Grilled Vegetable Recipes

Both vegetarians and non-vegetarians enjoy grilled vegetables equally. Vegetables are easy to grill and they would either make an amazing side-dish, starters or a whole meal. Remember, to cut or slice the washed vegetables in small and consistent pieces. You could use kebabs skewers or heavy-duty aluminum foil for grilling small vegetables. However, large pieces of vegetable could be placed directly on the grill. Another point to keep in mind is never leave the vegetable grill unattended because the cooking time for vegetables is less. Try out these easy grilled vegetable recipes.

Grilled Vegetable Kebabs with Homemade Croutons
Ingredients

For vegetable Kebabs

1 onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1-cup halved mushroom
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine/vinegar

For croutons

¼ cup olive oil
4 slices freshly baked bread
Herbs and spices of your choice

# You need 4 skewers and a sheet of heavy-duty foil

Preparation - grilled vegetable kebabs

In a wide-mouthed bowl blend vinegar and oil and keep it aside. Slice the bell peppers and zucchini into wide pieces. Cube the onion into 12 pieces. Arrange the vegetables by alternating them on 4 large skewers. Marinate the kebabs by rubbing the mixture of oil and vinegar. Leave it undisturbed for minimum 15 minutes. Place the skewers on a medium hot coal and grill for 10-12 minutes or till the vegetables turn slightly brown or tender. The kebabs should be served hot.

Preparation - Croutons

Homemade croutons are tastier compared to the one’s bought from a food store. Whisk the herbs and spice along with olive oil. Spread this flavored oil on both sides of the bread before arranging them on a heavy-duty foil. Place the foil on the top rack of the pre-heated grill and grill at 300 degree Celsius for 30-45 minutes or till they become crisp and dry.

Serve it along with the hot grilled vegetable kebabs and sauce. Grilled vegetables are highly nutritious and a healthy diet.

Grilling Corn Cobs with Husks

Ingredients

4 corncobs with husk
4 tbsp soft butter (keep it out for an hour)
4 tsp powdered black pepper
Ground paprika and salt to taste.

Preparation

The corncobs have to be cleaned before using. Without detaching from the stem of the corncob, separate the husks. The corn silk could be removed by pulling them off from the kernels. Apply butter along the entire length of the corncob and sprinkle the same with salt, pepper and paprika. Cover the corn with husks and tie the end of the husks with kitchen twine. Repeat the same procedure for the remaining corncobs.

Cover the husk handles with heavy duty foil and place it on a low flame to prevent burning. Turn the corncob once in 5 minutes. The entire cooking time would take 15-10 minutes. When it is ready, the color of the husk would turn dark brown and would be a bit charred.

A Tip: Soak the corncobs with husks in cold water for an hour before grilling them. This would prevent the husks from burning and the corn from becoming tough and dry.

Asparagus Casserole Recipes

Asparagus is a nutritious underground plant, that needs to be washed well before cooking. It is fat free, cholesterol free and low in sodium. This makes asparagus one of nature's most perfect foods. Asparagus recipes display different flavors according to the preparation. Some asparagus casserole recipes which are a delight are:

Baked Asparagus Casserole Recipe

This is an easy preparation, which takes just 15 minutes. It is a light dish that can be complemented with beef, pork or chicken. It is made from fresh asparagus, butter, salt, pepper and garnished with lemon.
Ingredients

• 15 - 20 asparagus spears
• 2 tablespoons water
• Butter
• Coarse ground sea salt
• Cracked pepper
• Sliced lemon

Preparation

• Wash asparagus spears properly and cut the ends diagonally at the point where they break easily.
• With the help of a potato peeler, peel just the bottom of the stalks.
• In a baking pan, place then in a layer. Add a little water, butter, salt and pepper.
• Cover the pan tightly with an aluminum foil and bake at 350 degree Fahrenheit.
• Remove the foil and serve immediately.
• Dress the servings with sliced lemon.

