veggie cooking ideas...

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Jerrih45
Jerrih45 Posts: 10
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! I am not a veggie eater but I want to be. Because I'm not a veggie eater, I don't really know different ways of cooking them so that they are tasty and not bland and/or mushy. Anyone want to share some ideas on how to cook some tasty veggies?

Thanks!!!

*edit*..... uh oh... seems I maybe should have posted this in the recipe section. Sorry. Kind of new to all this message board stuff. I'll repost over there. But if ya wanna share some ideas here I would appreciate that also. Thanks!! :-)

Replies

  • chi18
    chi18 Posts: 95 Member
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    I also hate, hate, hate mushy veggies! Do you have a steamer basket? You can get them at most places that sell cookware. I almost always use it to steam my veggies. You start by boiling water and then put the veggies in the steamer basket with the lid on top. If you're cooking more than one I usually put the most dense veggies in first then add from there so they are all finished at about the same time. It really only takes a few minutes, just check every could of minutes or so while you're starting out to get the hang of it. They turn out nice and crisp. I then typically top with a little lemon juice, sometimes a bit of extra virgin olive oil as well, and some freshly grated black pepper. Or I'll eat them with tofu and rice and top with a bit of low sodium soy sauce (or curry sauce for a treat). Or mix them with a bit of pasta. I hope this helps!
  • lyrics4mal
    lyrics4mal Posts: 14
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    Most veggies are really good when roasted in olive oil and any kind of seasoning (I use Montreal chicken seasoning) .. Also steaming brocolli and cauliflower tastes pretty good. Do you like eggs? I find chopping up different veggies and cooking them in eggs is a good way to eat more of them.
    If nothing else, you could just slice and eat them raw with a light ranch dressing! :)
  • ddiestler
    ddiestler Posts: 353 Member
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    I steam veggies..roast veggies in oven(nummo) eat veggies raw with hummus or yogurt ranch. My newest and most favorite is on the grill. I have one of those grill baskets with the holes in the bottom..toss whatever veg you want with a little olive oil and seasonings and viola..quick and easy..

    Tonight, we had chicken fajitas with peppers and onions..
    we also do alot of aspargus, zuchinni, squash, and mushrooms.. really whatever you like

    I also steam veggies..fresh green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, You can even add garlic to the water and then use your steamer basket which will add more flavor also.
  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
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    I'm lazy I buy those steamer bags in the freezer section, come out great every time. You can even get the slightly less healthy versions with the cheese sauce/flavoring/whatnot already mixed in.

    Otherwise, steam them till they look nuclear.
    Stir fry is pretty simple too.
  • Erindipitous
    Erindipitous Posts: 1,234 Member
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    I steam veggies..roast veggies in oven(nummo) eat veggies raw with hummus or yogurt ranch. My newest and most favorite is on the grill. I have one of those grill baskets with the holes in the bottom..toss whatever veg you want with a little olive oil and seasonings and viola..quick and easy..

    This! Oven roasted or grilled veggies are the best. Mm..
  • moodyfeesh14
    moodyfeesh14 Posts: 811 Member
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    When ever we would normally eat baked potatoes I eat baked sweet potatoes, google cauliflower crust pizza...its absolutely amazing or when making mashed potatoes use half the normal amount of potatoes and steam a cauliflower head and mash with potatoes like u would normally make mash potatoes. (unless no mushy means no mashed potatoes) and eat jicama like chips soo crunchy delicious
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
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    Grill peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, etc. on a skewer. Toss with some olive oil, lemon pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper before you put them on the skewer. Yummy!

    I second a grill basket to grill veggies -- easy, quick and tasty.
  • ArtemisMoon
    ArtemisMoon Posts: 144
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    Asparagus: roast in the oven with olive oil, ginger, oregano, garlic, and some Parmesan on top! The sprinkle of cheese browns nicely and you can cook them just long enough to keep them as crisp as you'd like. I adore this recipe and have no desire to cook asparagus any other way!

    I like pan searing sliced summer squash, onion, and orange or yellow bell peppers. It keeps them crisp if you get the right amount of heat and don't cook them too long, but gives a ton of flavor! Just use a small amount of olive oil and whatever seasoning you like. Good with just a little salt and pepper and maybe some garlic.

    Also if you have a cast iron pan, I LOVE to make skillet meals similar to what you can find at places like Denny's, but much better for you since you can control the oil, etc. Chop up some small golden potatoes, asparagus, squash, spinach, tomatoes, or whatever else you'd like, lightly coat the pan with olive oil, season as you'd like, and oven roast. Just leave out the spinach (if fresh) and tomatoes until you are done cooking the rest. The spinach will wilt from the residual heat. Add a little cheese on top or an egg cooked how you like and tada! Homemade skillet that tastes just as good if not better. You can also add some turkey sausage if you'd like.

    I also adore casseroles! Cheesy Squash casserole by Paula Deen is pretty good and not too bad if you go easy (or get rid of) the crackers on top, and make the sour cream, cheese, and what not fat free or replace with healthier versions. Again, ground turkey is REALLY good in this, and makes it a very hardy meal.

    Last, veggie soups/stews! Buy whatever frozen and canned veggies you like, whatever beans you like, a meat you like (ground turkey is good, or bacon), some chicken stock, spices...and just toss it all together, thin out the stock with water, and cook! If you put meat, you can cook in the pot first, get rid of excess fat, then deglaze with some sherry and scrape the bottom for extra flavor. Makes quite a few servings and tastes awesome if you are generous with the spices. Pretty low calorie, too! And the beans/meat is, of course, and excellent source of protein.

    Have I overwhelmed you yet? I am a total veg head! I love my veggies and am always looking for fun, yummy ways to cook them!
  • amberleighM04
    amberleighM04 Posts: 108
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    I roast and steam most of my veggies, but like many of them raw. I also make spinach quiche and a zuccini quiche that are easy to make and yummy for any meal :)

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