New veggies to try?

Klem4
Klem4 Posts: 399 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello!
Okay, so I eat your pretty standard veggies- peas, corn, green beans, peppers, broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, lettuces.

What new veggies should I try? And how do you eat/prepare them? recipes are awesome too, if you got one. Need to branch out! :)

Thanks!!
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Replies

  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    I have recently tried for the first time, turnips and parsnips. Both very good in soup. I have seen recipes floating around for "fries" made out of these and assume those would be good but haven't tried them.

    I have also had roasted spaghetti squash. That was okay. I think it would be better if I spiced it up but plain it was edible but not seconds worthy.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Butternut squash oh so good.
  • AeolianHarp
    AeolianHarp Posts: 463 Member
    Peas are legumes and corns are grains. :p

    My personal favourites:
    Asparagus - Grilled or boiled
    Potatoes - All varieties since each shines with a specific cooking method
    Zucchini and Water Chestnuts - Diced and put in a stir-fry
    Spaghetti squash - Substituted for pasta (even though I love pasta but spaghetti squash has a nice nuttiness)
    Butternut squash - Soup form
    Kale - Turned into chips
    Bell peppers - Stuffed or sliced, sauteed and put into fajitas
    Onions - Caramelized and used as a topping
    Cucumbers - Sliced, salted, and eaten raw (Sometimes I eat an entire one a day)

    Not a vegetable but people think they are:
    Mushrooms - Sauteed and put on to pizzas or into pastas
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    Since you like peas, how about pea shoots? They're a nice alternative to your usual salad/saute greens.
  • Amber50lbsDown
    Amber50lbsDown Posts: 255 Member
    Chinese Long beans are really good curried with some potato.
    I dont have a recipe Im not good with those. lol
    Im sure you could google it.
  • pat6250
    pat6250 Posts: 90
    Summer squashes (the soft outside ones) like zucchini, pattypan, yellow zuccini, are all easy to prepare. Wash them, cut off the ends, slice or dice, and steam (about 6 min.) or put them into a stir fry (5-6 min.) Or spray them with oil, season with salt and Italian seasoning, bake at 375 until fork tender (check at 10 min.) You can also add them to soups or casseroles, too.

    Sweet potatoes are great oven fried. Scrub them, cut off knobby ends and bruised spots. Slice about 1/2 inch thick. In a bowl, toss them with a drizzle of oil (I like olive oil) until all are coated. Spread in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet and season as desired. Only salt is fine, for a new flavor, sprinkle with cumin too. Bake at 425 for 40 minutes, until the edges are beginning to brown.
  • mbts08
    mbts08 Posts: 284 Member
    Beets - roast them at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with salt then eat. The greens are very good steamed sprinkled with cider vinegar or red wine vinegar.

    Spaghetti squash - roast (not sure of temp and time) Check skinnytaste.com

    Zuchinni - sauteed

    Parsnips are delicious. Roast in oven with carrots.

    Variety of greens - kale, swiss chard
  • erogers85
    erogers85 Posts: 32
    My kids and I love roasted cauliflower- it is so much tastier than steamed(which I alo like). Spritz the florets with olive oil and sprinkle withe sea salt and pepper and any spices you like (we love smoked paprika) and bake at 425 for about 40 min or until browned. My kids act like it's chocolate or something!!

    I also do Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, asparagus (only roast about 15min), broccoli, etc using this method.
  • Heatherjg0419
    Heatherjg0419 Posts: 52 Member
    Pat6250, that sounds deeee-lish! And I love sweet potatoes.
  • queenpushycat
    queenpushycat Posts: 761 Member
    i love green/red/yellow peppers... :wink: french bean, chinese spinach, pak choi, choy sum~ most of them are chinese cabbages :laugh:
  • bettyboop573
    bettyboop573 Posts: 610 Member
    Asparagus is my new fav right now :) just roasted in oven with a bit of oil and salt and pepper
  • Heatherjg0419
    Heatherjg0419 Posts: 52 Member
    And I concur on asparagus... you can do so much with it. Just don't boil or bake the bejeesus out of it because mushy asparagus ... yuck. And get fresh. Don't even bother with canned.