Scalloped Asparagus Casserole Recipe

This recipe is made from asparagus, eggs, milk, cheese and buttered bread crumbs. It has a creamy sauce when it's finished with the baking. The preparation is basically light and hence, best served for breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds asparagus
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 6 tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¾ cup diced cheese
• 5 hard boiled, diced eggs
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• ½ cup buttered bread crumbs

Preparation

• Cook asparagus until soft and crisp, and drain them.
• In a saucepan, melt butter, add flour and seasonings and stir until smooth.
• While cooking, add milk and keep stirring until the mixture is smooth.
• When the mixture is smooth, stop heating and stir in cheese, onion and bread crumbs.
• Combine asparagus, sauce and eggs in a 1 ½ quart casserole dish.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for half an hour.

Fresh Asparagus and Chicken Casserole Recipe

This is a heavy recipe compared to the ones above. It's best cooked when the asparagus comes fresh in spring.

Ingredients

• 1 packet egg noodles
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 ⅓ tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped, cooked chicken meat
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 ½ cups sour cream
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 8 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• Half pound Asparagus

Preparation

• Grease the 1 ½ quart casserole dish. Also, preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
• Cook noodles in large pot of boiling water until they turn soft and drain them with cold water.
• In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook onions for over 4 to 5 minutes and stir continuously.
• Add chicken stock, red bell pepper and celery. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in oregano and sour cream.
• On this preparation, spread half of the chicken meat and arrange the asparagus over it. Spread cooked noodles over the asparagus. Top it with the remaining chicken and finally add Parmesan cheese.
• Bake this in a preheated oven until lightly brown.

This dish is heavier than the Scalloped Asparagus Recipe and Baked Asparagus Recipe and can be had as part of brunch or dinner.

Due to its many nutritional advantages, asparagus is popular and prepared in various ways. The recipes described above are a few of the most popular healthy recipes that are easy to prepare. Try the above asparagus recipes, they will surely delight your taste buds.

Bean Curd Stew with Vegetables

If you don't like pork belly in your clay pot bean curd, replace it with seafood or meat of your choice.

Ingredients :
• 1 block soft bean curd
• 30 gr carrot, sliced
• 5 snow peas
• ½ shallot, shredded
• 5 Chinese mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 200 gr pork belly, sliced

Seasonings :
• 1 ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
• ½ tablespoon preserved spicy bean paste
• 1 tablespoon preserved minced bean paste (taucheo)
• ½ teaspoon chicken stock granules (optional)
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• A few dashes of white pepper powder

Directions :
1. Clean the pork belly well with water and drain.
2. Cut the bean curd into 6 portions and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Heat up a wok, add oil, and deep fry the bean curd until golden brown and crispy. Set aside.
4. Heat up another wok of water, add in carrots and snow peas, blanch for a while and dish out. Set aside.
5. Heat up the clay pot and add in little oil. Stir-fry the chopped garlic until aromatic, add in the sliced pork belly, stir-fry until cooked.
6. Add all seasonings and do a quick stir. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir well.
7. Add in water and cover the clay pot with the cover. Lower the heat to low and braise for 15 minutes.
8. Before serving, add in the corn starch to thicken the sauce. Serve hot.

For 2 servings

Tomato Curry

This vegetarian Indian curry goes well with plain rice.

