Too many veggies and not enough time? Sauté it!
Basic sauté instructions adapted from the Enchanted Broccoli Forest Cookbook
Basic trick of Stir-frying—Group vegetables, after they are cut, according to their respective cooking times, so that none will over- or under- cook. You can accomplish this by adding slower-cooking vegetables to the wok/skillet earlier than the quicker-cooking ones.
Heat the wok/skillet alone first- for up to a minute. Then add a little oil (olive or peanut), and if you are using onions (1/2 cup per serving) and garlic (1 clove per serving), add them now, and sauté them alone first. If you are using tofu, add this next along with about 1 or 2 tablespoons of tamari (you can add more while sautéing the vegetables, if you’d like). Then add whatever “group 1” vegetables you are using, and sauté until partially done. Next, add “group 2” items and cook until everything is almost done. Selections from “group 3” come in at the very end, just before you take it off the burner.
Group 1 –potatoes (sliced thinly), celery, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, eggplant, winter squash, asparagus (if thick).
Group 2—Kale, collards, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, summer squash, asparagus (if thin).
Group 3—Most Asian greens, scallions, bean sprouts.
You don’t have to use ALL of these vegetables. You can use just use some, or even just one.
Plan on about ¾-1 lb per serving.
The more thinly a vegetable is sliced, the quicker it cooks.
Basic Goal: To cook the vegetables quickly (over high heat, stirring almost constantly) so that each vegetable is done to its own individual perfection.
Have all vegetables cut up beforehand, so you can stir constantly and work quickly once the wok/skillet is hot.
Extras to add to your stir-fry—add any, all, or none of these in the last minutes of cooking:
Chopped, toasted nuts
Sliced water chestnuts
Cooked noodles (rinsed and drizzled with sesame oil)
Toasted sesame seeds
Soaked, sliced black mushrooms
Seasonings—to be added towards the end of cooking (all amounts can vary according to taste):
Wine—1 Tbsp
Tamari—1 to 2 Tbsp
Grated ginger—1 Tbsp
Crushed red pepper—to taste
Toasted sesame oil—1 Tbsp
Cilantro—1/4 cup
Coconut milk—1 can (if you use this, then you can add a curry powder or paste and it will become more of a Thai dish than a Chinese dish)
Experiment and have fun!
Vegetable Stock
Making stock is a very flexible job — we just use whatever’s around, usually in the fall, make sure there’s a relative balance of different flavors, and throw it in the pot.
2 carrots, cut into chunks
1 onion, quartered (don’t bother to peel)
1 potato, cut into chunks
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 or 3 cloves of garlic (don’t bother to peel)
10 or 20 parsley stems with leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Combine everything in a saucepan with 6 cups water, using a pinch of salt and a bit of pepper.
Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily but gently and cook for about 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. (Longer is better if you have time.)
Strain, then taste and adjust the seasoning before using or storing.
Makes about 1 quart; can make more to freeze, in jars or ice cube trays.
Roasted Summer Vegetables
A versatile summer recipe that can be used as a side dish, main dish or salad. Be sure to make enough for leftovers to put on pizza. Try a variety of vegetables: any summer squash, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, green or red peppers, mild chili peppers, carrots, eggplant, mushrooms or fennel.
8-10 cups fresh vegetables
Cut into bite-size pieces for even cooking time (i.e., thinly slice potatoes but chop summer squash in larger chunks).
Toss with one of the seasoning options below.
Then spread seasoned vegetables in a thin layer on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven at 425F for 20 minutes.
Stir occasionally.
For a main dish: Serve over cooked penne pasta, wild rice, or couscous and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
For a salad: Cool vegetables (or use the leftovers) and add 2 cups diced tomatoes, 3 ounces feta cheese, and additional vinaigrette dressing.
Seasoning 1:
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 ½ tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ teaspoons pepper
1-4 cloves garlic, minced
Seasoning 2:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Seasoning 3:
¾ cup Italian dressing or vinaigrette dressing
Seasoning 4:
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons each fresh thyme, oregano, basil chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Good with onion, eggplant, zucchini, green peppers, and tomatoes.
Kabob variation: Soak wooden skewers, if using, at least 30 minutes in water to prevent scorching. Thread a variety of seasoned vegetables on each skewer, keeping mushrooms separate as they will cook faster; carrot chunks and small whole potatoes should be boiled a few minutes in advance. Grill over medium heat until vegetables are tender.
