How to dress up vegetables (the healthy way)

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Dalton1720
Dalton1720 Posts: 104
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I'm in desperate need of more vegetables and dislike a large amount of them. The only vegetables I enjoy are salads or steamed veggies smothered in creamy sauces and cheese. I know spices can really add flavor and I'm also a huge fan of grilling, but I'm not the best cook and would love some easy, tasty tips for spicing up veggies so I can include them in every meal rather than just a salad for lunch.
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  • abadvat
    abadvat Posts: 1,241 Member
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    Fennel, zucchini, onions, aubergines... (or anything else that can be sliced), drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and either lemon or vinegar - on the grill.
    Asparagus as above or straight on the grill.
    Chicory, romaine or any thick type of salad, quartered olive oil and on the grill.
    Tomatoes, peppers, quartered / sliced in the oven, 80/100*C slow cooked

    ... endless possibilities....
  • Dalton1720
    Dalton1720 Posts: 104
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    Ooo! Love it! :) Thanks!
  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
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    Spices, herbs, drizzle of olive oil. Soups. I recently made a green thai curry vegetable dish, it is so tasty & has SO many vegetables in it.
  • unfurling_red
    unfurling_red Posts: 39 Member
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    I adore veggies. Raw, grilled, and roasted (don't cook them to death) are often the best bet to get them good with little to no oil or salt. Bring on fresh-squeezed lemon/lime and spices for salad, taste-test for your favorite vinegar- or fruit-based dressings, and get weird with non-creamy sauces like salsa, hummus, and pesto... There are low-oil recipes for hummus and pesto out there, and both can be great for you.

    Also: http://thugkitchen.com. Eat like you give a *kitten*.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,658 Member
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    Anything that can be grilled can also be roasted in the oven at 200C with a drizzle of olive oil. Asparagus, green beans and sugar snaps about 10-12 minutes. Broccoli, zucchini and brussel sprouts about 20 minutes. Cauliflower about 30 minutes. Halved tomatoes brushed with oil about 40 minutes.

    Or try stir frying or a ratatouille.
  • Veggie_Ankers
    Veggie_Ankers Posts: 35
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    (For dinner) Just an idea which we use is when making lasagne instead of using pasta sheets I put layers of sliced aubergine instead and put the cheese sauce on as normal. I also add fresh celery, mushrooms and tomatoes to the sauce and serve with either steamed broccoli or rocket salad leaves. Yummy :love:

    (For Lunch) Another thing I love to make is spinach, celery, cherry tomatoes cooked in a frying pan (use the juices from the cut tomatoes to quickly fry) and add a small splash of infused oil to give a little flavour (we use orange rapeseed oil). We grill large open cup mushrooms with a little stilton cheese on and toast two slices of bread. Put the bread on the plate, then the spinach etc and the mushrooms on top finally top with a poached egg (1 chicken or 2 quail) and some fresh cut basil. Heaven! Protein, Fiber, carbs, vitamins and a little fat (from the cheese/oil) a lovely tasty lunch. :happy:
  • Togi11
    Togi11 Posts: 20
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    Frozen spinach/kale in your smoothies - load up spaghetti sauces with veggies - also chili, cut down on meat and add more veggies. Wraps are good - double up on the veggies and use a sauce that you enjoy. This is my fave spice for veggies. I put that s**t on everything. LOL http://www.stamoolis.com/store/images/thumbnails/0/360/Greek_Seasoning_Salt_Free_Cavenders.jpg
  • KentWhiteRabbit
    KentWhiteRabbit Posts: 92 Member
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    A stir fry is an easy way to bump up the veg intake. I use a mixture of peppers, mange tout, baby sweetcorn, bamboo shoots, onions, white cabbage, carrots, mushrooms and beansprouts and add some black bean sauce, and some lean beef or chicken strips. Bonus is that it takes minutes to make.
  • misschoppo
    misschoppo Posts: 463 Member
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    A stir fry is an easy way to bump up the veg intake... Bonus is that it takes minutes to make.