Ingredients :
• Tomatoes 900 gr (2 lb), or use 800 gr (1 ¾ lb oz) canned peeled tomatoes
• Vegetable oil 85 ml (2 ½ fl oz)
• Onions 2, medium, peeled and chopped
• Ginger 5-cm (2-in) knob, peeled and finely chopped
• Garlic 2 cloves, peeled and crushed
• Green chillies 2, finely chopped
• Ground turmeric 1 tsp
• Ground coriander 2 tsp
• Chilli powder 1 ½ tsp
• Paprika 2 tsp
• Plain yoghurt 3 Tbsp
• Salt 1 ½ tsp
• Sugar 1 tsp
• Baby potatoes 450 gr (1 lb), scrubbed

Directions :
1. If using fresh tomatoes, cut a small ‘x’ at the bottom of each tomato. Bring a pot of water to the boil and place tomatoes in for 30 seconds. Remove and plunge them immediately into cold water for another 30 seconds, then remove and drain. Peel and discard skins and chop tomatoes finely. Place in a blender and process into a purée. Set aside.
2. If using canned tomatoes, place in a blender and process into a purée. Set aside.
3. In a large, heavy-based saucepan, heat 3 Tbsp oil over medium heat. Add onions and fry for 8–10 minutes, or until onions are golden brown. Add ginger, garlic and chillies and fry for 3 minutes or until fragrant.
4. Combine turmeric, coriander, ½ tsp chilli powder, paprika and yoghurt in a small bowl. Add mixture to pan and fry for 5 minutes, stirring to mix well. Add tomatoes, ½ tsp salt and sugar and return mixture to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine remaining chilli powder and salt in a bowl. Add potatoes and toss to coat. Add more salt and chilli powder to taste if desired. In a frying pan, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add potatoes and fry for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
6. Add potatoes to simmering mixture and simmer for another 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
7. Dish out and serve immediately. Garnish as desired.

For 4 servings

Okroshka

 

 Okroshka is a famous cold soup in Russian cuisine which mostly served in summer. Okroshka is made of variety of raw vegetables such as cucumbers and spring onions, boiled potatoes, eggs, and a cooked meat such as beef, veal, sausages, or ham with kvass. Usually, Okroshka is garnished with sour cream.

Ingredients :
• ½ can of sweet peas (water drained)
• ½ cup of cilantro chopped
• ¼ cup of dill chopped
• ¼ cup scallions chopped
• ½ medium cucumber chopped
• 3 beef franks (8 oz. boiled/cooked meet of beef is highly preferred)
• 3 hard boiled eggs
• 1 medium carrot boiled
• 2 potatoes cooked
• 2 cups of plain yogurt or kefir
• 1,5 cups of water (if you are using kefir, use less water)
• black pepper
• salt to taste

Directions :
1. Place all chopped ingredients in a large bowl. Cut the meat or beef franks thinly.
2. Chop up the eggs, boiled carrot and previously cooked potatoes. Add everything to the bowl.
3. Dilute yogurt with water and pour over the remaining ingredients. Add black pepper and salt as needed.
4. Serve.

Roasted Garlic Hummus

This roasted garlic hummus recipe is perfect for those who don't care for the tahini taste in hummus. The garlic adds a rich flavor that really compliments the chickpeas. Yummy Hummus Appetizer dish.

Try to serve Roasted Garlic Hummus to guests who have never had traditional hummus or to those who don't care for tahini in hummus. It has a rich garlic flavor that is not overwhelming - it's just right.

Preparation Time 10 minutes

Ingredients :
• 1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans (15 oz.)
• 2 tablespoons roasted garlic
• ½ tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon oregano

Method :
1. In a food processor, process beans, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and oregano until desired consistency. If hummus is too thick, simply add olive oil in small increments(½ teaspoon) until desired consistency.
2. Serve roasted garlic hummus garnished with finely chopped parsley with hot pita bread, pita chips, or veggies. Roasted red pepper hummus goes very well with cubes of warm Italian bread.
3. Hummus can be prepared in advance up to two days if store in airtight container in the refrigerator. To serve, heat in microwave or on stove top.

1 serving

Hummus Pita Sandwich

 

 Make the best Hummus Pita Sandwiches with this easy & tasty recipe. Hummus, made of mashed, cooked garbanzo beans, has Mediterranean origins. Although hummus is used as a protein-packed sandwich spread in this recipe, it is also a healthful dip for crudites or wedges of toasted pita bread.