    Actually, that would be my recommendation on all veggies. Get fresh whenever you can.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    artichokes....boil in salt water until done about 45 mins
    squash...boiled , grilled or roasted
    asparagus...grilled or baked, boiled
    green beans boiled with new potatoes, onions, garlic , salt and bacon.....YUM
    brussel spouts....boil
    snap peas...stirfried
    cauliflower, boiled you can mash it like mash potatoes with seasoning and a little butter.....roast it, boil it,,..
    sweet potatoes ....bake in microwave for about 6 mins
  • bahacca
    bahacca Posts: 878 Member
    EGGPLANT!
  • epdiddlydo
    epdiddlydo Posts: 37
    Baby spinach
    *toss a handful in the blender with 8 oz milk and 1 cup frozen berries (add protein powder if you want)
    *add a little or a lot to an omelette
    *spinach salad with or without different varieties of lettuce
    *use instead of lettuce on any sandwhich
    *use instead of or in addition to the meat in lasagna
    *with cottage cheese and spaghetti sauce for "pretend" lasagna
  • chandra38
    chandra38 Posts: 110 Member
    Asparagus is my favorite - grilled or sauteed with a tiny bit of olive oil and salt/pepper
    Broccoli - steamed
    red leaf lettuce/green leaf lettuce
    bell peppers (all colors) grilled or sauteed with light olive oil
    zucchini - I prepare this in different ways. One of my faves is to cut them in discs, put in a bowl, add one tbsp of olive oil, salt pepper and parmesan cheese, lay on a baking sheet, bake at 350 for 10-15 min. Depending on oven, check to make sure they don't get too soggy
    black beans (I guess they are more of a legume, but I LOVE them and eat probably 3 times a week!)
    cabbage
    spinach - love to eat raw, sauteed in a little olive oil
    jicama - jicama salad (YUM)
    English cucumbers
    raw carrots...
  • lucky2too
    lucky2too Posts: 69 Member
    I love sautéed Brussels sprouts. I thought I hated them, but a sweet lady from Belgium that I met at the farmer’s market talked me into trying them again. Her recipe:

    Cut the core end off sprouts and quarter. Put small amount evoo in pan add 2 cloves chopped garlic and ¼ tsp caraway seeds. When garlic starts to color add sprouts. Sautee until they brown , then add about 1/3 cup water cover and let steam a bit until water is gone and spourts are tender. Delicious!
  • SweetSammie
    SweetSammie Posts: 391 Member
    My CSA last year sure helped with this one...

    Asparagus
    Fresh peas (normally, I dislike peas, garden fresh baby peas, whole different vegetable!)
    Kale (in soup, in sesame dressing... )
    Fennel (roasted, over greens.. YUM and healthy! Fennel au gratin with potatoes and smoked gouda..not low cal!)
    Beets. (roasted or boiled, hot or cold, as a beet salad with goat cheese and greens... YUM) If you think you don't like them, try the gold ones first.
    Sweet potatoes, baked with a little salt.. could eat them every day (but then I'd turn orange)
    radishes (for something different on the many, many salads eaten)
    Lima beans (I only like baby ones)
  • KPainter70
    KPainter70 Posts: 152
    Fennel sliced raw into salad with orange segments.
  • jarrodc
    jarrodc Posts: 102
    Sweet potatoes! You can even be lazy and just cook them in the microwave, they come out fine.

    Pro tip: Leave the skin on, it's the best part (taste & texture wise, and it's also got some extra fiber)

    Also sweet potatoes taste awesome with cinnamon -_^
  • manic4titans
    manic4titans Posts: 1,214 Member
    yall have given me some great ideas. :happy:


    We use any fresh veggie in whole wheat rotini salad (use light or fat free Italian dressing sparingly) but mainly squash, zucchini, cucumbers, bell pepper, celery, tomatoes, and carrots. We throw in a LOT of whatever vegetable on hand.

    Another variation, whole wheat rotini with light Ranch and broccoli, cauliflower, and scallions.
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
    Zucchini sliced into spaghetti strands. Boil like pasta for several minutes, add tomato sauce. Very healthy.
  • mbts08
    mbts08 Posts: 284 Member
    Zucchini sliced into spaghetti strands. Boil like pasta for several minutes, add tomato sauce. Very healthy.

    What a great idea, I love zucchini.
  • spngebobmyhero
    spngebobmyhero Posts: 823 Member
    I like to roast root veggies (and veggies that look like they should grow underground)

    peel and cut the following veggies into smallish pieces
    beets
    turnips
    kohlrabi
    carrots

    toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 350 until soft
  • LishaCole
    LishaCole Posts: 245
    Look up on google the Blog "A Veggie Venture" . Lady tries new vegetable a week (or something) and has tons of recipes!. The top corner has a link that says "Vegetable A - Z ". Awesome resource!
  • LishaCole
    LishaCole Posts: 245
    http://aveggieventuresrecipebox.blogspot.ca/2005/03/alphabet-of-vegetables_6295.html

    She cooked a different vegetable dish everyday for an entire year!
  • Klem4
    Klem4 Posts: 399 Member
    These are fabulous, thanks so much for the ideas! will be adding these to my list!
  • ChristineS_51
    ChristineS_51 Posts: 872 Member
    Try sweet potato as suggsted above with olive oil and baked, but try cinnamon as a different taste. Gorgeous.

    Baby spinach, fresh, use in salad, stir frys, or frozen spinach - I add frozen spinach to spag bolognese.
  • jarrodc
    jarrodc Posts: 102
    Zucchini sliced into spaghetti strands. Boil like pasta for several minutes, add tomato sauce. Very healthy.

    How do you slice it into spaghetti strands? (total noob at cooking here)
  • LishaCole
    LishaCole Posts: 245
    Zucchini sliced into spaghetti strands. Boil like pasta for several minutes, add tomato sauce. Very healthy.

    How do you slice it into spaghetti strands? (total noob at cooking here)

    Just cut it as fine as possible.

    Another great option is spaghetti squash... Just bake - no fine slicing required. But it does take longer to bake then for zucchini squash to be cooked via boiling... trade off.

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