Vegetable recipes...anyone?

[Lexee15]

I have had the hardest time finding some good vegetable recipes…not just any vegetable recipes though.

I had the most delicious julienned vegetables at a dinner that I went to and I knew that I could eat vegetables all day everyday if they tasted like that!!! I asked the cook what he did and he told me that he julienned the vegetables, I got hung up on that detail and forgot to ask how he had prepared them.

So I went to Williams-Sonoma and got a really nice mandoline and that’s where it ends, I don’t’ have any recipes to make good julienned vegetables.

If you have any good recipes for julienned vegetables I would love to see them, especially cause ds loved the ones we had at the dinner, he ate them all up. The vegetables were zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, red peppers…I don’ remember what else. Anyway, your recipes and/or ideas would be greatly appreciated:thumbsup:!!!

 

[SeekerJen]

The veggie mix you’ve listed sounds like a good one. Try sauteing the julienned veggies in a bit of olive oil until tender, and seasoning them with salt and powdered white pepper (very mild). A little bit of minced fresh garlic added to the saute would also be yummy.

This isn’t mandoline/julienned, and you might absolutely despise Brussels sprouts, but if you don’t, try this: cut the stem ends and a couple of outer leaves off of washed sprouts. Cut them in half, toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast them on a baking sheet for about 30 min. at 400 degrees, stirring them about halfway through so they don’t burn or stick. SO good.

 

[1ke]

I’d say they were either sauteed or steamed.

Season to taste by sauteeing in olive oil with some sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, & some red pepper flakes if you want it a little spicy.

Or steam them, stir together with a little butter and fresh lemon juice (like 1-2 Tbl each) and then just season w/salt & pepper. You can even get those steamer bags in the grocery now for the microwave so you don’t need a rice cooker or steam basket for a pot.

 

[Brenda_V]

I agree with SeekerJen. Most likely what the cook did was lightly sauteed the vegetables (stir-fried) in an oil - olive oil is my preference for this kind of thing with say one clove of garlic and then lightly sprinkled with salt and a bit of pepper.

You can use other seasonings too but my preferred for veggies so they don’t get overwhelmed is salt, garlic and sometimes pepper (peppercorn peppers make my stomach hurt so I often forgo this and let those who want some put it on at the table).

Julienning the vegetables makes them all the same size and nice “bite size pieces” so they cook at the same speed.

Re: the roasted brussel sprouts, I just saw that on a PBS cooking show this week-end and it sounds so good. We like brussel sprouts but I just buy frozen and steam them.

Brenda V.

 

[SilenceISgolden]

A friend of mine found this seasoning called Alpine Touch. Since trying it, we put it on ALL the veggies we cook. We use it when we steam, saute and it’s great on corn on the cob too. Another thing we like is using Yoshidas sauce. It’s very simple and is a little like a teriyaki but better. My kids (4, 2, 1) like it! Another recipe I found was for baby carrots. You cook them in catalina dressing. cook them until the desired softness and then add toasted slivered almonds.

Whatever I can do to get my kids to eat something more than carrot sticks in ranch!

 

[puzzleannie]

another twist for non veggie lovers is oven roasted veggies, cut about any root or other veggies in like size pieces, toss with olive oil on a baking pan, sprinkle with herb of choice: rosemary, tarragon, italian mix but NOT salt, and bake at 325, start checking for doneness (easily pierced by a fork) in 20 min, depending on size of veggies. they get brown and caramelized if the go a little too long, so that is not a huge deal. if you like garlic, be sure to included peeled cloves of elephant garlic in the mix, it roasts into a spreadable creamy mild sauce.

combos
potato, carrot, parsnip, beet
broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, zucchini
peppers, onions, zucchinie or other summer squash, large mushrooms
asparagus alone, with oil and minced garlic, is terrific, don’t cook too long, so are the long chinese green beans

 

[puzzleannie]

another twist for non veggie lovers is oven roasted veggies, cut about any root or other veggies in like size pieces, toss with olive oil on a baking pan, sprinkle with herb of choice: rosemary, tarragon, italian mix but NOT salt, and bake at 325, start checking for doneness (easily pierced by a fork) in 20 min, depending on size of veggies. they get brown and caramelized if the go a little too long, so that is not a huge deal. if you like garlic, be sure to included peeled cloves of elephant garlic in the mix, it roasts into a spreadable creamy mild sauce.

combos
potato, carrot, parsnip, beet
broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, zucchini
peppers, onions, zucchinie or other summer squash, large mushrooms
asparagus alone, with oil and minced garlic, is terrific, don’t cook too long, so are the long chinese green beans

 

