Three Best Fast and Fresh Vegetable Recipes

Looking for a delicious way to eat your vegetables? