How to make green vegetables taste nice?

MallyGirl

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Is there much difference (nutritionally as well as taste wise) between red and white or green? I vaguely remember a Christmas red cabbage dish that i had once that i liked. It was almost vinegary?

I made braised red cabbage last night.
Chopped red cabbage, a sad looking apple from the fruit bowl also chopped, a small chopped onion, a good glug of balsamic vinegar, a teaspoon of dark grown sugar, salt & pepper, and a dash of water. Lid on over gentle heat.
Finish with a generous blob of redcurrant jelly to give it a shine. Half a red cabbage made 3 generous portions.

lushlifesaver

I can't really add anything to what has already been suggested but wanted to say if you are struggling for a steamer then I buy disposable/one use steamer bags that go in the microwave. I use them for most veg and chicken/fish etc. I Pay 99p for 30+ from Dunelm and they last me a while (can fit a fair amount in each)

elizabethhull

I don't know if you eat shepherd's pie and lasagne/pasta bolognaise, but either of these are wonderful for hiding assorted veg in. Frozen spinach especially disappears and just makes a slightly 'fuller' flavour.

I always find that the bitterness associated with some green veg is improved by thin slicing into ribbons (cabbage, spring greens), or fine chopping (sprouts). My theory is that exposure to the air on the cut surfaces tempers the bitterness, but I have no proof of this !
And if you put broccoli into a curry I defy you to identify it by taste !

I'm sure you could make the standard red cabbage casserole with green cabbage too: chopped cabbage, onions, cooking apple, stock, star anise (my favourite version), brown sugar and absolutely NO VINEGAR !! (well, not for me). Cook for 1 1/2 hrs in oven. You can make a vat of it, and it keeps for ages. I once forgot some stored in our garage & it was still fine a month later ! Freezes too.

Kale makes lovely crispy seaweed: remove from stalks, chop & toss in olive oil. Spread out thinly on a baking tray. Sprinkle lightly with salt & sugar and bake at 220C for ~5mins, or until crispy.

WantToBeSE

Oh,This has been included in this weeks MSE email! Thanks MSE

Just popping out, will reply when i get home. Thanks everyone!

Anne_Marie_2

WantToBeSE wrote: »

I think i might give this recipe a go. It's easy, quick and i already have the ingredients http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1771635/cabbage-with-bacon-and-onions

Has anyone tried this before?

This was quite a staple in our house when we were kids, I have a feeling it's a Scottish/Irish traditional recipe. We ate it, whether we liked it or not! :rotfl: (I did actually like it, but can't say the same for some of my siblings).

WantToBeSE

logic_lizard wrote: »

I never cook spinach in water - wash it and drain. In a saucepan melt a knob of butter with lemon juice and grated nutmeg. Wilt the spinach in this for a minute or so over a high-ish heat stirring once - done! Husband, who hates greens, likes this!

For a special treat: Petit pois a la Francaise
Fry 150g bacon (chopped small) in olive oil until starts to crisp. Remove from pan then add a finely chopped onion and cook until soft. Add a crushed garlic clove and the bacon, continue cooking for one minute. Add 200ml stock and bring to a simmer, add cooked diced potatoes (Jersey royals are good), broccoli or baby leeks, chopped, and the peas. Finally add 100ml cream and some shredded baby gem lettuce, salt & pepper. Enjoy.

That Spinach recipe sounds lovely! Thanks, I'll try that one.

Not at all keen on cooked broccoli, just really lightly fried so almost still raw..but that recipe does sound nice, so I'll jot it down. Thanks!

WantToBeSE

pelirocco wrote: »

Roast cauliflower it's delicious ..

Do you just put it in raw, or do you have to do anything to it?

MallyGirl wrote: »

I made braised red cabbage last night.
Chopped red cabbage, a sad looking apple from the fruit bowl also chopped, a small chopped onion, a good glug of balsamic vinegar, a teaspoon of dark grown sugar, salt & pepper, and a dash of water. Lid on over gentle heat.
Finish with a generous blob of redcurrant jelly to give it a shine. Half a red cabbage made 3 generous portions.

Sounds lovely! Going to try that one Thanks.

lushlifesaver wrote: »

I can't really add anything to what has already been suggested but wanted to say if you are struggling for a steamer then I buy disposable/one use steamer bags that go in the microwave. I use them for most veg and chicken/fish etc. I Pay 99p for 30+ from Dunelm and they last me a while (can fit a fair amount in each)

Thanks, but i don't have a microwave either. I do have some of those bags though, and agree they are great.

WantToBeSE

elizabethhull wrote: »

I don't know if you eat shepherd's pie and lasagne/pasta bolognaise, but either of these are wonderful for hiding assorted veg in. Frozen spinach especially disappears and just makes a slightly 'fuller' flavour.

I always find that the bitterness associated with some green veg is improved by thin slicing into ribbons (cabbage, spring greens), or fine chopping (sprouts). My theory is that exposure to the air on the cut surfaces tempers the bitterness, but I have no proof of this !
And if you put broccoli into a curry I defy you to identify it by taste !

I'm sure you could make the standard red cabbage casserole with green cabbage too: chopped cabbage, onions, cooking apple, stock, star anise (my favourite version), brown sugar and absolutely NO VINEGAR !! (well, not for me). Cook for 1 1/2 hrs in oven. You can make a vat of it, and it keeps for ages. I once forgot some stored in our garage & it was still fine a month later ! Freezes too.

Kale makes lovely crispy seaweed: remove from stalks, chop & toss in olive oil. Spread out thinly on a baking tray. Sprinkle lightly with salt & sugar and bake at 220C for ~5mins, or until crispy.

Thanks Elizabeth. I eat all of those dishes, and can only get away with hiding peas and carrots in them.

I cannot stomach well cooked green veggies, i am learning that maybe as close to their raw state as possible is preferable for me. So stir fried or very lightly steamed, or raw if possible.

WantToBeSE

Hi All, thought I'd do an update!

So, i am loving the Broccoli. Just lightly stir fried with garlic and/or ginger, with sesame oil. Perfect!

Asparagus- again, jut lightly fried in some butter with lemon juice squeezed over. NOM!

Chard!! Seriously...i cannot believe this one! It's AMAZING! I bought some chard on the reduced rack at Tesco last week and have been munching my way through it since! I have it either raw or very lightly stir fried. Or i wilt it, a bit like Spinach (we'll get to that in a minute) into pasta dished.

Spinach! Like i said, i wilt this into hot dishes like curry, tomato based dishes, also i have this in smoothies.

I still cannot get to grips with cabbage, so will continue with this one. But overall i am really pleased with my progress!

Thanks everyone for your support and ideas, let me know if you have any more!

WantToBeSE

I've had a breakthrough with the cabbage!

I stir fried it in a tiny bit of sesame oil, with garlic and walnuts (a recipe i found online). I only stir fried it for about 2 minutes, so it was still a little crunchy.

Hey presto! I feel like i am eating so much healthier now that i have managed to incorporate lots more greens!