Ingredients :
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, undrained
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• ¼ cup loosely packed parsley sprigs
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 rounds pita bread
• 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 medium cucumber, sliced
• 1 cup alfalfa sprouts, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Method :
1. Toast sesame seeds in small nonstick skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Remove from skillet and cool. Drain chickpeas; reserve liquid.
2. Place garlic in food processor. Process until minced. Add chickpeas, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil and pepper. Process until almost smooth, scraping sides of bowl once. If mixture is very thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons reserved chickpea liquid. Pour hummus into medium bowl. Stir in sesame seeds.
3. Cut pita breads in half. Spread about 3 tablespoons hummus in each pita bread half. Divide tomatoes, cucumber slices and alfalfa sprouts evenly among pita breads. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

4 servings

Vegetables Rice

This recipe is the act of my right brain at work! When my son told me about the yummy Herbal Fried Rice offered by the Vegetarian Stall in his school.  I was not present in the HERE and NOW, upon hearing the word 'herbal', my right brain wander off to the thoughts of fried rice with olive, then it reminds me of the preserved olive vegetable and many other things that eventually lead me to this creation - adding preserved olive vegetable to cook the rice.   

This is the characteristic of a Right-Brained (often misunderstood), where they can think of one thing, say another and their brain has already moved on to another thought. 


If you are curious whether you are a right-brained or left-brained person, take the simple test @ The Right Brain vs Left Brain test. Have fun!

Preparation:     10 mins, Cooking time:  15 mins

           

Ingredients :

°         200g rice, washed and drained

°         400ml water

°         2-3 tablespoons preserved olive vegetables

°         some freshly chopped spring onion (optional) 

Directions :

1.      Combine all the ingredients into an electric rice cooker, mix well and turn it on.

2.      When done leave the cooked rice to rest, covered, for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

3.      Garnish with chopped spring onion and serve hot.

Serves 2

Edamame and Corn Salad

A simple and colourful salad! Whatever combination or quantity of the ingredients used is possible, just make sure they are balanced and in harmony with the colour, texture and appearance of the food.

Preparation:     8 mins  Cooking time:  8 mins

           

Ingredients :

°         150g edamame beans

°         100g corn, blanched

°         50g carrot dices

°         1 teaspoon sesame oil

°         salt, to taste

°         some roasted/toasted white sesame seeds

Directions :

1.      Place the ingredients in a bowl, mix well and serve. 

Serves 2

Lentil-Vegetable Stew

Ingredients (use vegan versions) :
• ¼ cup water
• ½ medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 2 medium carrots, shredded (1 cup)
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups dry lentils
• 6 cups very hot vegetable broth
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions :
In a skillet over medium-high heat, bring water to
simmering. Add onion and saute 2 min. Add carrots, sweet
potato, bell pepper(½ medium)and garlic; saute 1 min.
until water has evaporated. Spoon into slow cooker. Ad
remaining ingredients. except salt and pepper.
Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or until lentils are very
soft and stew is thick. Can be very well frozen in
containers.

Serves 6-8

Old Fashioned Baked Beans With Barbeque Sauce

I like this recipe because I can make it in advance and reheat it for
a special dinner. Even though the cooking time is long, the beans
don't need attention often (once every 45 minutes or so). The crock
looks pretty on a table and can be used to store and reheat the beans
until they are finished.

