Fun With Veggies

If you need some ideas to make your veggies a bit more exciting, but keep them reasonably healthy, hopefully this will help!  These recipes have mininal ingredients and can be made by anyone!

Roasted Green Beans

fresh green beans

olive oil

lemon juice

ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450.  Wash and trim the beans, then lay out on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for 7-10 minutes until tender, turning once or twice.  When done, drizzle with lemon juice (preferably fresh) and sprinkle with black pepper.  Serve immediatly and store leftovers in the fridge for a cold snack :)

Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto

(from "Everyday Italian" by Giada DeLaurentiis)

1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

very thinly sliced prosciutto (at least 6 slices)

Preheat oven to 450 and peel bottom half of each asparagus stalk.

Toss asparagus with oil, salt and pepper on a heavy baking sheet.

Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.  Cut each slice of prosciutto lengthwise.  Wrap each asparagus stalk with one piece of prosciutto, leaving the tips of stalks exposed.

(Make this a vegetarian dish by adding an extra pinch of salt and maybe some garlic powder before baking and leaving off the prosciutto)

Grilled Vegetables

large mushrooms

fresh asparagus

yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/2" thick slices

(any other veggies you want to grill - peppers, eggplant, etc.)

olive oil

salt

ground black pepper

garlic powder (optional)

fresh basil (optional)

Heat grill to medium-high and generously brush veggies with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder (if using it).  Place veggies on the grill for about 5-7 minutes per side, turning once.  When vegetables are tender and lightly browned, remove from grill and garnish with fresh chopped basil.

(This can also be done on a gas stove, just lower the range temp to low, place veggies directly on burner grate and keep an eye on them.)

Angel Hair & Veggies with Scampi Sauce

(minus the shrimp...)

angel hair pasta

2 tbsp butter

1+ tsp minced garlic (about 2 cloves)

cherry tomatoes, halved

zucchini, cut into 1/4" slices, then halved

small mushrooms, halved

1/3 - 1/2 cup white wine

juice of 1 lemon

parsley (preferably fresh)

Bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  While water boils and pasta cooks, melt butter in a large pan over medium-high heat.  When hot, add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add veggies and saute for about 3 minutes until somewhat tender.  Stir in wine, lower heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes until wine has reduced.  Add lemon juice and about 1 cup of the cooking water from pasta pot.  Reduce heat to low, add cooked pasta to sauce, simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.  (This dish is nice because if you have leftovers, you can quickly reheat everything together on the stove in a covered pan, or just eat it cold out of the fridge!)