Vegetables can taste amazing – if you prepare them correctly. Just what are some tasty ways to prepare vegetables? This guide offers a few tips.
Season with herbs and spices
An effective way to liven up vegetables is to add some herbs and spices. You could simply rely on some mixed Italian herbs or salt and pepper to add a zing. Alternatively, you could explore individual raw herbs and spices. Certain herbs and spices work better with certain veggies than others. You can find a useful guide here on how to pair veggies and seasonings.
Use butter or oil
Butters and cooking oils can be drizzled over vegetables to add extra flavor. You can also fry vegetables in butters and oils for deeper flavor infusion. Adding butters and oils to veggies can potentially make them a little more fattening, so you need to use them in moderation. There are health advantages of butters and oils though – both can help increase absorption when added to veggies.
Add some cheese
Adding cheese to most savory foods is a great way to add an extra flavor kick. Grated cheese can be sprinkled over cold salads, or it can be sprinkled over hot vegetables to create melted cheese. Asparagus, broccoli, peppers, sprouts, cauliflower and zucchini are a few vegetables that are typically served with cheese. As with butter and oils, cheese is full of calories and may make a dish a little less healthy. Certain cheeses are healthier than others and may pair better with certain greens – it’s worth experimenting with different types.
Roast, grill or fry them
The most common way to cook veggies is to boil them or steam them. Both methods are fairly simple. Steaming veggies is even considered one of the most healthy options as it preserves many of the nutrients. However, some people can find the texture and taste when boiling and steaming to be a little bland. Roasting, grilling and frying typically creates a more crispy exterior and tender interior. Roasting is the longest and most energy-guzzling way to cook, but can produce a caramelized flavour/texture that many people love – it’s ideal for root vegetables like potatoes and carrots, but can also work with other veggies like zucchini and peppers. Grilling can help to create tasty sear lines – especially when cooking on a barbecue – that can make veggies more exciting. Frying is meanwhile one of the quickest ways to cook vegetables – when adding lots of different vegetables and meats to a stir fry, all the flavours can fuse, resulting in an explosion on the tastebuds. .
Dice or mash them
You can also break down the form of various veggies to make them more palatable. For example, many people don’t like their carrots whole or in large slices – however smaller carrot sticks and shavings can make them more tasty by increasing the surface area. Mashing veggies can have a similar effect for many people. Some people do not like peas, but will happily eat mushy peas. Other foods that are commonly mashed include potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnip and carrots.
