All Simple Vegetable RecipesBlogs about simple vegetable recipes

A quick pizza, made with a shop bought pizza base, for days when there is very little time to cook.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves 2 to 3

• 3 large onions, very finely sliced
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 prepared 25 cm (10 in) pizza base
• 1 red and 1 green pepper, seeded and cut into rings
• Salt and black pepper
• 175 g (6 oz) mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 12 black olives

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7.
2. Cook two-thirds of the onions in the oil for 5 minutes over high heat.
3. Place the pizza base on a baking sheet and top with the cooked onions. Arrange the peppers on top then finish with the remaining onion slices. Season well with salt and pepper.
4. Arrange the mozzarella over the vegetables and top with the olives. Drizzle with a little more olive oil if you wish.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is just beginning to melt, bubble and brown. Serve immediately with a green or tomato salad.

How To Select Cauliflower

Baked onions make a marvelously comforting food when you are feeling under the weather. I have kept the filling simple, so this is an ideal dish for delicate days.

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

• 4 large onions
• 85 g (3 oz) bulgur wheat
• Salt and black pepper
• 125 ml (4 fl oz) boiling vegetable stock
• 1 Tbsp butter

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Peel the onions but leave their roots intact. Bring them to the boil in a pan of water and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until just tender.
2. Meanwhile, measure the bulgur wheat into a jug, transfer it to a bowl and add the same volume of water. Allow to stand until required.
3. Take the onions out of the pan and run them under cold water until cool enough to handle. Carefully cut around the tops with a very sharp knife, then scoop out the pulp with a teaspoon, leaving a secure shell. The root helps the onions to keep their shape while you are doing this.
4. Chop the onion pieces. Drain the bulgur wheat, then mix it with the chopped onion and a little seasoning. Pack the mixture back into the onions, and place them a small, buttered ovenproof pan.
5. Add the boiling stock, top each onion with a little butter then hake them in the oven, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Spoon a little of the stock over the onions once or twice during cooking.

Garlic  Saffron Risotto

A really fun bread to create and shape, and one that children will enjoy helping to make

Preparation time: 2 hours.

Cooking time: 20 minutes.

Makes 18

• 1 tbsp butter
• 250ml (9 fl oz) milk
• 100ml (3.5 fl oz) water
• 500g (1 lb) white bread flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp instant dry yeast
• 1 tsp onion seeds
• 1 egg, beaten
• Coarse salt and onion seeds to decorate

1. Warm the butter in the milk and water until just melted.
2. Mix the flour, salt, yeast and onion seeds in a large bowl, then gradually add the liquid, mixing to slightly sticky dough. Knead thoroughly in the bowl, until the mixtures leaves the sides cleanly. Leave the dough in the bowl, cover with a damp cloth or clear film and leave in a warm place for about an hour, until doubled in size.
3. Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas mark 9. Knead the dough gently on a lightly floured surface, then divide it into 18 pieces. Roll each one into a thin pencil shaped log about 30 cm (12 in) long. Lay the roll in front of you in the shape of a horseshoe, then fold the ends up and across, pressing them into the traditional pretzel shape. Arrange on baking sheets and leave for 10 minutes.
4. Brush the pretzels with egg, then sprinkle with coarse salt and onion seeds. Place in the hot oven, immediately lower the temperature to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6 and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Cool on a wire rack and serve on their own or with dips.

Quick tomato and onion bread

Jacket potatoes are really special when the centers are scooped out, mashed and seasoned — it’s worth the extra effort!

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 11/2 hours
Serves 2

• 2 large baking potatoes, weighing about 225 g (8 oz) each
• 2 red onions, halved
• Olive oil
• 115 g (4 oz) Cheddar cheese, grated
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 Tbsp butter or 1-2 Tbsp milk

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Scrub and score the potatoes, then place them in a small roasting pan with the onions. Drizzle the onions with olive oil then bake for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are done.
2. Slice the potatoes in half and scoop the soft centers out into a food processor.
3. Add the baked onion, most of the cheese, seasonings and butter or milk and process until smooth in consistency.
4. Pile the filling back into the potatoes, top with the remaining cheese, and return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or brown lightly under a hot grill.

Spanish-style cod with onion

Mixtures of mashed root vegetables are always popular, and using quark gives this vegetable puree a lovely creamy flavor. The quick cooking time retains the fresh taste of the vegetables.
Ingredients:

• 450g (I lb) mixed carrots and parsnips, diced
• 75g (3 oz) quark
• 10m1(2 tsp) sesame oil
• salt and black pepper
• 15-30ml (1 -2 tbsp) sesame seeds

1. Put the carrots and parsnips in a large bowl with 30ml (2 tbsp) water. Cover and cook FULL for 5 minutes 600W (4 minutes 700W; 6 minutes. 500W). Leave to stand for 2-3 minutes to finish cooking then drain.
2. Liquidize the carrots and parsnips with the quark and sesame oil, then season well with salt and pepper.
3. Sprinkle the sesame seeds thickly over the base of a small dish and then cook FULL for 2 minutes 600W (11/2 minutes 700W; 21/2 minutes 500W), shaking the dish halfway through.
4. Spread the puree over the top of the seeds, then cook full for 30 seconds to reheat. Turn out and serve in wedges.

