Vegetables, whether you like them or not, are great for you. Some people when they think of vegetables, they immediately think salad.
The truth is, there are plenty of ways in which you can enjoy your veggies. If you are not a fan of raw vegetables and are afraid that cooking them will make them less nutritious and bland, don’t worry.
Given the right technique, you can master the art of preparing and cooking vegetables while getting all their nutrients plus maximum flavor.
Put them on the grill.
Grilling vegetables are one of the best ways to get the best out of them.
Grilling allows the vegetables to caramelize and reveal their innate sweetness so even with just a little bit of salt and pepper, you’ll get a really tasty plate of vegetables that you can eat on their own or as a side dish to chicken, steak, or fish.
Also, grilling is fun and is an activity that you can enjoy in the backyard with friends and family.
The secret to perfectly grilled vegetables is the marinade. A simple one is a mix of vinegar, garlic olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Toss your vegetables and allow them to be coated thoroughly before grilling them. Veggies that you need to marinade are potatoes, carrots, zucchini and string beans.
However, there are veggies that you can grill directly as is such as eggplant and bell pepper. These two can be placed directly on the fire. You can peel and cut them later and season with a simple vinaigrette.
Other veggies that are best grilled are tomatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, corn, and asparagus. One more thing about grilled vegetables: almost everyone loves them and they look amazing on the table.
Make a delicious stir fry.
Stir frying means cooking quickly on a very high heat and a little oil. Yes, it uses oil but the amount is minimal.
This process is versatile and is miles healthier than frying and deep frying. With stir fries, you can put just about anything.
You can make a solid vegetarian dish or you can mix your vegetables with some protein like shrimp, chicken, or beef.
A good stir fry starts with some oil, some garlic, and onion. Also, you might need to use a bit of oyster sauce or soy sauce to impart a bit of flavor.
You can omit them if you want a healthier, plainer vegetable dish and just season with salt and pepper.
The main advantage of stir-frying is that it is quick. A bonus is that you can make a whole meal out of a stir fry. You can toss a lot of vegetables, some meat, and a bit of cooked rice for a nutritionally balanced meal.
Simply steam.
A healthy way to cook your vegetables and make sure they retain their color and flavor is steaming.
This process requires no fat, is easy and quick. Carrots, broccoli, and string beans can be steamed and served as is or tossed in some sauce for added flavor.
Make a soup.
Making a giant pot of vegetable soup is easy and economical. Souping is easy too. All you need is a good broth, some veggies, and spices of your choice.
You can even include leftovers such as roasted chicken, potatoes, and cold cuts. When making soups from vegetables, you can choose between a chunky and a blended soup.
Both are great. Blended soups have smooth and uniform texture. Chunky soups, on the other hand, retain the color and texture of each individual ingredient and allows you to have something to chew on.
Great add on for a chunky vegetable soup are sausages, beans, bacon wild rice, and corn.
