Easy Vegetable Recipes That Make Healthy Dishes Exciting & Fun

I do love to play with words, don’t I? Anyway, this should be a very pretty dish to set before your eaters – and good for them, too.

2 tsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
3 cups diagonally sliced carrot
4 Tbsp water
l/4 tsp each salt & black pepper
2 tsp fresh small sage leaves, chopped (1 tsp dried)

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add carrots and water. Partially cover pan and cook 10 minutes or until carrots are almost tender.

Add salt and pepper, increase to medium-high heat and cook 4 minutes or until carrots are tender and lightly browned, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with sage. Serve. Eat.

This recipe would also work well with any "root" vegetable like turnips or rutabagas, but I don’t eat those; but if you want to use one of them just change the name – admit it: “glazed carrots” sounds so much nicer than “glazed rutabagas”, doesn’t it?

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 & 1/2 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup fresh apple cider
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (about 1/2 tsp)

Combine the butter and oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium-high heat, and when the butter has melted, add the carrots and 1/8 tsp of salt; toss to coat evenly.

Add the cider, bring just to a boil, and reduce the heat to medium; cover, adjusting the heat so the liquid boils gently. Cook for 20 minutes or so, until the the carrots are fork-tender).

Uncover, bring the liquid back to a rapid boil an cook for 6-8 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to a glaze.

Sprinkle the carrots with the nutmeg; toss to incorporate and serve warm.

I think most of us love crispy, hash-browned potatoes. But, according to numerous studies, eating a lot of white potatoes is not considered nutritionally wise, especially for women, So-o-o, here’s a healthy way to easily create and enjoy a tasty substitute.

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, minced
1 Tbsp granulated garlic
1 tsp each thyme & basil, dried
4 medium zucchinis, grated, not peeled
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
4 eggs, separated

In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onion until beginning to soften.

Add the herbs and seasonings and cook for another few minutes.

Add the zucchini, lower the heat and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove skillet from the heat, taste, and adjust the seasoning as you like. Add the parsley, smoosh the mixture into a large bowl. And set aside.

In a bowl, mix the flour and Parmesan and stir this into the zucchini mixture.

Whisk the egg yolks and mix them in.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the mixture.

Heat your largest skillet or, better yet, heat up that huge electric griddle you so seldom use. Add a bit of oil, and when it’s hot, pour the batter as you would for pancakes, and cook until they’re brown at the edges. Flip ‘em, cook the other side and remove to a warm platter.

When they’re all cooked, or at least as many as you need, serve proudly. (Keep any excess batter in the fridge for a couple days, and do this again,)

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Peas and carrots may be ho-hum to most people, but tell them it's "snow peas" and julienned carrots with ginger and sesame oil and you'll get their attention.

4 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
pinch of sugar
salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 lb snow peas, cut julienne lengthwise
1 lb baby carrots, cut julienne
1 tsp ginger, freshly grated
2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Stir first 5 ingredients together to create the sauce

In a heated wok or large frying pan stir the sliced veggies & ginger together, pour on the sauce, heat and serve.

Eggplant is one of the best veggies for easy grilling, not to mention that you can do lots of things to it to create great flavors. And besides all that, it looks pretty with those grill marks added.

1 eggplant (two if they’re small)
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 mashed garlic cloves
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Oil the grill and preheat it to high.

Peel strips of skin off the eggplant to create a stripe-y pattern. Slice horizontally into ½ inch thick circles; salt them on both sides and place on paper towels for about 15 minutes to get rid of their excess liquid. and accompanying bitterness.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the rest together.

When the eggplant is ready, dunk both sides of each slice into this marinade, dry them and lay them on the grill; cover, and turn down the heat to medium. Grill about 6 minutes per side to achieve those impressive grill marks. After 3 minutes turn halfway around to cross the grill marks – way cool.