    I second this :) love stir fries for getting plenty of veg in.
  • angelique_redhead
    angelique_redhead Posts: 782 Member
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    I'm fond of chopping up kale and stir frying it with about one teaspoon of sesame oil, a splash of soy sauce, a splash of vinegar, garlic, and hot pepper.
  • trisH_7183
    trisH_7183 Posts: 1,486 Member
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    Raw or steamed veggies are great in salads.I like frozen green peas,sugar snaps,cauliflower,carrot,broccoli etc.Less lettuce,easy way to get your veggies.Rice vinegar,seasonings & a tsp of oil.Works for me.....
  • Dalton1720
    Dalton1720 Posts: 104
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    Thanks guys! They are all so creative and actually sound delicious. I especially like the stir fry, baking veggies, and olive oil ideas.
  • Dalton1720
    Dalton1720 Posts: 104
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    Frozen spinach/kale in your smoothies - load up spaghetti sauces with veggies - also chili, cut down on meat and add more veggies. Wraps are good - double up on the veggies and use a sauce that you enjoy. This is my fave spice for veggies. I put that s**t on everything. LOL http://www.stamoolis.com/store/images/thumbnails/0/360/Greek_Seasoning_Salt_Free_Cavenders.jpg

    When I first made the transition to healthy eating I went to Jamba Juice, who also does this. It was actually the reason I changed my lifestyle because I thought, Hey! This is so yummy I could eat like this all the time! Although later I found out they have a LOT of carbs it was still a great way to sneak veggies and lots of fruit in at first. In fact, I still like to get one after a workout.
  • TheBunnyStrange
    TheBunnyStrange Posts: 20 Member
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    i love tossing cauliflower in a bowl with a bit of olive oil, parmesan cheese, parsley, and the lemon herb spice from pc blue menu. then roast it in the oven until browned.
  • cpdiminish
    cpdiminish Posts: 84
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    Not sure if caramalized is the right term or just what my mom called it, but I do this with carrots and zucchini, though I'm sure other veggies would work as well.

    Coat the bottom of a pot with butter (just enough to avoid sticking). Add slices of veggies, about 1/4 thick. Add a sprinkling of salt. Put a lid on and turn heat on to a low temperature. Normally takes about 10-15 minutes to cook, maybe longer but I don't own a timer. For carrots, they are done when you can stick a fork in it easily, for zucchini, just when they are losing their white color. It is easy to overcook the zucchini but they'll still taste good even if they are mushy.

    Result is a sweet version of the veggie that is more like eating candy than vegetables, though sweet in a good way.

    The salt is the key to getting them to cook, pulling the moisture out so that they kind of steam in their own juices. You can stir once in the middle if you like, though they are generally done by the time the bottom layer starts to brown - if your temperature is low enough. For carrots, I'll sometimes half larger slices so that all pieces are a more-uniform size.
  • yturie47
    yturie47 Posts: 170 Member
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    sounds great! Bump
  • yturie47
    yturie47 Posts: 170 Member
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    sounds great! Bump
  • harrypotter22
    harrypotter22 Posts: 27 Member
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    Condiments- I am the condiment queen.
    Light mayo, sriracha, ketchup, and mustard all taste good. You can mix all of these to your liking.
    Sounds weird- but you should try it. It makes a yummy low calorie sauce for veggies / slim noodles / or egg whites :)
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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    Try lots of pickles, pickled veggies (like carrots, turnips, cauliflower, etc.) and banana peppers on your salad. The juice from these items moistens and adds flavor to the salad so you don't need nearly as much dressing.

    Most veggies are amazing grilled. Carrots are especially good wrapped in foil with just a little oil and salt, and grilled until they are just forming little black specks on the end. They turn super-sweet.

    Another option, instead of trying to find alternatives to what you love, why not find versions of what you love that are healthier? I'm sure you can find a cheese sauce and creamy dressing which has fewer calories so that you can drown your salads and veggies to your heart's content.
  • asciiqwerty
    asciiqwerty Posts: 565 Member
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    Add chilly, garlic and ginger

    Have fun

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