[SeekerJen]

another twist for non veggie lovers is oven roasted veggies, cut about any root or other veggies in like size pieces, toss with olive oil on a baking pan, sprinkle with herb of choice: rosemary, tarragon, italian mix but NOT salt, and bake at 325, start checking for doneness (easily pierced by a fork) in 20 min, depending on size of veggies. they get brown and caramelized if the go a little too long, so that is not a huge deal. if you like garlic, be sure to included peeled cloves of elephant garlic in the mix, it roasts into a spreadable creamy mild sauce.

combos
potato, carrot, parsnip, beet
broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, zucchini
peppers, onions, zucchinie or other summer squash, large mushrooms
asparagus alone, with oil and minced garlic, is terrific, don’t cook too long, so are the long chinese green beans

Yep, so good! I love roasted asparagus. Chunked up sweet potatoes are also really good this way. I love winter because I can fire up the oven and warm up the house a bit.

Ooh, I almost forgot about spaghetti squash! I like to buy one of these, cut it in half, scrape out the seeds, and bake the halves cut side up on a baking sheet for about 45 min. at 400 (I think), or until the halves are soft. Then I scrape out the squash from the shells with the tines of a fork, and it comes out in long strands like spaghetti. It’s really good with pasta sauce for a side dish, and you could add some cooked chicken cubes to this for a meal.

 

[JustAnotherThou]

I agree with SeekerJen on the Spaghetti Squash. Rarely do we eat pasta spaghetti anymore! Only thing I would add to her suggestions is to make sure you let the spaghetti squash cool for about 5 mins before you scrape it, it can be REALLY hot when you take it out of the oven. Even after 5 mins you will probably have to use a pot holder or towel to hold the bottom of it when you scrape it out.
Also try Vegetable Lasagna. I cut the veggies into similar size pieces (I think the smaller the better, about ½ inch cubed), you can steam them half way so they are still crunchy, they will cook the remainder in the lasagna or you can add them in uncooked. Then just add them where you would add the meat in your favorite lasagna recipe. There are also probably some great vegetable lasagna recipes online. I just altered my moms to make it easy for me. Oh I usually use squash, zucchini, cauliflower, and broccoli as my veggies.

 

[AlaAnnie]

Thanks. This thread is a blessing. My oldest child is a vegetarian and we’re SICK of eating the same things over and over again. When she made the decision to give up meat, I’ve tried to increase the number of veggies that I fix each night. So, I burn through my standard list much more quickly. We need some variety. As a working Mom, quick is always the preferred choice.

 

[mary_bobo]

You can always make a pot of tomato sauce with diced carrots, onions and celery, tomato sauce and lots of Italian seasoning and wine and use this with any kind of pasta, baked ziti, lasagna (no meat), stuffed green peppers, and lots of other ways. Freezes great in single serving sizes.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

Thanks. This thread is a blessing. My oldest child is a vegetarian and we’re SICK of eating the same things over and over again. When she made the decision to give up meat, I’ve tried to increase the number of veggies that I fix each night. So, I burn through my standard list much more quickly. We need some variety. As a working Mom, quick is always the preferred choice.

If you are not opposed to purchasing a magazine subscription, Vegetarian Times is very good. It has easy recipes that don’ really call for anything “weird” (ie: hard to find)
A good cookbook is Feeding the Healthy Vegetarian Family. Most of my veg recipies come from there.

If I am not using a recipe from the book, I don’t really do much to my veg: Steam in the micro for about 5-6 minutes and then squeeze some lemon juice on top, maybe a little salt and pepper or Mrs. Dash. Brussel Sprouts are the only ones that get the butter treatment: steam in micro and top with butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

 

[puzzleannie]

I really never cared for spinach but love it this way
get a bag of the pre-washed baby spinach
one red bell pepper, cut in thin slices, then in half, like matchsticks
pine nuts
balsamic vinegar
4 pieces of raw bacon,

cut bacon in small pieces with scissors, right into the wok or large fry pan, on medium, cook until not quite crisp
add the peppers and stir fry for about a minute
add the pine nuts, keep stirring as they heat for another minute, the heat is important releases fragrant oil
add all the spinach and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar
slam the lid on the pan and let it go until the spinach wilts, 1-2 minutes, don’t let it sit too long
toss and serve.

if you don’t want the bacon fat, use olive oil instead and add some lo-fat bacon bits (fake ones don’t work so don’t bother) at the end.

this comes out green, red, and white, very pretty, very tasty

confetti potatoes
my sister made it for my kids and it became a family favorite
boil potatoes for mashing
cook a box of broccoli florets, or bag, or fresh head (stems don’t chop easily, head is best)
chop fine, with a food chopper or food processor, knife okay, but very fine
cook 2-3 carrots or a handful of baby carrots, and chop the same way
you can also put the soft potatoes and veggies through a ricer, which is what I do, but for a big batch this takes a while
add milk and butter or your usualy method of making mashed potaoes and mix well.

