Making Your Veggies Delicious

 

We’re in the height of veggie season with summer squash and tomatoes, cucumbers and beans. To keep you from getting bored of the same old veggies in the same old way, we’ve found lots of resources to help you keep your veg fresh and exciting.
And, people may even ask for seconds!
The good news is that eating vegetables and fruits in season also saves you money. And in the hot summer months, sometimes all you want is a salad for a time. But that can get boring. Try out some new light dishes, or try different ideas of salads. They don’t have to take a lot of time.

Quick Tips

• Chop up peppers, tomatoes and squash and sauté them before adding in scrambled egg for a decadent breakfast.
• Add fresh sliced tomato to your bagel and cream cheese (lox is optional)
• Shred squash using a grater and add to soup or spaghetti sauce for extra vitamins and fiber that the little ones can’t pick out. You could even put it into hamburgers or meatloaf.
• Add fresh tomatoes to a pizza with garlic for a lighter pizza pie
• Add in diced squash to a Mexican casserole (or ground beef or turkey that can go into burrito or tacos)
• Roast asparagus and green beans for a different flavor.
• Roast tomatoes and put them over bruschetta or garlic bread.
• Take a pita pocket and stuff it with tomatoes and cucumber before putting in luncheon meat. And try tzatziki sauce instead of mayonnaise.
• Break down and bake some zucchini muffins. Go ahead and enjoy a sweet treat.
• Don’t buy more fruit than you can eat. And keep the fruit washed and in a handy bowl so you grab for it instead of something else.
• If it does start to go, freeze it (taking any pits out first) and make a smoothy when the fruit is out of season. (and yeah, this was a blog on vegetables, but it’s good to remember to grab fruit too)
• Invest in some good tools like good kitchen knives and appliances like slow cookers and pressure cookers. That way, you can cook an elaborate meal without having to heat up the kitchen or monitor a pot on the stove for hours.
• Corn doesn’t have to stay on the cob. You can cut it off and create salsa or a fresh corn salad.
• Make layered casseroles with eggplant or large zucchini. You can make lasagne with the veg sliced as noodles rather than the pasta.

Recipe Resources

1. The Veggie Queen
2. Renee’s Garden
3. MidWest Living Garden Fresh Recipes
4. LA Times 20 Recipes for 5 Garden Fresh Veg
5. Better Homes & Gardens 14 Veggie Rich Recipes

And don’t be afraid to preserve, pickle and can your extras to enjoy later on in the Fall or Winter.
Have you found a favorite vegetable yet?