Veggie seasoning question
Hi! I'm looking for suggestions on how to season basic steamed vegetables (green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, lima beans).....without the salt and/or butter I used to load them up with!! Does anyone have any ideas for other seasonings which would be low salt/low cal? Currently I'm eating them plain....they taste okay and I'm eating a lot more of them than I used to....but it would be nice to have some "spice" to them once in a while. Thanks for any info!!
A lovely way to season fresh veggies is with some freshly squeezed lemon-juice. Perks up all the flavours no end. Also, if you crush garlic and chilli flakes into olive oil and keep that in a jar you can 'hot dress' vegetables while they're still warm with a little of the flavoured oil and it makes them very interesting. If you don't eat a lot of processed foods there's nothing really wrong with adding a pinch of salt to the cooking water, of course. And if you start with really fresh (seasonal) vegetables they tend to taste a lot better than ones that have been hanging around a while.
Have you tried roasting veggies instead of steaming? I LOVE roasted cauliflower, broccoli, brussell sprouts, summer squash...I could go on and on. When I was REALLY watching calories, I would put them on a cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick spray, season with salt, pepper, red pepper flake, garlic powder (really good on cauliflower), etc. Then, spray the top with non-stick spray. Bake at about 425 for 20 minutes; flip everything and cook another 10 minutes. Works well for frozen veggies, too.
AND, have you tried butternut or acorn squash? To me, they taste a lot like a sweet potato, with fewer calories and carbs. Try them with a little cinnamon sprinkled on top. Cut the squash in half, place face down in a baking dish, put in about 1/2 inch of water and bake for 30-45 minutes. OR, microwave it--but check every few minutes for tenderness. I'm not sure how long you'd microwave them. :)
Nutritional yeast adds a good flavor.
Mmmm.... Grilled veggies with a little bit of salt and pepper, or italian seasonings is awesome!
I can't wait to get a new grill so I can start grilling more veggies! I love them grilled and you can grill everything.
Mmmmm :) I'm going to have to save ALL these suggestions and try them!!! I did make a stir fry tonight which I think is a great way to get some veggies in....just went way lighter on the oil than the recipe said.
I love tamari or braags, both very yummy and the only way I eat steamed veggies! Low sodium and no fat.
If you like things spicy, try adding red pepper (cayenne) to them. It can add some favor and a bit of a kick. Its nice to mix it up, just a little bit goes a long way.
I love to roast mixed veggies (mushrooms, peppers, onions, asparagus, zucchini tomatoes etc) in balsamic vinegar.
I also love to toss roasted veggies with herbs.. rosemary, tarragon, basil etc, or garlic and/or ginger. Red pepper flakes also add a bit of kick. My mom uses Mrs. Dash seasoning.. apparently it's low sodium and adds lots of flavour.
I toss my broccoli in some Kraft Fat Free Ceasar Italian dressing. So good. The stuff is 35 cals for 2 tablespoons and it goes a decent way on the veggies. Other than that, I steam them.. or saute them in some garlic. Oh man garlic green beans. Love!
I use Mrs.Dash no salt spices! I have them in all flavors like table blend, garlic, onion and spices, ect. They add a ton of flavor and have 0 calories. Which probably adds up to 10 because I use more than the serving. But still very minimal and so tasty!
