these sooo much! And you wouldn't even know it was a healthy vegetable!

    Steam cauliflower until very tender. Puree halfway with an emersion blender, add last three ingredients and puree til very smooth. Serve as a veggie side or sub out your starch! If you serve it with a little gravy or sauce from a dish you cooked it's even better
  • funkyspunky871
    funkyspunky871 Posts: 1,675 Member
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    Try boiling green beans in beef broth/beef bullion. My mom tried it a while ago instead of butter and oil and whatnot and they turned out GREAT! :) High in sodium, but I stopped worrying about sodium a long time ago, and it hasn't hindered my weight loss at all.
  • JustAmy
    JustAmy Posts: 291
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    A little Parmesan cheese is wonderful on any dark green veggie:bigsmile: And only 20 calories per tablespoon!
  • tamheath
    tamheath Posts: 702 Member
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    Last night I found online Emeril's broccoli & cauliflower stir fry. Basically stir fried the veggies in some Pam and a tiny bit of sesame oil. Then added some LF chicken broth and lots of seasoning: garlic, pepper, Mrs. Dash and ginger. Then added in soy sauce. Yummmy!
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    Green beans -- I cook in chicken broth with some minced onion (the dried stuff, not actual onion... for some reason it seems to make a difference).

    Broccoli -- for fresh broccoli (which is SO much better than frozen!) just microwave/steam for a bit. Add on some garlic powder or red pepper. Yum!

    Cauliflower -- I have heard that roasted cauliflower is great, but haven't tried it yet. I love mixing cauliflower and potatoes for mashed "potatoes" though!

    I second the idea of roasting vegetables (though I haven't tried the three you mentioned -- carrots, potatoes/sweet potatoes/parsnips/onions are all good roasted)
  • smelltheroses
    smelltheroses Posts: 56 Member
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    I second the mashed cauliflower - I like to use that instead of mashed potatoes. As for broccoli, we steam it and spritz spray butter on it just before serving.
  • akellyking77
    akellyking77 Posts: 17 Member
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    I use the I Can't Believe its Not Butter spray for my broccoli and cauliflower. It works great. :)
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    I agree with roasting - roasted broccoli is the only way I like it...

    I spread it on aluminum foil, spray it with a Misto sprayer (EVOO), add some fresh garlic and a tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese then roast in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes. It becomes crunchy, browned and is totally delicious!
  • starkiss100
    starkiss100 Posts: 235 Member
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    Garlic powder, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray, other seasonings.

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