Next, brush the slices with the remaining sauce, flip and do the other side. Be sure the temp is at medium to heat, not burn. (If you do screw up and burn the slices you can sail ‘em, Frisby-style, to the back of your yard or into your neighbor’s).

What a delicious and easy way to get the health benefits of cooked tomatoes! You do know, don’t you, that raw ones don’t offer as many as cooked? A really pretty dish, too.

2 & ½ cups grape, cherry and/or small yellow tomatoes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. snipped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp each salt & black pepper
2 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Halve the grape and cherry tomatoes and cut small tomatoes into wedges; set aside.

Heat oil a large skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and thyme; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until onion is tender.

Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir for a minute or two to just warm them. Remove from heat, stir in mozzarella while they’re still warm and serve up.

This, of course, is quick, but if you want do it quicker zap the veggies in the microwave for 5 minutes before you sauté them.

1 & 1/2 cups packaged peeled baby carrots
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into thin wedges
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp each salt & cracked black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 10-oz package prewashed spinach
1/4cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine carrots and fennel. Add the oil, the salt, and pepper; toss to coat.

Place a large skillet or wok on grill side burner. In the skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add vegetable mixture and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat.

Gradually add spinach to skillet, tossing just until spinach wilts. Transfer vegetable mixture to a plate. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

This one could certainly be a meal for light-eating vegans or folks who wisely eat moderate portions - it could be a nice side dish for eaters like me.

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
1 fennel bulb, halved, cored and coarsely chopped
1 tsp minced marjoram
Freshly ground pepper
8 large eggs
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese(about 2 ounces
) 1 Ybsp coarsely chopped basil

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat the oil in a 9-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet. Add the onion, season with salt and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add the fennel and marjoram and season with salt. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is softened, about 5 minutes. Season with pepper and transfer the sauteed vegetables to a plate.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in the skillet, add the eggs and spoon the vegetables evenly over the eggs

Dot with the feta and bake for about 12 minutes, or until the eggs are just set. Slide the frittata onto a large serving plate and sprinkle with the chopped basil. Let it cool slightly, then cut into wedges and serve warm.

Ya know, that soumds so good maybe I will make it a meal.

Very basic and very tasty.

2 medium-size yellow squash
2 medium-size zucchini
1 small onion
1 Tbsp oil
1 minced garlic clove
Salt and Pepper

Cut yellow squash and zucchini into 1/4. inch-thick slices, and chop 1 small onion.

Saute vegetables in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes.

Add minced garlic clove, and saute 1 minute. Sprinkle mixture with salt and pepper to taste. You’re ready to serve up.

A very simple way to make cooked broccoli taste a whole lot better than it smells. But that's not difficult.

1 lb. fresh broccoli crowns, cut into flowerets
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Cook flowerets in boiling water to cover, 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp-tender, then plunge it into cold water to stop the cooking process, and drain.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; stir in broccoli, and saute 2 minutes, then stir in fresh lemon juice, salt & pepper; saute another minute and serve immediately.

A veggie-lover's one-dish dinner delight - easy, pretty and delicious. We don't say "nutritious" because that's what everything here in veggie-land is.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup sliced green onions
1/2 tsp each dried oregano & basil
1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 28-oz can low-salt chopped tomatoes with liquid
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups cooked pasta (your favorite)
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

As always, first thing, start your pasta water to boil and, when boiling, add pasta. When al dente Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add green onions and sauté 5 minutes.

Add oregano, basil, salt, peppers, garlic, and tomatoes; cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Add beans, cover and simmer an additional 5 minutes.

Combine bean mixture, hot pasta, and artichoke hearts in a large bowl. Toss well and serve warm.

I think even kids will eat this spinach with toasted nuts and raisins. What do you think?

1/3 cup pignolas (pine nuts), toasted
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oi1
1 clove garlic, minced
2 lb triple-washed baby splnach
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a dry skillet over medium heat, place the pine nuts. Stir and toss until lightly golden. 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Pour boiling water over the raisins and drain immediatelY. Set aside.

