Boring veggies be gone! 5 ways to give your Meatless Monday a boost! 🥦
Vegetables are a boring side-dish ingredient to many, but the reality is that their versatility is overlooked, and you can use them to whip up some pretty delicious dishes. So read on to find out how you can use up the veggies you left sitting in the refrigerator, and make some nutrient-packed meals that the whole family will enjoy. 👍
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Bell peppers are far too often a victim of being left in the fridge to get old and wrinkly. But don’t worry if that happens, because the wrinkles don’t mean you should throw them away - they just mean they’re no longer ideal to eat raw as they are no longer fresh. But what you can do is roast them. Simply clean out the peppers and slice in half lengthwise and leave in the oven until charred. They will then be easy to peel, and go great in sandwiches, on pizza, or blended to make a delicious creamy pasta sauce. 🫑
Eggplant Parm
Eggplant parmigiana is similar to a lasagne, but better - it’s really the ultimate veggie-packed comfort food. The way to prep your eggplants for this dish is by cutting them into very thin slices, salting them for at least an hour to remove excess moisture, and frying them in oil until lightly browned and crisp. If you prefer, you could also bake them in the oven.The rest is easy; simply layer homemade tomato sauce, the eggplant slices, mozzarella and parmesan. You’ll not only love this dish, but you’ll want to bring it to every family gathering or dinner party you’re invited to. 🍆
Green Curry
You can really add any vegetables you please to this Thai dish, so long as you’ve got the right base: coconut milk and green curry paste. If you want to make the curry from scratch, blitz up some cilantro, coriander, ginger, green chilis, shallots, lime, and garlic. Some great add-ins for this dish are potatoes, chickpeas, bok choy, green beans, broccoli, and tofu. 🥔
Mushroom Stroganoff
Need to use those mushrooms sitting in your fridge? Go for something hearty and super satisfying, especially during the colder months. Stroganoff is traditionally a beef-based dish, but with mushrooms having a meaty texture and being high in protein, they’re the perfect substitute - and much cheaper and healthier, too. You could eat the creamy mushrooms served with a portion of rice, or atop pasta to act like a sauce. Try out this super simple recipe from BBC Food. 🍄
Vegetarian Burgers
The Cookful has a useful guide to making veggie burgers by using what you have at home:
Standard Ingredients + 2 Cups Chopped Veggies + 1 Cup Cooked Grains + 1 and 1/2 Cups Cooked Legumes + 1/2 Cup Flavor-Texture Booster + 3 Tsp. Spices + 1/2 Cup Dry Base.
The standard ingredients are simply oil, garlic, salt and an onion. When it comes to veggies, this is your chance you use up what’s leftover - from sweet potatoes to kale and cauliflower. You could use both fresh and frozen veggies, and customise as you wish. 🍠
Got any recipe favourites for using up those veggies? Let us know in the comments below.
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