I keep telling you all to eat more veggies, but I haven't given you many ideas for preparing them. I'm hoping this post will solve that. My husband actually taught me how to prepare veggies in appetizing and satisfying ways. The key is to eat multiple vegetables together, chop them in similar sized pieces to ensure proper cooking and to NOT overcook them. Some of us who grew up in the South have no idea what a green bean actually tastes like when not cooked to a pulp and flavored with bacon fat. Some may not know that squash can be eaten in non-casserole form, that broccoli doesn't come topped with Velveta or that sweet potatoes actually taste just fine without marshmallows! My parents are actually great cooks, but I wasn't paying much attention when I was still living at home (dinner was just that thing between homework and talking on the phone for 3 hours) so I am not referring to them, but anyone who grew up south of the Mason-Dixon line knows what I am talking about, and I find that even most restaurants overcook veggies. In addition to overcooked veggies, another pet peeve of mine is when the media insinuates that healthy food doesn't taste good. I beg to differ. When prepared correctly, few things taste better than a fresh vegetable eaten in season. The slight sweetness of roasted carrots and parsnips, the delightful crunch of roasted brussels sprouts, the earthy flavor of a beet ... I could go on. For a list of what's seasonal in your area right now, check out this great resource on one of my favorite sites www.sustainable.org.
Here are a few ideas for filling up on vegetables (all of these options make a great meal with a nice piece of wild salmon, grilled grass-fed steak or an herb-roasted free-range chicken breast...OR eat them as your meal and treat yourself to a little something sweet afterwards). I recommend skipping additional carbohydrates if you are eating the starchier vegetables like potatoes or corn.
Grilled: This is a great summer treat. Chop carrots, zucchini, red and/or yellow peppers and onions (sweet Vidalia onions taste best) into similar size pieces (although carrots must be smaller to ensure they cook through) and break a few cobs of sweet corn in halves or thirds. Toss in a large Ziploc bag and drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and worcestershire sauce. Zip and shake until all are lightly coated. Marinate for 1-6 hours. Before or after you throw them on the grill, add salt and pepper to taste. This works better when you use larger sized pieces (think long flat slices of zucchini - about 5 per vegetable - and about 6-8 vertical slices per pepper and onion).
Braised: Chop fingerling potatoes, carrots, brussels sprouts and parsnips into similar size pieces. In a large pot, bring several cups of water to a boil and then add some vegetable broth paste (we like "Better than Bouillon") to create a rich broth. Throw the potatoes and carrots in first. Cook until you can just about poke with a fork (they should be about 50% done), add the sprouts and cook a few more minutes (everything should be about 75% done at this point), then add the parsnips. Throw in some white wine for more flavor. The alcohol will cook off but the flavor will remain. Let everything boil in the broth for a minute or so more. Make sure things do not overcook. Take out when it seems everything is about 90% cooked (tender but NOT mushy). Drain and set aside. Put your oil of choice in a wok, wait until the oil is smoking and throw all the vegetables in. If you are a wok master like my husband, you can shake and toss, but I usually just move them around a lot with a wooden spoon. They should brown and crisp off. Add sesame seeds if you wish. Remove from the heat. Flavor with balsamic vinegar or take any sauce you like on your meat or fish - like a nice grainy mustard sauce - and throw it over the protein and vegetables.
Steamed and buttered: Steam carrots, broccoli or brussels sprouts and asparagus (you can do it together but put carrots in first, then add broccoli or sprouts, then asparagus for the last few minutes). Set aside. Boil fresh or frozen peas until tender. Drain peas. In the now empty pot the peas were boiled in, place all the veggies and add one Tbsp of good butter and 1 oz of grated parmesan cheese per person and stir until the veggies are lightly coated. Flavor with salt and pepper and serve. FYI - the vitamins found in most vegetables (A, D, E & K) are fat-soluble, meaning you will absorb more of the nutrients if you eat them with a little fat, so this is why you see me recommending veggies with moderate amounts of butter and olive oil.
Roasted: Preheat oven to 400. Chop veggies (carrots, white or sweet potatoes, parsnips, zucchini, squash, sprouts, onions, Roma tomatoes and broccoli all work well) into similar sized pieces, making sure the ones that take the longest to cook are either cut into smaller pieces or go in the oven first. Toss with olive oil, fresh or dried herbs (rosemary and thyme are particularly nice) and salt and pepper. Place in a large roasting pan and roast at 400 degrees until everything is crispy.
Enjoy! And as always let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
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