how to cook with odd veggies?

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lilmzzgreeneyez
lilmzzgreeneyez Posts: 133 Member
in Recipes
I want to expand my meals some with veggies i dont normally eat. the ones i eat commonly are tomatos, iceberg and romaine lettuce, onion, green peppers and cucumbers. if you have any healthy meals (low cal, low fat, and low sodium) then i would love some recipes that include veggies like eggplant, kale, asapargus, or some other veggie i dont know the name of. thank you to anyone and everyone who can help me. i got a long way to go in my weightloss i dont want to get bored with my staple foods. btw i have a family of 6 so if i can i would like to cook for all of us, otherwise i will make single servings

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  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
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    http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-portobello-mushroom-burgers/

    http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-artichokes-and-dip/

    http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-arugula-salad/

    http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/tag/asparagus/

    http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-peppery-garlic-beets/

    http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/tag/bell-peppers/

    http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/tag/bok-choy/

    http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/tag/brussels-sprouts/
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    I eat asparagus every day! Always snap or cut off the bottom "woody" part of the stalk (about 2").

    Breakfast: chop 4 stalks and toss them in covered fry pan with eggs and salsa.

    Lunch or dinner (these methods are also great for fresh green beans, zucchini, summer squash):

    1. heat gas grill to medium, place stalks on grill pan, spray with cooking spray, sprinkle salt and pepper, grill for about 7 minutes. You can also broil in the oven at 450 degrees for about 12 minutes. Sometimes I tear up fresh tarragon and toss it on top before spraying.

    You could steam your asparagus too, but I don't like it floppy like that :)

    EDIT: green beans take longer; about 16 minutes on the grill; 20 in the broiler.
  • lilmzzgreeneyez
    lilmzzgreeneyez Posts: 133 Member
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    thank you so much that does help;)
  • citydwellers
    citydwellers Posts: 40
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    I love to sautee onions, peppers, in olive oil then add Kale (chopped into bite size pieces) and sautee until it begins wilting. YUMMY. Sometimes I add red pepper flakes for a little kick.
  • kristen11joy
    kristen11joy Posts: 114 Member
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    Eggplant, zuchini, sweet peppers, leeks : brush with olive oil and grill, add a little salt and pepper or other herbs/spices. These are great right away, and also leftover in a salad with a little goat cheese and balsamic vinegar.
    Carrots/cauliflower/brussels sprouts/ sweet potatoes (eggplant works here too) : toss with olive oil, salt and pepper (or something else flavorful -- thyme? garam masala? chinese 5 spice) and roast for 30-40 minutes
    when I don't know how to cook something, I usually check out allrecipes and see what's highly rated for ideas -- but roasting and grilling are my favourites
    Also stir-fry: add ginger, garlic, onion and whatever veggies are around (longer-cooking ones first) then add a splash of rice vinegar and soya sauce (low sodium if you like) at the end
    And my daughter introduced us to artichokes, which are a surprising hit with my little kids -- you just trim off the picky bits, and put them in a pot with a couple of inches of boiling water, a bay leaf, some garlic and lemon juice for 20-40 minutes (dependong on the size -- it's done when you can pull off a leaf easily). Then you pull off each leaf and drag it across your teeth to get the flesh off. Traditionally served with melted buttter (which is the attraction for the little kids, I think) but I like them with balsamic vinegar

    I really like my veggies!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    I add grated zucchini to just about anything - meatballs, pasta sauce, chilli etc.

    I'm don't like eggplant much - but I'm pretty fond of eggplant parmigiana:
    Slice an eggplant, panfry or grill it until its browned.
    Top each slice with a spoonful of pasta sauce and a bit of grated cheese.
    Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and brown.

    Serve with a salad on the side for a yummy veggie dinner.
  • noelkm67
    noelkm67 Posts: 118
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    I love nuking fresh snap beans under a mist paper towel until just tender but still crisp and then finishing them off in a pan with a little Pam and minced garlic to taste. Finish with a pinch of salt.

    I also enjoy them cooked the same way in the microwave and topped with a tsp of toasted sesame oil and a few toasted slivered almonds. That is for just two people. Use a bit more oil for a family-sized portion.
  • EndlessSacrifice
    EndlessSacrifice Posts: 325
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    You could make a veggie lasagna. Use length-wise cut, thinly sliced pieces of zucchini and eggplant in place of the noodles. Really delicious and low-carb!

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