Eating more veg...

[Meretricious]

I’m a good cook and i want to get more veg on our diet. Dh and I like veg and eat a lot anyway but more ideas would be great.

portion size: imagine a toddler plate with 3 compartments. carbs & meat/sauce in the small ones, steamed veg in the large one.

james wong's new book is brilliant as well.

Do different things with it. So for eg roasted cauli and broccoli with garlic. Green beans with chillies. Carrots baked in wine. And as said above, just increase portion size. Veg should be the main thing on your plate.

another easy thing - whenever I cook pasta, I add veg to the cooking water (chopped courgette or carrots, peas or sweetcorn) they cook at the same time as the pasta and then I add the (usually jar) sauce.

I finely chop mushrooms and spinach and add them to any mince dish I make along with using half mince half lentils instead of the full amount of meat. Works for cottage pie, spag bol, chilli con carne etc.

Also invested in some good recipe books as advised by my veggie friend- River Cottage Veg is good and the Happy Pear cookbook.

Last item was ordering a weekly or fortnightly veg box from local farm (I realise this isn’t a runner for everyone). It forces me to use veg I mightn’t normally buy and be creative with new recipes. I also make a lot of “panic-use-up-the-veg” soup

Home made soups are an easy way to get a massive dose of veg in one tasty hit, and make good lunches with some crusty wholemeal bread and cheese.
Some of my favourites are
courgette and cumin,
leek and potato with herbs,
Chinese leaf with peas and mint,
roasted cauliflower with a selection of curry spices,
beetroot and cucumber with dill weed, paprika and pickled gherkin, served with a swirl of yougurt and chopped hard boiled eggs.
I make them all really thick rather than watery, so they’re filling and yummy.

Should add, I liquidise them all so they’re smooth!

A veggie stir fry is delish - you can use any you have, they don't need to be anything special, though recipes do often call for pak choi, baby sweet corn, etc.
I did one the other day with white cabbage, carrot, celery, red pepper, mushrooms, all sliced thinly, quickly fried in a little oil for a minute or two before adding one tbsp soy sauce, one tbsp oyster sauce, one tbsp water.

Very nice as a side with various mains, or just with noodles.

BTW I don't have a wok, I just do such things in a frying or sauté pan.

Having vegetables at breakfast is an idea - spinach and eggs, peppers and onions in an omelette etc. I also snack on soya beans and crudités. Doesn't have to be with a main meal.

Don’t forget beans and pulses. Eg veggie chilli, Dahl with curry. Do you want more portions or more variety or both?

Carrots baked in wine.

That would be a no from me

Agree with PP about Hugh F-W’s Veg Every Day recipe book. Every recipe is a treat.

I like veg but forgwt to plan for it so dont eat a lot. I need to meal plan again!

I think it's worth having a steamer. I use mine a lot, and just stack the veg up in that.