Including vegetables in your meals is extremely important, since they are a rich source of nutrients and antioxidants, which boost your health and help you combat diseases. Not to mention, their low calorie content make them especially beneficial for dieters. However, a lot of people find it difficult to consume several servings of vegetables throughout the day, while others are unsure how to prepare them in an appetizing way. Here are some of my favorite recipes for adding more veggies to your diet.

Grilled Mediterranean Veg with Bean Mash

Recipe Yields 2 servings

Prep time: 15 m

Cook Time: 25 m

Ingredients

• 2 courgettes, sliced lengthways
• 1 egg plant, sliced lengthways
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and quartered
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

For the mash

• 1 tbsp. chopped coriander
• 410g can haricot beans, rinsed
• 100ml vegetable stock
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• lemon wedges, to serve
• Black pepper, to taste

Preparation

Heat the grill and place the sliced vegetables over a grill pan. Brush the vegetables with oil. Grill the vegetables, flipping occasionally, until golden on both sides and tender. In a small pan, toss in the beans, along with the crushed garlic and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and let it simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Mash roughly with a potato masher and add more stock if the mash seems crumbly or dry.

To serve, place the mash in a serving platter, top with the vegetables and lemon wedges, drizzle over any remaining oil, and sprinkle with black pepper and coriander.

Braised Egg Plant with Tofu in Garlic Sauce

Recipe Yields 4 servings

Prep time: 10 m

Cook Time: 20 m

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Chinese eggplants
• 1 (12 ounce) box firm silken tofu, chopped into 1-inch chunks
• ¾ cup dry sherry
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 2 tsp. vinegar
• 3 tbsp. preserved mustard root, finely minced
• 3 tbsp.soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. fermented broad bean chili paste
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. corn starch
• 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
• 2 whole cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 tbsp. cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Preparation

Place the egg plants in a bamboo steamer and set over a wok filled with water. Bring to a boil, cover the steamer, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the egg plant is tender. Set aside. To prepare the sauce, mix together wine, vinegar, and cornstarch, until well incorporated. Add chili paste, brown sugar, sesame oil, and soy sauce.

To a dry wok, add oil and sauté garlic cloves, until fragrant. Discard the whole cloves, and add garlic slices, preserved ginger roots and scallion whites. Toss until the vegetables obtain a golden tinge. Stir in the prepared sauce, tofu, and eggplant and bring to a boil. Cook on low heat until the gravy is thick and glossy, and serve immediately with rice.

Courgette and Lemon Linguine

Recipe Yields 4 servings

Prep time: 8 m

Cook Time: 12 m

Ingredients

• 3 courgettes, coarsely grated
• 400g linguine
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)
• ½ tsp. crushed red chilies
• zest of 1 lemon
• 6 basil leaves, torn roughly
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

Prepare the Linguine according to the packaged instructions and drain quickly. Toss the Linguine in to a pan, and stir in the grated courgettes, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, basil, and red chilies. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add an extra drizzling of olive oil to serve.

Mushroom, Spinach, and Cheese Torta

Recipe Yields 6 servings

Prep time: 40 m

Cook Time: 50 m

Ingredients

• 2 cups onions, chopped
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 eggs
• 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 6 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
• ½ cups ricotta cheese
• 1 ½ cups parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp. sesame seeds
• 10 ounces spinach, stemmed and dried
• ½ cup butter, melted
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 package phyllo dough

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large saucepan, sauté onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add spinach and mushroom, and continue stirring until the spinach has wilted. After the liquid evaporates, remove from heat. In a large bowl, slightly beat eggs and add breadcrumbs, sour cream, ricotta and parmesan, and parsley to eggs. Drain excess liquids from the cooked vegetables and add to the egg mixture.

Brush a large baking sheet with melted butter. Lay 6 phyllo leaves on the buttered baking dish. Spoon filling in the center of each leaf, leaving a 3” border all around the sides. On top of the filling, lay down two more leaves of phyllo, applying butter over each layer before placing the next. Secure the edges with fingers, and bake for 50 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and the filling has set.

