Veggies!

[Scarlett]

I want to get into eating more veg. I need some really easy but nice ways to cook them. I am quite unadventurous, and only eat peas, brocolli and cauliflower etc. But I would like to eat cabbage (how do you cook it and make it nice?!) and butternut squash and stuff.

Anyone have any interesting vegetables and advice on how to cook them??!

[shaneystar]

Here is good link which tells you the basics of how to cook veg.
http://www.peter-thomson.co.uk/foodc/vegetables.html

[Clanad]

Slice yellow squash, peeled zuchinni, coarsely sliced onions, green, red and yellow peppers and quartered Roma tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with olive oil and balsalmic vinegar.  Grill on an outside grill if you have one... takes about 20 minutes.  If done on the grill, there are inexpensive pans with small holes in the bottom made for this purpose. If no grill, roast them in the oven for about same amount of time.  Vegetables should still be firm, so don't over cook...

[nfn]

cabbage is lovely steamed. If you don't like the smell add a little sugar to the water and it'll stop that. Alternatively savoury cabbage is fantastic.

Shred required amount of cabbage, one onion, a few rashers of bacon. Heat a little oil in a large pan or wok, stir fry the cabbage, onion and bacon until cabbage is tender. A few fennel seeds chucked in add a lovely twist. Season to taste.

[spangle111]

Try savoy cabbage cut into wedges and braised in the oven in chicken stock until the cabbage is tender.

[jeepster]

Clanad -add some wholegrain mustard to the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and pour on veg before roasting,it gives it a lovely flavour.

[normyc]

Also to add to Clanad's post, chuck in some cubed aubergine, then for the last few minutes drizzle over some honey  :o)

Or chargrill some asparagus spears. First, break off the woody parts, then grill or place on a griddle / bbq for about 5 mins

[hannahjo]

Heat a little oil in a pan, chuck in some chopped courgette and some crushed garlic, fry for a few mins and hey presto! Really simple and easy but it tastes great and goes really well with white fish dishes.

[K99]

Butternut squash is lush, I eat it nearly every day.  You just peel it, chop it up and boil it of steam it til its soft

[funkychicken]

butternut squash is lovely baked in the oven, just cut it in half lengthways, use a knife and make criss-crosses in the flesh, put a few little knobs of butter and sprinkle a bit of brown sugar and chuck it in the oven and bake till its soft. when its done just scoop it out of the skin

[ermintrude35]

..perfect for the bbq , thread a selection of veg onto pre-soaked wooden skewer, eg. mushrooms, courgettes, red onion, aubergine, peppers, baste with  a little olive oil with garlic and lime juice, or whatever takes your fancy...yummy

[WoWo]

Sweet Potatoes are great. Just prick them and stick them in the over for 40 mins to an hour.

[frizzytwig]

I blitz brussell sprouts in food processor then fry them in a little oil with some crushed dried chillis.  Even my kids eat them this way ( as long as not too chilli hot).  Also they are more healthy as they only take about 3-5 mins to cook so retain most of their nutrients.

[Haggisdj]

Try the Carol Vorderman Detox For Life book and the Detox Recipes for some tasty, but simple, ideas.

[HAnn521]

Cabbage Recipe: Scarlett, my mom's always made this and now I make it too...if you love cabbage and want a yummy recipe, try this....

Take one head of cabbage (torn/broken off into medium shreds), combine the cabbage with some water (just enough to cover the bottom of your pan), bring this to a boil with a cover on your pan (allowing it to steam the cabbage)...

Get some Turkey summer sausage (I'm from the U.S., I hope you can find this easily there also)..you can buy it here already cooked, in two long pieces...cut it into small chunks...then in another pan, lightly brown the chucks of sausage in a litte oil.

Then add the sausage to the pan with your steaming cabbage...stir every so often, and when the cabbage has become soft...it's ready to eat!

Hope you enjoy, I know I do! YUM

[nfn]

can't believe no-one's suggested stir fry. Finely shred peppers, onion, cabbage, cauli, calibrese (broccoli) carrot (in fact anything you fancy). Heat a wok or large heavy bottomed frying pan, add a little oil of your choice. Throw in a very finely chopped garlic clove then start to add the veg. Hard things first like cauli, onion then work down to the softest, finally mushrooms and beansprouts. Splash on a bit of soy sauce if you like it and serve. Takes a little while to prepare the veg but cooks in minutes and is incredibly healthy as everything should still have a little bite to it.

Schwarz make a lovely Chinese 5 spice, it recommends you add it along with water to make a kind of coating sauce but I just chuck a couple of teaspoons in dry and mix thoroughly. Mmmmmmm, think we'll have that tomorrow night.