Things You'll Need:
- Salad dressings, cheese dip
- • Soy sauce
- • Olive oil or butter
- • Spices: herbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder
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Step 1
Make a list of vegetables that you like - all the time, sometimes, prepared a certain way, or as part of a main dish. Pick a vegetable or two to start with, and decide how you like that vegetable prepared - with a certain seasoning, is it salty, sweet, savory, crisp, mushy, gooey, or does it blend with other flavors?
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Step 2
For a salty, savory vegetable dish, try chopped broccoli or broccoli florets with olive oil, garlic powder, soy sauce, salt and pepper, and a dash of oregano (an Italian herb). Cook to “tender-crisp” (meaning softened, but still crisp to bite), or cook an extra minute or two for a softer texture. You can also try melting butter and adding a squeeze of lemon juice and a dash of garlic for a delicious lemon-butter-garlic sauce.
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Step 3
For a tangy vegetable dish that packs more of a “punch,” try garden-fresh Italian green beans (the long stringy kind) marinated briefly in zesty Italian dressing, add a drizzle of olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper, and cook until just “tender-crisp.” For Italian green beans, you want a crunch to them. To eat them raw, try dipping in Ranch dressing or just marinade in zesty Italian dressing and eat! You can also try this with fresh young asparagus, or saute them gently in olive oil with soy sauce and garlic.
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Step 4
For a cheesy vegetable dish, try slicing cucumbers into vertical stalks, or get a package of peeled baby carrots and dip them into a small bowl of Caesar salad dressing (which has Parmesan cheese in it). You can also try a jar of nacho cheese dip (the kind you'd dip tortilla chips into), heat it in a small bowl and use that as a veggie dip. Just keep in mind - cheese and rich salad dressings can carry a caloric whopper!
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Step 5
Green Bean Casserole.Make a casserole - check soup can wrappers for casserole recipes. Casseroles often have meat, pasta/rice and a vegetable all in one, so you don’t taste “just” the vegetable, but get a variety of flavors blended into one mouthful. This is both a time saver and also a great way to get a balanced, nutritious meal in one dish. Try a green bean casserole dish (a popular dish), and other easy-to-make casseroles.
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Step 6
Vegetables like zucchini, artichoke hearts and squash can be sauteed in olive oil or butter with melted Parmesan cheese. Take regular spaghetti cheese (grated Parmesan, Romano, or a combination) and sprinkle it liberally over your cooking vegetables. Include salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Cook until the cheese melts ... and maybe until the edges crisp to a light golden brown. Experiment to see what flavors you like - then try a little more!