 

[LovingHim]

I don’t know if you like raw veggies, but I love them sliced up and with various salad dressings and dips. (Not so keen on them plain though. ) My all time favorite is Hidden Valley ranch, but there’s so many specialty ones that are good too. I always raid the fruit and veggie platters at get togethers. Yummy!

 

[ErikaA]

I love vegetables. As the others mentioned, sauteeing carrots and squash in a GOOD olive oil (there’s a difference) and adding basil along with the obligatory salt and pepper is an excellent start.

Sauteeing carrots in honey and butter goes over well for the kids.

My mom makes wonderful brussel sprouts that are braised in chicken broth and cream. Highly recommend these.

Also, have you tried tofu? I’ve gotten really into it. Marinated in soy sauce or terikaki, it’s fantastic, particularly alongside stir fried asparagus. Chock full of calcium and protein too.

 

[Zooey]

another twist for non veggie lovers is oven roasted veggies, cut about any root or other veggies in like size pieces, toss with olive oil on a baking pan, sprinkle with herb of choice: rosemary, tarragon, italian mix but NOT salt, and bake at 325, start checking for doneness (easily pierced by a fork) in 20 min, depending on size of veggies. they get brown and caramelized if the go a little too long, so that is not a huge deal. if you like garlic, be sure to included peeled cloves of elephant garlic in the mix, it roasts into a spreadable creamy mild sauce.

combos
potato, carrot, parsnip, beet
broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, zucchini
peppers, onions, zucchinie or other summer squash, large mushrooms
asparagus alone, with oil and minced garlic, is terrific, don’t cook too long, so are the long chinese green beans

One of my cousins cooks vegies this way, and they are so good!!! I couldn’t believe that something so simple could make such a difference!

 

[puzzleannie]

my fav veggie cookbook is Mollie Katzen’s Vegetable Heaven–not just fo vegetarians, good delicious veggie recipes, easy, no weird ingredients.

one new fav discovered at a restaurant in OH, frizzled leeks

cut tops of leeks and root, slice in half the long way and separate the layers, and wash throroughly, shake dry.
gather the layers and slice across them, making piles of half-moons, get as thin as possible.
saute on slow heat in butter until brown and carmelized, but not burnt (or in oil if you have hang-up on butter)
drain and use as topping for other veggie dishes, soups, meat, fish, anything
they will keep in a ziploc bag or container for several weeks in the fridge.

since we are on the leek topic, my favorite soup
easy since that is all I do
bag of frozen shredded hash browns (the kind with 0 fat on the label, not pre-browned)
leeks prepared as above, but just saute in butter until soft, not brown
you can also add a half cup or so of chopped sweed onion like Texas sweet or vidalia if you like onion when you are sautee-ing

put the potatoes in your big pot with a quart of organic chicken broth and one chicken or veggie boullion cubeand bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer for 20 minutes or so, add the leeks (& onions if using–it makes all the difference to saute them first, scrape the butter in too)
when ready to serve stir in one cup of milk, half cup of heavy cream (not sweetened) or one cup half and half (best choice).
serve in cups and snip fresh parsley on top as garnish (dry does not work so well)
this can be a main dish soup by adding canned clams (or canned crabmeat, or just cooked flaked white fish filets now you have chowder)

you can always have fresh parsely available, buy a big bunch, keep the rubber band on but wash well, freeze in a ziploc freezer back, just rub the bag in your hands to crumble the frozen parsely and the pieces will fall right out, leaving stems behind. throw stems in the stock pot when you make broth.

 

[SeekerJen]

I LOVE potato-leek soup! Yum!

Like Annie mentioned, Mollie Katzen cookbooks are great for veg recipes. They’re also great for desserts. In fact, for one Easter dinner, I got both the asparagus/gruyere quiche and amaretto cheesecake recipes from her books.

 

[chevalier]

Potato… potato pancakes perchance? Yummy! And so simple. Stuffed vegetables are great too. Sorry I can’t give you a concrete recipe, but I’m just a guy.

 

[lizaanne]

I am a huge fan of Mrs. Dash - it comes in a bunch of different flavor combos and is really good on just about anything - and your julienned veggies would be a perfect candidate for that.

I also LOVE sautéed spinach. Just sauté in olive oil a big bunch of chopped garlic (I buy the stuff in a jar), fresh or dried basil, some red pepper flakes, and fresh ground pepper. Sauté until the garlic starts to sizzle, then add about half a bag of BABY spinach leaves (do not use regular large spinach - it’s bitter). Cook until totally wilted and serve as a side dish or tossed with whole wheat pasta. This is a major comfort food for me, I eat it all the time.

Hmmmm - think I’ll go make some right now - DH is working late!

~Liza