Mixed pickle salad

Serve with garlic bread or brown rice.

Preparation time: 15 mins.

Cooking time: 30 mins.

Serves 2

• 2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 lb (450g) runner beans, sliced
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pt (300m1) basic white sauce (see page 249) OR 1 packet (17g size) white sauce mix
• 4 oz (100g) Cheddar cheese, grated

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) or Gas No 4.
2. Cook the onions and beans in boiling, salted water for about 10 minutes until just tender. Drain.
3. Peel the tomatoes by spearing with a fork and dipping in boiling water for a few seconds. Roughly chop the flesh.
4. Mix the onions, beans and tomatoes together and season with black pepper.
5. Make the sauce as per page 249, or follow manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Stir the sauce into the vegetables and pour the mixture into a shallow ovenproof dish.
7. Top with grated cheese and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Healthy Onion Soup

Serve with brown rice.

Serves 4

Preparation time: 15 mins.

Cooking time: 40 miss.

• 1/2 pt (300m1) white or wholemeal pancake batter (see page 236)
• 8 oz (225g) spinach
• Little oil for frying
• 4 oz (100g) cream cheese
• 5 fl oz (150m1) carton soured cream
• 2 oz (50g) Cheddar cheese, grated

1. Make the pancake batter as per page 236. Leave to stand.
2. Wash and shred the spinach and cook in a little boiling water for 8 minutes until tender. Drain well.
3. Meanwhile, make the pancakes: Heat a teaspoon of oil in an 8″ (20cm) frying pan and pour in just enough batter to cover the base thinly.
4. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then turn and cook the other side. Continue cooking the other pancakes in the same way. (The mixture makes about 8 pancakes.)
5. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (350°F) or Gas No 4.
6. Mix the spinach with the cream cheese and use the mixture to fill the pancakes.
7. Roll each pancake up and place in a shallow ovenproof dish.
8. Spoon over the soured cream and sprinkle with grated cheese.
9. Bake for about 10 minutes until the cheese has melted.

Simple Parmesan Creamed Spinach Recipe

A truly delicious dish as the cream and stock combine to complement the creamy texture of the vegetables. Serve with garlic bread.

Preparation time: 10 mins.
Cooking time: 40 mins.
Serves 4

• 2 onions, peeled and sliced
• 1 large aubergine, sliced thinly
• 8 oz (225g) mushrooms, sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablsp flour
• 1 stock cube, made up with 1/4 pt (150ml) water
• 5 fl oz (150ml) single cream
• 3 tablsp white wine OR water
• 3 oz (75g) commercially prepared brown breadcrumbs

1. Pre-heat oven to 190°C (375°F) or Gas No 5.
2. Layer half the onions, aubergine and mushrooms in a large ovenproof casserole.
3. Season well and sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Layer the remaining vegetables on top, finishing with the aubergine.
4. Pour on the stock, cream and wine or water.
5. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over and bake for about 40 minutes.

Healthy Vegetable Recipes

Serve with garlic bread or brown rice.

Serves 2

Preparation time: 15 mins.

Cooking time: 30 mins.

• 2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 lb (450g) runner beans, sliced
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pt (300m1) basic white sauce (see page 249) OR 1 packet (17g size) white sauce mix
• 4 oz (100g) Cheddar cheese, grated

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) or Gas No 4.
2. Cook the onions and beans in boiling, salted water for about 10 minutes until just tender. Drain.
3. Peel the tomatoes by spearing with a fork and dipping in boiling water for a few seconds. Roughly chop the flesh.
4. Mix the onions, beans and tomatoes together and season with black pepper.
5. Make the sauce as per page 249, or follow manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Stir the sauce into the vegetables and pour the mixture into a shallow ovenproof dish.
7. Top with grated cheese and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Simple Vegetable Recipes

If you can prepare this dish the evening before eating, the cannelloni will have softened and therefore only about 10 minutes’ cooking time is needed.

Preparation time: 10 mins.

Cooking time: 10-40 mins.

Serves 4

• 1 lb (450g) frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
• 2 tablsp shelled whole hazelnuts
• Salt and pepper
• 10 cannelloni
• 14 oz (397g) can chopped chili tomatoes
• 7 oz (200g) feta cheese

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) or Gas No 4.
2. Mix the spinach, nuts and seasoning together in a bowl and use the mixture to stuff the cannelloni.
3. Lay the cannelloni close together in a shallow ovenproof dish.
4. Pour over the tomatoes, together with a splash of boiling water.
5. Crumble the feta cheese over the top and bake for about 40 minutes. (If the dish is prepared beforehand, the cannelloni will soften and need less cooking time, as stated at the start of the recipe.)

Healthy Onion Soup