Recipe(s) of the week: vegetable prep

Let's be honest... we "like" vegetables because they're good for us; we need the fiber and the micronutrients they provide. We like vegetables, and food in general, when it tastes good. Historically, I've always been someone who struggles with getting enough vegetables into my weekly diet because I never really enjoyed how they taste. Over the last several years, I've been working really hard to get better at cooking in general, but also specifically with preparing veggies in ways I will actually enjoy and genuinely want to eat.

This past week I received a request for how to prepare different vegetables so that they are actually enjoyable, and prep-able. These are just some of the ways that we, in my house enjoy prepping and eating our veggies. Please don't take this as the end-all-be-all or the "only way" to prepare things you'll actually eat regularly... but if you love them or they inspire you to mess with your own recipes or variations, then awesome!

All recipes are 2-3 servings

Sweet Potato Hash

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

1 medium green pepper, diced

1/2 TBSP garlic powder

1/4 TBSP seasoned salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/2-1 tsp Slap-Ya-Mama seasoning (adjust for your spice tolerance)

pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon

Directions:

1. Heat a dutch oven, cast iron skillet or flat top grill over medium. Once surface is hot, add olive oil and butter.

2. Add the sweet potatoes and cook 5-8 minutes, or until just starting to soften/lightly brown.

3. Add the onion and green peppers and mix to coat with the oil/butter. Then, add in your seasonings and stir again.

4. Continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until onions are translucent, and the potatoes and peppers are starting to near-char.

5. Serve alongside your protein of choice! (We really like barbecue marinated grilled chicken with this)

   
   

Umami Roasted Broccolini

Ingredients:

1-2 TBSP olive oil

1 bunch broccolini, rough ends removed

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 TBSP soy sauce

1/4 TBSP hot chili flakes

pinch of ginger (either grated or powder)

pinch of Chinese Five Spice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil, brush with 1 TBSP of your olive oil.

2. In a bowl, mix your soy sauce, minced garlic, olive oil and spices. Add in the trimmed broccolini and lightly massage/mix.

3. Spread the broccolini onto your baking sheet in an even layer, and bake for about 15 minutes. The tips should be crispy and the stem should be tender!

4. Serve alongside your protein of choice! (We really like either Asian marinated steak, usually stir-fry style, or Asian marinated chicken!)

Mixed Roasted Squash

Ingredients:

2 TBSP olive oil

1 small/medium yellow squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 small/medium zucchini squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 small/medium acorn squash, peeled and diced/fine chopped

1 TBSP garlic powder

1 TBSP onion powder

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 TBSP seasoned salt

1/2 tsp Slap-Ya-Mama seasoning

1/4-1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.

2. In a bowl, mix your squashes and olive oil. Spread evenly over the pan.

3. Mix your spices, and sprinkle them evenly across your layer of squash.

4. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the acorn squash is soft and the other squashes are soft and lightly browned.

5. Serve alongside your protein of choice! (We like to pair this with a rotisserie chicken and some sort of rice)

Let me know if you wind up trying any of these veggie sides and like them! Hopefully they add some fun flavor that you'll want more of next week, and the week after that. :)

Be well and enjoy!

Margo