Portobello, Red Pepper, and Broccoli Melts

Recipe Yields 4 servings

Prep time: 15 m

Cook time: 15 m

Ingredients

• 1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
• 4 ounces Gouda cheese, thinly sliced
• 2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), sliced 1/2 inch thick
• Salt and ground pepper, to taste
• 4 Portobello mushrooms , sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed through a press
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 4 thick slices country bread
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Preparation

Heat a broiler and set the rack 4 inches above heat. Line a baking dish with aluminum foil. Toss broccoli florets on the dish, drizzle over with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Broil for 4-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until broccoli begins to char. Add mushrooms and bell peppers to the broiler. Season with more salt and pepper and toss to combine. Broil for 8-10 minutes, until the vegetables are charred and tender.

In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, salt, pepper, and mayonnaise. Slather the mayonnaise mixture on bread slices, top with vegetables, and sprinkle cheese on top. Place on a greased baking dish and broil until the cheese has melted and the bread is nicely browned.

Cheesy Vegan Alfredo with Peas and Kale

Recipe yields 2 servings

Prep time: 15 m

Cook time: 30 m

Ingredients

• 8 oz. pasta
• kale leaves from 4 large stalks
• 1/2 cup of peas
• ½ cup raw cashews (optional)
• 1 ½ cups almond milk
• 2 garlic cloves
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
• ½ chicken-free broth concentrate
• ¼ onion powder
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Preparation

Cook the pasta according to the packaged instructions, drain, and set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and sauté garlic in the olive oil. Add the kale leaves, peas, and ½ cup of water. Season with salt and pepper, and let the mixture simmer on low heat until the water evaporates.

To prepare the sauce, Combine together almond milk, cashews, yeast flakes, broth concentrate, onion powder, and lemon juice, in a blender until smooth. Add salt and pepper and heat the sauce in a pan until it begins to bubble, stirring constantly. Add the boiled pasta and the peas and kale mixture, and fold together until completely coated in the sauce.

Grilled Vegetables in Balsamic Tomato Sauce with Couscous

Recipe yields 4 servings

Prep time: 10 m

Cook time: 15 m

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive Oil
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, de seeded, chopped in to 2 inch slices
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped roughly
• 1 small eggplant, trimmed and sliced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• ¾ cup frozen broad beans
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 cup couscous
• 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

Preparation

In a medium bowl, soak couscous in the vegetable broth for 5 minutes, until softened, stirring frequently with a fork to prevent sticking. Heat a grill over high flame and add olive oil. Add all the vegetables to the grill and press down slightly to imprint lines across them. Flip occasionally to avert burning and ensure an even browning on all sides. Stir broad beans, vinegar, and chopped tomatoes in to the grill and let it simmer for a few minutes. To serve, Scoop out couscous in serving dishes, and top with the grilled vegetables.

Spicy Roasted Ratatouille with spaghetti

Recipe yields 6 servings

Prep time: 15 m

Cook time: 30 m

Ingredients

• 8 oz. whole grain spaghetti
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium eggplant, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium yellow squash, diced
• 6 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• Black pepper, to taste
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnishing

Preparation

Cook pasta al dente according to the packaged instructions, drain, and set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. On a small baking dish, toss whole cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together onion, bell pepper, yellow squash, zucchini, and diced eggplant. Whisk together the remaining olive oil, salt, garlic, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, and red chili flakes. Drizzle the dressing over the mixed veggies. In another lined baking dish, spread the vegetables and place both the baking dishes in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Take out both the baking dishes from the oven. Stir the vegetables with a spatula and toss back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Pour the cherry tomatoes and their juices over the pasta. Sprinkle the shredded parmesan over the top. Toss in the baked vegetables and mix to combine. Sprinkle oregano, thyme, and basil on top, and serve with a helping on parmesan on the side.