Ingredients (use vegan versions) :
• 2 cups of navy beans
• 1 onion, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dry vegan mustard
• 2 tablespoons dark molasses
• ½ of an 8 oz. bottle of barbeque sauce

Directions :
1. Soak the beans in cold water over night. Next day drain off, rinse and
simmer in fresh cold water until the skins begin to burst. Slice
2/3 of an onion into the bottom of a lidded bean crock if you have one
otherwise use a covered casserole.
Stuff the crock ½ full with simmered, drained beans.
Slice in the rest of the onion and finish filling the crock with beans.
Drizzle the peanut oil over the beans.
2. Mix salt, dry mustard and molasses in a cup of hot water and pour it
over the beans. Dilute ½ jar of barbeque sauce with an equal amount
of water and pour it into the crock until it covers the top beans.
Save the rest to add as the beans cook to keep them moist. Bake at 300
for 6 to 8 hours. As the beans bake, keep adding diluted barbeque
sauce so they stay covered until the last hour. Do not add liquids
during the last hour, but keep the beans covered. Use the left over
beans and their cooking juice as a base for soup.

Serves 20

Preparation time: 8 hours

Lentil Timbales

Ingredients (use vegan versions) :
• 1 small chopped onion
• 1 clove chopped garlic
• ½ teaspoon sage
• 1 & ½c mashed potatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 1 cup wholemeal vegan breadcrumbs
• 2 cups cooked lentils
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions :
1. Steam together until tender the onion, celery and garlic. Add all other ingredients and mix well.
2. Add water if too dry to form patties. Roll in vegan breadcrumbs or sesame seeds. To cook you may either fry in non-stick pan with a small amount of olive oil or place on oiled baking tray, baking 30-40 minutes at 150°C, turning halfway through cooking.

Serves 10-12 patties

Preparation time: 30 mins

Lentil Loaf

Ingredients (use vegan versions) :
• 2 cups of thickly stewed lentils
• 1/3 cup minced onion
• 2 slivers of garlic minced
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• 1/3 cup chopped celery leafs
• 1 red or green pepper diced
• 1 cup chopped nuts of your choice (I use almonds)
• ¼ cup marinera sauce
• 1 cup vegan bread crumbs
• 1 cup shredded soy mozzarella cheese

Directions :
Mix all the ingredient and place in a meat loaf pan and bake at 375°F for
45 minutes or till a knife place in center comes out clean, serve with brown
gravy.

Serves 12

Preparation time: 5 min. mixing 45 baking

Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients (use vegan versions) :
• 1 can black beans, drained
• ¼ cup fried onions (fresh or packaged)
• 2 slices multigrain vegan bread, crumbled finely
• Cracker crumbs
• Salt, pepper, other seasonings (your choice)
• Oil or no-stick spray (for frying)

Directions :
1. In large bowl, mash beans. Mix in crumbled vegan bread, onions and spices.
2. Mix thoroughly, and add just enough cracker crumbs to make patties capable of holding together.
3. Form mixture into patties or balls. (These can be coated with more cracker crumbs, if desired.)
4. Fry patties on both sides in a lightly greased frying pan.

Serve on buns, or any way you like 'em!

P.S.: Works with almost any kind of bean!

Indian Spinach Dip

Ingredients (use vegan versions) :
• ½ of a large bag of spinach
• ¼ cup of red bell peppers, chopped
• 1 ½ cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon of Garam Masala••
• 1 teaspoon onion powder/garlic powder
• ½ cup cooked lentils/chickpeas, your choice
• splash of apple juice, lemon, or both
• salt and pepper to desired amount
• ¼ cup green onions

Directions :
1. Cook the spinach, green onions and all
the spices/juices/veggie stock in a
wok-type pan for a couple minutes with
a bit of water till spinach is
properly wilted. You also want it to
be somewhat "juicy" and for there to
be some liquid left in the pan.
2. Take this cooked spinach mix and place
in a blender with the cloves of
garlic, the lentils, and the red
peppers and puree to desired
consistency.
3. This goes great with potatoes, basmati
rice, and especially pitas that have
been warmed in an oven till they are a
bit crispy. You could also serve this
together with hummus.

Indian spice mix (comprised of: cumin, black pepper, coriander, clove, cardamom, cinnamon,
nutmeg, mace). Probably can be found at most grocery stores, if not try specialty/health
stores.

Serves 2-3

Preparation time: 25 min