It’s easy to fall into a veggie rut. Whether it’s the same old bag of salad greens or sticking to sheet pan vegetables, don’t just do it like you’ve always done! Add a little pizzazz to your plate with a few ideas to mix things up.
Lisa Danielson gave us permission to play around with our produce! She shared 4 deliciously creative cooking techniques to win your way to better veggies.
Find more from Lisa on Instagram, @veggie_lisa, or on her website, www.lisadanielson.com
Blanching:
Plunge vegetables into boiling water for 1-3 minutes and quickly transfer to ice water to stop the cooking process. This technique is good for hard veggies, such as carrots, broccoli, and peppers to make them tender and crisp. Prep them for later use or prepare them for freezing.
Shredding:
This method uses raw vegetables, forming them into long, thin strips with the use of a hand grater or a food processor. They have many uses but are particularly nice in salads and sandwiches. Try shredding Brussels sprouts, zucchini, carrots, and cabbage or dense lettuce leaves such as Swiss chard, turnip greens, and escarole.
Air Frying:
Lisa shared her favorite method for air-frying vegetables.
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Prep the vegetables. Chop them into small chunks and place in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, a sprinkle of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
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Toss to coat the veggies in the oil and seasonings.
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Arrange the vegetables in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you’ll likely need to work in batches. Overcrowding the basket will cause the vegetables to steam, not brown. Only add as many as will fit in a single layer.
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Air fry the vegetables at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender and browned. Toss halfway through the cooking time so they brown evenly. Repeat with any remaining vegetables.
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Season to taste and serve! Squeeze the air-fried veggies with fresh lemon juice, and top with fresh parsley. (They’re also delicious with freshly grated parmesan cheese!)
Serve Raw with a Protein Dip:
Lisa shared her recipe for a high-protein sour cream and onion dip. Serve with raw veggies for a protein-packed pairing!
INGREDIENTS
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1 pint cottage cheese (whole milk cottage cheese)
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½ teaspoon garlic powder
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½ teaspoon onion powder
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Freshly ground black pepper
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Zest of ½ lemon
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3 Tablespoons finely chopped chives, divided
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Pita chips, crackers, or your favorite veggies
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix ingredients together in a bowl. Serve with pita chips, crackers, or your favorite veggies.
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