I believe in ‘luxurious’ vegetable treatments. Rich coatings of olive oil, generous doses of salt, and indulgent salad dressings are my forte. It’s easy to eat more veggies when your veggies are the tastiest thing on the plate!
VEGGIES: Veggie cream soup
I have always been a fan of “cream of” soups. You can fill in the blank with pretty much anything and I will like it. … Continue reading →
VEGGIES: German-style “fresh cheese”
In a German deli they will typically have five or six different combinations of fresh vegetables and herbs mixed with a mild cream cheese. Feel free to get creative and develop your own favorites.… Continue reading →
ARUGULA: Arugula walnut pesto
This is one of those dinners you can create seemingly from nothing. You might already have most of the ingredients in stock and this goes from idea to table in under 15 minutes.… Continue reading →
ARUGULA: Arugula prosciutto pizza
I grew up in a strictly-pepperoni-please household, so maybe I was sheltered. Still, some of the exotic European pizza habits I can absolutely do without—– tuna and fried eggs do not belong on pizza—– but arugula on pizza is brilliant! … Continue reading →
ASPARAGUS: Asparagus omelette
This recipe works best with green asparagus. With white asparagus, I’d recommend that you make “cream of” soup instead.… Continue reading →
ASPARAGUS: Asparagus salad
Asparagus is one of those vegetables, like sweet corn, that is so much better fresh from the field. We have an asparagus farm about 5 minutes bike ride from our house. Their handwritten signage in the village is one of the great harbingers of spring. … Continue reading →
AVOCADO: Easy indulgent chocolate mousse
I know you feel sceptical when reading this. You think you will taste the avocado, but believe me, you won’t!… Continue reading →
AVOCADO: Storable guacamole base
This is one of those great stress-reducing recipes that you can make ahead for parties or weeknight dinners.… Continue reading →
BEET: Goat cheese-beet salad
I have yet to find a recipe combining goat cheese and beets that I don’t like. The combination just always works. This salad comes together quickly, and makes an elegant company-worthy side dish.… Continue reading →
BROCCOLI STEM: Stir-fried broccoli stem
Why did it take me 40 years to find out that broccoli stems are delicious? As it turns out, I like them even better than broccoli! The stems have a mild asparagus-like flavor with a less-fibrous texture. You can use them anywhere you might use green asparagus, and cook them similarly.… Continue reading →
BELL PEPPER: Italian veggie sub
This recipe is a recreation of a memory from years ago, when I had a spectacular veggie sub from an Italian deli in Philadelphia.… Continue reading →
BELL PEPPER: Roasted bell pepper
Roasting bell peppers is incredibly easy to do and gives them an intense flavor.… Continue reading →
BELL PEPPER: Roasted pepper salad with feta dressing
This salad is creamier and deeper in flavor than it has a right to be, considering the simplicity of the ingredients. … Continue reading →
BELL PEPPER: Yellow roasted bell pepper sauce
This delicious sauce is rich and flavorful, but very low in calories.… Continue reading →
BROCCOLI: Broccoli cheese soup
I wanted to make a broccoli cheese soup with the great flavor of the real aged Gouda available here in The Netherlands. After some failed attempts at getting natural cheeses to melt into soup broths, I came up with this solution. Use a good aged cheddar if you can’t find aged Gouda.… Continue reading →
CARROT: Carrot-ginger soup
I love ginger. You can double the amount of ginger in this recipe and make me happy. If you’re less fond of ginger, you can also reduce from this and let the carrot flavor shine.… Continue reading →
CORN: Spicy corn and bell pepper salad
Side dishes don’t deserve to be boring. This one packs a real punch. I serve it with a simple main, such as a quesadilla.… Continue reading →
CORN: Veggie-stuffed sloppy joes
I always try to smuggle a few extra bites of veggies into the kid-favorites by browning bell pepper or corn along with ground beef. You can use any mixture of the vegetables mentioned below for about a total of 1 1/2 cup veggies. … Continue reading →
CUCUMBER: Green smoothie
Did I mention that I am totally into the vegetable smoothie craze?… Continue reading →
BEET: Purple smoothie
I am totally into the vegetable smoothie craze, so I double the beet in this recipe when I make it for myself.… Continue reading →
CUCUMBER Sweet and sour cucumber salad
This cool salad makes a great accompaniment to spicy foods.… Continue reading →
EGGPLANT: Roasted veggie pita with garlic sauce
The ingredient list below is long, but don’t be intimidated. The only real work you’ll be doing for this dish is chopping vegetables. When roasted together, this mixture of vegetables is like ambrosia to me.… Continue reading →
CAULIFLOWER: Roasted cauliflower
Until you try it, roasted cauliflower sounds a bit strange. Once you’ve had it, you’ll understand. The cauliflower tastes surprisingly nutty and mild this way.… Continue reading →
GREEN BEANS: Thai red curry vegetables
A good basic curry recipe that you can vary endlessly for exotic weeknight suppers.… Continue reading →
LEEK: Goat cheese and leek bruschetta
This recipe is modelled on bruschetta I was served at a wine-tasting to accompany sauvignon blanc. I understand the pairing—– it’s herbal, green, and creamy-tasting all at once.… Continue reading →
SPINACH: Spinach dip
Our son Pieter, who does not like spinach, approved of this recipe. (And JP was caught licking the bowl, so we know it’s good!)… Continue reading →
LETTUCE: Spring stamppot
iterally translated, stamppot is smash-pot, and that’s an accurate description. A variety of vegetables, always including potatoes, are boiled together then smashed together with a few other ingredients for a one-pot dinner. … Continue reading →
POTATO: Potato and vegetable gratin ‘auflauf’
This is a typical German dinner, which you layer like a lasagne. Like with lasagne, you can vary endlessly on the type of vegetables and sauce.… Continue reading →
POTATO: Potato pancakes
Let these pancakes get crispy and golden brown. The crispy parts are the best!… Continue reading →
SPINACH: Spinach brownie bites
n this recipe, the spinach helps keep the brownie bites moist. If not everyone in your house is ready to embrace this concept you can keep your secret ingredient secret, and these are just moist and chocolatey brownies.… Continue reading →
TOMATOES: Roasted tomatoes
If you have very ripe tomatoes about to pass their peak, roasting them is a great way to capture their peak flavor but give you some extra time to use them. … Continue reading →
TOMATO: Roasted tomato salsa
Let your tomatoes get good and brown when roasting them for this recipe. The smoky richness of well-roasted tomatoes is perfect for salsa.… Continue reading →
TOMATO: Roasted tomato and bell pepper soup
Roasting concentrates the flavor of the tomatoes and bell peppers in this soup.… Continue reading →
ZUCCHINI: Zucchini and onion bajji
A traditional Indian street food, bajji is served in many Indian restaurants as an appetizer. We like this recipe so much that we make a big batch and eat it as dinner.… Continue reading →
SWEET POTATO: Roasted sweet potato soup
Roasting the ingredients for this soup give it a depth of flavor, and make it insanely easy. You need some time for the roasting, but the active time is minutes.… Continue reading →