In a large skillet, warm the oil, add the garlic and spinach & toss with tongs until garlic is mixed in. When spinach begins to wilt, dd raisins, pinenuts and salt & pepper, to taste.

Tomatoes are so great in warm weather you might hesitate to heat ‘em up, but when it’s the “off-season” even so-so tomatoes can be a real treat when baked like this.

8 ripe but very firm tomatoes (of equal size)
Salt to taste
1 clove garlic mashed
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves or 2 teaspoons dried
1/2 cup olive oil (use the "good stuff")
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Remove the core of each tomato and cut them in half, laying the halves, cut side up, in a lightly oiled baking pan. Season with salt.

Blend the garlic and basil with the olive oil and sprinkle the mixture over the tomatoes.

Serve at once because if these tomatoes wait, they wilt.

You can do a lot of things with these rings including just munching, laying on burgers, mixing in a salad, just about anything. And did you really need a web site to tell you how to make something so simple? Well, if you're a cooking pro maybe I've just reminded you how great these are and you're already looking for that onion. If you're a newby now you have a dish you KNOW you can make.

1 large sweet onion
all-purpose flour
canola oil (enough to put 2 inches of it into your wok or fry pan)

Slice onion into the thinnest rings you can, shake 'em around in a bag of flour and dump by the handfull into 2 inches of hot oil in a wok or deep frying pan. Now, the hard part - not really - stir them around so you don't end up with a fried onion lump.

When they're crispy and golden, remove and drain on paper towels.

If you’re the very cautious type or a pure vegetarian you may want to skip the RAW egg yolk – even though the dish may not be quite as wonderful.

1 bunch asparagus, about a lb, tough ends trimmed
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on thickness. Drain the asparagus, transfer to the ice water to halt the cooking then drain again.

While the 'sparagoose" is cooking make the aoli as follows: in a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk (if using) and mustard. Keep whisking and very slowly add the oil in a steady stream. It really gets thick. Now whisk in the lemon juice and salt.

Serve the asparagus with the aioli and lemon wedges on the side.

That's right, "gratin" in a recipe means there is cheese present & prominent. And to most serious eaters that's a very good thing. So imagine how really good this combo of asparagus, cheese and eggs will taste.

12 Asparagus spears
8 Large eggs
1/4 Cup whipping cream
1 tsp grated lemon peel
Salt and ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a wide non-stick fiying pan, bring about an inch water to a boil over high heat.

While that's happening, cut off and discard tough ends of asparagus and cut spears into 1-inch pieces.

Add asparagus to boiling water and cook, uncovered,about 4 or 5 minutes until just tender when pierced. Drain well and divide asparagus among 4 well-buttered ovenproof dishes.

Carefully break 2 eggs over asparagus in each dish. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the cream over eggs in each dish. Then sprinide eggs evenly with lemon peel and sprinkle with salt and just a little red pepper to taste.

Set dishes on a baking sheet and bake in a 450° oven about 5 to 7 minutes or until eggs are done to your liking.

Sprinkle evenly with cheese and bake for another minute. Serve at once.

Oh, boy! Vegetables never tasted so good!

The “or-Not” is here in case you don’t eat eggs. If you do it’s a full, healthful breakfast. If you don’t it’s still healthful but ok for a serious vegan.

2 russet potatoes, peeled and grated
1 medium zucchini, unpeeled and grated
3 & 1/2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 large eggs, cooked sunny-side up

Combine the potatoes and zucchini in a large strainer placed in the sink and squeeze to remove any excess water.

Add 3 tablespoons of the dill and toss.

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat and add the potato-zucchini mixture, pressing it with the back of a spatula. Season with the salt and pepper and cook, without stirring, for 15 minutes.

Fold the hash in half and cook for a few more minutes. Transfer to individual plates. Sprinkle with the remaining dill, and, if you made eggs, add them to the plate and serve.

