in my bid to cut down meat I have bought too mcuh veg - need menu planning advice

[hatwoman]

as well as the usual bog standard veg I bought some more interesting stuff that can be a meal in its own right....but now not sure what order to eat it in. I bought asparagus, beetroot and artichokes. which should we have tonight? which will keep best?

cooked or raw beetroot?

have the asparagus first I'd say.

asparagus first
beetroot will keep best

Yep, beetroot will keep the longest. I eat it almost every day, love the stuff!

ok - sounds sensible. I didn;t realised I liked beetroot until about a year ago! I shunned the pickled stuff we probably all had as kids but recently discovered roasted beetroot and beetroot soup. mmmm. I do roast beetroot with puy lentils and feta and it's luvverly.

I love beetroot too!

It is nice grated up raw and drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil for a refreshing salad. Even nicer is you add some toasted sesame seeds and soy sauce instead of lemon and oil.

Also nice roasted in foil parcels with thyme and garlic and butter. A great started for a dinner party.

I cook loads up at once too (my parent growe it so have loads) and have it in the fridge ready to chop into salads, slice up in sandwiches, or just eat as a snack.

The one thing I don't like though is my mum's polish cold beetroot and yoghurt soup with boiled egg, cucumber and dill.

can't say that appeals to me either. your ideas do though.

I roast asparagus, too, with butternut squash, red onions, peppers and halloumi cheese. Lovely. Asparagus is alos nice in pasta dishes - risotto, homemade ravioli, or in a lemon-butter sauce with linguine.

Intrigued by you saying beetroot is nice. Can't stand the jarred stuff, but maybe I'll give it a go roasted...

the jarred stuff is another thing entirely MrsMattie. Buy some of the ready cooked vacuum pack stuff with no vinegar, or buy some raw and cook them up. A delicious root vegetable that's had it's reputation ruined by the pickled variety.

if you want to make veg into whole meals could do linguine with asparagus (basically pasta, steamed and sliced asparagus, lemon juice, bit of grated lemon zest, some erbs if got to hand, parmesan, bit of cream if you want)?
also a summery risotto with asparagus and peas and maybe if you have it some rocket wilted in?
asparagus lurrvely with poached eggs too, dip in yolk

omdb

I think your mum's polish cold soup sounds yum. Recipe please! (another beetroot fanatic here)

artichokes - with pasta, creamy cheese sauce and a little tinned salmon or tuna.

Beetroot and cream cheese {yummy emtion] in sandwhiches with chunky homemade bread?

grate raw beetroot with carrot and onion for a coleslaw - have as a salad with jacket potato

Did someone post something about a beetroot, feta and pinenut starter somewhere?

Have my parents coming for dinner on Wed and thought i would do something different.....

the artichokes were whole globes - can;t do anything with them apart from eat them dipped in melted butter or hollandaise. one of thoses things that's too good to mix with anything.

beetroot and feta. hot or cold

just had roast beetroot with lentils cooked in red wine, and feta. lovely.

recipe please hatty!!

only just seen this: very easy - puy lentils are nicest but you can use green ones - chop and fry an onion, throw in some chopped carrot and celery and garlic (all of which are optional), add the lentils, add liquid to slightly more than cover - best is some red wine, some stock and a splash or balsamic vinegar but you can do without if you haven;t got them all - but it tends to be a bit blander, add salt and pepper, fresh herbs if you like, simmer for about 20 minutes (I think - check on lentil packet) - check periodically that there's enough liquid.

scrub the beetroot and roast whole in olive oil for about 20 mins. serve with feta crumbled over.

to be honest it's one of these things that's completely adaptable and it never comes out quite the same...with is nice. lentils done this way are nice with sausages too.