Cheap & Tasty Vegetable Ideas Wanted

sharloid

Hey, me and the OH are starting to resent meal times as it general just consists of veggies and stock done in the slow cooker and whatnot so I'm after new recipies that fit our criteria! We generally don't buy meat due to me being fussy and it being quit costly but usually have carrots, potatoes, spinach, onion, leeks, broccoli and cabbage in and at the moment we also have sweet potato and butternut squash. We also have a cupboard full of things like curry powder, mixed herbs, gravy, suet, mexican salt, pepper, garam masala powder etc! Ideally any extra ingredients will be cheap and fairly low in calories as i'm trying to lose weight.

I know I could just google but i'm looking for some tried and tested recipies!
Any ideas would be brilliant,
Thanks

babyshoes

Can you eat cheese? You could try a stuffed butternut squash. Use a whole butternut squash, and pierce it a few times, then bake until softened a little. Allow it to cool enough to handle, then chop it in half lenghtways. Remove seeds, and stuff the middle with your choice of cooked veg mixed with cooked rice (maybe do the rice in stock like a risotto) then top with cheese. Grill until melted and crispy on top. A large butternut will easily do two.

Or how about roasted veg? Put chopped veg such as parsnips, carrots, butternut squash, leeks, sweet potato, sweet peppers and mushrooms into a roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil. Add garlic, salt, herbs etc and roast on a medium heat until done, stirring part way through. This is how we always do the veg for our roast meat, and it is yummy. Perhaps you could serve it with veggy gravy or bisto if you aren't actually vegetarian.

Ever tried risotto? Never made it myself, but always yummy! I am sure someone else will come up with a recipe for it.

Cheese sauce (make it with a strong cheese so you need less of it) always cheers up boring veg!

parsonswife8

I love potato gnocchi cooked in cream and with grated cheese, garlic and spinach, baked in the oven.
Yum.

Gingham_Ribbon

Have a look at this thread. Pink has linked to some useful threads.

piglet6

Vegetable chilli, vegetable curry, roasted vegetables (good served with pasta!).

I also like a vegetable soup, which can be bulked out with pulses to make it feel more filling. I tend to keep an eye out for yellow stickered "posh" breads which I serve with cheap soups to make it feel like a more substantial/special meal.

I think herbs and spices can really be the key to making your veggies taste more interesting. Also, if you are missing meat, using a beef/chicken stock cube in soups/stews, rather than a veggie one, can make them taste more satisfying (its probably all in the mind, but it works for me!! ).

P x