Crumbled bacon is designated an option but only for vegans. For the rest of us it's a requirement since it really adds to this vegetable dish.

1 lb sugar snap peas, trimmed (about 4 cups)
1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup
) 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)

Preheat oven to 475°F.

Toss peas, shallot, oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread in a single layer.

Roast in the oven, stirring once halfway through, until the peas are tender and beginning to brown slightly, 12 to 14 minutes. Serve warm, sprinkled with bacon unless you deem that a no-no.

Couscous is the separated grain of the wheat plant and makes a terrific rice substitute that has the advantage of being more flavorful as well as way quicker to make than rice. This recipe helps toward both your daily vegetable and grain requirements.

1/4 lb zucchini
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup boiling water
1/3 cup couscous

Cut zucchini into 1/4-inch dice.

In a non-stick skillet cook zucchini in oil with cumin and salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, stirring, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous and remove skillet from heat.

Leave it covered for 5 minutes then fluff couscous with a fork. Very quick & very tasty.

That’s brown, not burnt butter. Watch it!

1 medium spaghetti squash (about 3 1/2 lb)
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp butter (no substitutions)
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Take a sharp knife & pierce squash in about 10 places. Microwave on HIGH about 9 minutes. Turn squash over and microwave about 9 minutes longer, until squash is fork-tender.

Meanwhile, in a 10-inch skillet, toast the walnuts over medium heat, about 5 minutes, shaking pan frequently. Transfer walnuts to large bowl.

In same skillet, melt butter over medium heat, then cook just until butter turns amber in color, about 3 or 4 minutes.

When squash is done, cut crosswise in half; toss the seeds and with a fork, gently scrape squash lengthwise and lift out strands of pulp – they really look like spaghetti - as they become free; add to bowl with walnuts. Get rid of the squash skin.

Toss squash and walnuts with melted butter, salt, and pepper.

Super fast - super tasty - best veggie source of beta-carotene. Go for it!

1 cup carrots, sliced thin
2 tsp apricot or peach jam

Slice carrots as thin as you can without including your fingers. Add 2 teaspoons of apricot or peach jam.

Nuke 'em for 4, maybe 5 minutes. Done!

If you're like me you don't go for broccoli stalks, just the florets. In that case use 2 pounds of broccoli crowns. And in case you didn't know, broocoli is one of the "super"-nourishing vegetables.

Cut broccoli lengthwise so the florets are 1 to 2 inches wide and are attached to the long stalks (if you choose to use stalks). Place broccoli and an inch of water in a covered micro-wave safe bowl & nuke until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve 1/3 cup of the liquid.

Place tahini in a blender; with the motor running, gradually add the reserved cooking liquid. Add harissa (or cayenne), lemon juice and salt and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary.

Serve the broccoli with the sauce.

Certainly if you're really into vegetable dishes this simple creation could be dinner for two. How easy!

2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
2 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 red onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 small eggplants (about 1 pound each), cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Preheat oven to 450°F and lightly grease a large shallow baking pan.

In a large bowl toss vegetables with oil and salt and pepper to taste and arrange in one layer in pan.

Roast vegetables, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Stir in raisins and roast 3 minutes more.

In a bowl toss ratatouille with the zest and juice and it's ready - so fast!

Since I am called "Tata" by my two beautiful grandkids (see the Home Page or "Who IS This Guy")I could not resist naming this as above. The vegetables plus the eggs & cheese really make this a protein super-star.

3 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
1/4 tsp. salt, divided
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 large eggs
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 Tbsp chopped fresh marjoram
2/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

The garnish:

2 1/2 Cups chopped tomatoes (2-3 medium)
1 Medium shallot, mince
1 Clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. chopped fresh marjoram
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Pinch of salt

To prepare frittata:

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until the moisture in the pan has evaporated, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the pan.

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat broiler.

