I like green peppers in my corn, mushrooms in my Brussels sprouts, and caramelized onions in everything. If you get bored with veggies, don't add cheese sauce, keep it healthy by adding another vegetable. Garlic, onion, mushrooms, peppers, and tomatoes can put a great twist on any green on your plate, or the not so green, like corn, carrots, and squash. If you saute these add-ins before hand, you will get even better results.
Another way to add zip to your veg without putting off the picky eaters, is to cook them in chicken stock. Just enough to barely cover, and cut the heat back once it boils, so you don't lose all of your liquid. The liquid left in the pan can be frozen to add to soup later on.
Roasting or grilling gives great flavor, and no nutrients are lost, as happens with boiling. To roast most veggies, toss them in olive oil, spread them on a foil or parchment lined pan and bake at 375 until tender, turning once or twice for even browning. You can also make individual foil packets, adding a bit of olive oil, butter, salt & pepper, and a pinch of your favorite spice. If you are mixing up your vegetable varieties, keep in mind that some take longer to cook than others. If you are cooking carrots with quick cooking veggies, cut the carrots very thin - if cooking carrots with potatoes cut the carrots to a quarter the size of the potatoes
Citrus is a great addition to peas, green beans, carrots, and butternut squash. Grate in some zest, or add a little juice at the end.
Here are some more great toss-ins to liven things up: Parmesan cheese, blue cheese, cumin, fresh cilantro, mint, pine nuts, shelled sunflower seeds, crumbled cooked bacon, flavored butter, pimentoes, and green chiles.
You may soon be hearing "please pass the peas" from the least likely person at your table!
Another way to add zip to your veg without putting off the picky eaters, is to cook them in chicken stock. Just enough to barely cover, and cut the heat back once it boils, so you don't lose all of your liquid. The liquid left in the pan can be frozen to add to soup later on.
Roasting or grilling gives great flavor, and no nutrients are lost, as happens with boiling. To roast most veggies, toss them in olive oil, spread them on a foil or parchment lined pan and bake at 375 until tender, turning once or twice for even browning. You can also make individual foil packets, adding a bit of olive oil, butter, salt & pepper, and a pinch of your favorite spice. If you are mixing up your vegetable varieties, keep in mind that some take longer to cook than others. If you are cooking carrots with quick cooking veggies, cut the carrots very thin - if cooking carrots with potatoes cut the carrots to a quarter the size of the potatoes
Citrus is a great addition to peas, green beans, carrots, and butternut squash. Grate in some zest, or add a little juice at the end.
Here are some more great toss-ins to liven things up: Parmesan cheese, blue cheese, cumin, fresh cilantro, mint, pine nuts, shelled sunflower seeds, crumbled cooked bacon, flavored butter, pimentoes, and green chiles.
You may soon be hearing "please pass the peas" from the least likely person at your table!
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