Serves 8 (side dish), 4-6 (main dish.)
Roasted Winter Vegetables
6-8 cups Winter Vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, beets, onions, winter squash—peeled and cut in 1-inch-thick pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried or 3 tablespoons fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano
Toss ingredients together (keeps onions separate, as they will roast faster; add them to the pan 10 minutes into the baking time).
Spread in a single layer on greased baking pans. Roast in a preheated oven at 425 F until tender, 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve with roasted garlic sauce (optional).
Roasted Garlic: Remove loose papery layers from outside of a whole garlic bulb but do not peel. Slice off the top of the bulb, exposing the tip of each clove. Place on a square of aluminum foil and drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil or just season with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly and bake alongside the vegetables until tender.
Roasted Garlic Sauce: Bake one head of garlic as directed. Squeeze soft roasted cloves into a small bowl, mash with fork, and stir in ¾ cup plain yogurt. (Also try this sauce as a raw vegetable dip or on top of chili).
Serves 8.
Mixed Vegetable Frittata
1 ½ cups whole wheat bread cubes
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups your choice of vegetables (broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, Swiss chard, kale, summer squash, zucchini, etc.)
1 tablespoon thyme or dill
4 eggs
1 ¼ cups milk
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves
1 cup chopped onions or leeks
1 ¼ cups cheddar cheese
¼ cup parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut up bread into cubes and toast the bread cubes on a tray in a 375-degree oven.
Meanwhile, lightly sauté the garlic in 2 tablespoons each of the butter and the olive oil until the garlic is golden.
When the bread cubes are crispy, remove them from the oven, toss with garlic butter, and set aside.
Next, sauté onions or leeks in remaining butter and oil for a minute or two.
Add the vegetables, herbs, salt, and pepper and continue to cook until soft, stirring occasionally.
Cover the pan to retain the juices.
Butter a 9×9-inch pan.
Layer the ingredients as follows: first the bread cubes, next the vegetables, and finally the grated cheddar and parmesan cheese.
Beat together the eggs and milk with some salt and pepper and pour this over the other ingredients in the pan.
Bake until the frittata is puffy and golden, about 30 minutes.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Winter Minestrone
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 celery root, peeled and diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups vegetable broth, chicken brother, or turkey broth
1 quart crushed tomatoes or tomato purée, or 1 (28-ounce) can
3 cups thinly sliced green or savoy cabbage, or kale (remove and discard tough stems from kale)
1 ½ cups cooked white beans (cannellini, navy, pea), or 1 (15-ounce) can, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup small pasta (rings, ditalini, alphabets, bowties)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
Add the onion, celery root, carrot, and garlic, and sauté until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 3 minutes.
Add the broth, tomatoes, cabbage, beans, rosemary, and thyme.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Return the soup to a boil.
Add the pasta and boil gently until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot.
Serves 6-8.
Note: Like all soups that contain pasta, this will thicken on standing. Thin with additional broth or water if needed.
Grilled Veggie Shish Kabob
Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground pepper
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup pineapple juice
Blend all marinade ingredients together in blender for about 30 seconds.
Veggies:
12 cherry tomatoes
12 slices Japanese eggplants
12 mushrooms
12 small onions
2 yellow peppers, cut in 1-inch squares
12 slices yellow squash
12 slices zucchini
12 pineapple chunks
Place marinade and veggies in a zip lock bag, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Arrange vegetables on skewers, grill on medium high flame turning and brushing with marinade for 10 minutes or until cooked.
Mixed Vegetable Quiche
1 10-inch pie crust
1 tsp butter
1 ½ cups chopped onions or leeks
2 to 3 cups your choice of vegetable—good options are roasted red peppers, kale, spinach, broccoli
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper
Pinch of thyme
½ teaspoon dry mustard (optional)
4 large eggs
1 ½ cup milk
2 tablespoons flour
1 ½ cup grated Swiss or cheddar cheese, or your choice
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Melt butter in a pan.
Add onions, and sauté over medium heat for a few minutes.
When they begin to soften, add the vegetables, salt, pepper, thyme, and mustard.
Sauté about 3 to 5 minutes and remove from heat.
Combine eggs, milk, and flour and beat well.
Spread the grated cheese on the bottom on the unbaked crust, and spread the onion-vegetable mixture on top.
Pour in the custard and sprinkle the top with paprika.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until solid in the center.
Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Vegetable Pancakes
About 1 pound turnips, zucchini, winter squash, or sweet potatoes, peeled if necessary (about 2 cups packed)
½ onion, grated
1 egg, beaten
1 cup flour, more or less
Salt and pepper
Milk, ½ & ½, cream as needed
2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil, plus more for the pan
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
Grate the vegetables.
Mix the vegetables, onion, egg, and flour together.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Then add just enough milk so that the mixture drops easily from a large spoon.
Stir in melted butter or olive oil.
Put a pat of butter or a spoonful of oil in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
When the butter is melted or the oil is hot, drop in spoonfuls of the batter.
Use a fork to spread the vegetables into an even layer. (You’ll probably have to work in batches; keep pancakes in the oven until all are finished.)
Cook, turning once, until nicely browned on both sides, about 15 minutes.
Serve hot or at room temperature.
Serves 4.
Ratatouille
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium zucchini, cubed
4 medium cloves garlic
2 medium bell peppers, in strips
1 bay leaf
3-4 tomatoes, chopped
2 cups chopped onion
Fresh black pepper
1 medium eggplant, cubed
Fresh parsley (optional)
1 ½ teaspoon salt
Olives, minced
1 ½ teaspoon basil (if using fresh herbs, double amounts)
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon rosemary
½ teaspoon thyme
Heat olive oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven.
Add garlic, onion, and bay leaf, and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Add eggplant, salt, and herbs, and stir.
Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until eggplant is soft.
Add zucchini, bell peppers, black pepper, and tomatoes.
Cover and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the zucchini and peppers are tender.
Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature—plain or topped with parsley and /or olives. Good when paired with polenta.
Serves 4-6.
Chicken Roasted with Vegetables
4 large shallots, roughly chopped
1 red pepper, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 yellow pepper, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 pound tiny red potatoes (halves if larger than bite size)
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 whole chicken breasts, halved
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ cup chicken broth
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a large casserole dish or pan, toss shallots, peppers, potatoes, squash, rosemary, salt, and pepper with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Rub the chicken breasts with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and arrange it, skin side up, on top of the vegetables.
Pour chicken broth over all.
Roast at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375 degrees and roast 30 minutes more, or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.
Serves 4.
Vegetable Pasta Salad
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
In a small bowl whisk together.
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh basil
Whisk in oil gradually.
Stir in basil and set aside.
4 ounces uncooked whole wheat pasta such as rotini, bow ties, shells, or penne.
Cook pasta.
Drain and rinse with cold water.
Place in large bowl and toss with 1/3 of the dressing.
2 cups fresh vegetables: green peppers, summer squash, cucumbers, broccoli florets, chopped
3 medium tomatoes
½ cup sliced ripe olives
Layer ingredients on top of the pasta in the following order; vegetables, tomatoes, olives. Top with remaining dressing.
¼ to ½ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
2 tablespoon fresh parsley
Sprinkle on top.
Cover and chill 4-24 hours.
½ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated) or feta cheese (crumbled)
Sprinkle on top and toss lightly before serving.
Fajitas
1 pound chicken breast or thighs, lean sirloin beef, or venison round steak, cut in thin strips
Choose the paste or marinade option below and cook as directed
4 cups vegetables: onion-chopped, green or red peppers—sliced, carrots-thinly sliced, yellow squash—sliced, and ground black pepper
Toss vegetables with several dashes of pepper. Stir-fry over high heat in 2 teaspoon olive oil. Serve meat and vegetables in warm tortillas with each person adding shredded cheese or crumbled queso blanco, sliced banana peppers, diced tomatoes, salsa, and sour cream to taste.
Cilantro Spice Paste:
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoon ground cumin
Juice of one lime
Mix together. Coat meat well with cilantro paste; let stand at least 15 minutes. Stir-fry over high heat in 2 teaspoon oil. Remove from pan and keep warm while stir-frying vegetables.
Barbecue Marinade:
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon each red wine vinegar and barbecue sauce
2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon each Worcestershire sauce salt
¼ teaspoon each pepper and Tabasco pepper sauce
Combine and add meat.
Stir to coat and refrigerate at least 12 hours.
Remove meat from marinade and stir-fry in 1 tablespoon oil until browned.
Leave in pan while stir-frying vegetables.
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I look forward to these great recipes!
I just made the❖❖❖❖❖
Mixed Vegetable Frittata and it taste amazing! The kids loved it and didn’t even realize it was so Good for them