Whisk eggs and egg whites with the salt and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Stir in the zucchini, Parmesan and marjoram.

Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the egg mixture and reduce heat to medium-low. Place a dollop of ricotta on top of the eggs and cook until the eggs are set but the top is still moist, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the frittata to the oven and broil until cooked through and lightly brown on top, 3 to 5 minutes. To prepare tomato garnish:

Toss tomatoes with shallot, garlic, marjoram, oil, vinegar, pepper and salt in a medium bowl. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomato mixture and cook anbout 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes are warmed through and just beginning to release their juices.

To serve, slide the frittata onto a serving plate, cut into 6 slices and serve warm or cold, topped with the tomato garnish.

Wait until you see the finished product! Even you won't believe it only took ten minutes to build and 20 minutes to cook.

1 Sheet rolled puff pastry (from the dairy case)

2 Tbsp. soft cream cheese
2 Tbsp. canola oil (or your preference)
4 oz. sliced button mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 Cherry tomatoes, halved
Dash mixed herbs
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven 475 degrees.

Cut pastry into 4 quarters. Fold each edge toward the center about half an inch & firmly press. Place on a non-stick baking sheet and spread each piece with cream cheese.

Add oil to a saute pan, add shrooms, garlic & herbs. Stir about 2 minutes over medium heat until softened. Drain on paper towels.

Place a portion of this mixture on each pastry square, add the halved cherry tomatoes and sprinkle cheese on top.

Bake for 20 minutes, open the oven and be amazed at your beautiful creation.

Shallots look pretty much like an onion (or a schmoo) and taste like them as well (onions, not schmoos), only milder. This vegetable dish will go well with any meat or poultry

What's a Shmoo? Ask someone who's at least fifty and once read the comic section of the newspaper.

What's a "newspaper"? You remember, those crinkly things that gave you the latest news before tv & the internet took over.

1/4 Cup butter
1 & 1/2 lbs. shallots
1 Tbsp. fine brown sugar
2 Tbsp. wine (red or white)

Peel shmoos...I mean shallots, leaving the pointier end intact. Add them to the butter in a large frying pan and cook gently until they start to brown, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle the fine brown sugar over the shallots stirring until they begin to carmelize.

Add the wine (have a little yourself, you earned it with all that stirring) and let it bubble gently for 5 minutes.

Stir in 2/3 cup of water, salt & pepper and cover. After 5 minutes remove the lid and let the little guys cook until the liquid is gone and they get that glazed look.

Eat 'em up.

This one is so tasty that no one will even mind the smelly aroma of the cooking broccoli. But, I suppose if you are a true vegetable-lover you think it smells good - I guess I'm not one.

1/2 lb broccoli crowns
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
l Tbsp olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper

Cut off and toss any thick stems from the broccoli - some stores think "crowns" include 2 or 3 inches of the tree-like stem - and cut the broccoli into long, thin florets.

Heat the olive oil in a wok or large frying pan and add the broccoli. Stir-fry for 3—4 minutes, or until tender, adding a bit of water if the pan starts to dry.

This could be a lovely vegetarian lunch for three or a dazzling side for four.

2 Iarge sweet potatoes
2 large red peppers
6 medium zucchini sliced in half lengthways
4 large mushroom caps

Dressing:

1/3 Cup olive oil
2 tablespoOns balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. chopped rosemary
3 Cloves garlic, crushed

Cut the sweets into thick slices,

Remove seeds and membrane from the peppers and cut in wide strips. Place with zucchini & mushroom caps on a cold, lightly oiled broiler tray, brush wflh dressing.

Cook two levels below the broiler flame for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly golden, turning occasionally. Brush with remaining dressing twice during cooking.

To make diessing:

Place oil, vinegar, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl; whisk to combine.

Arrange veggies on plates, drizzle (or dribble,it doesn't matter)on the dressing and you've done another good kitchen thing.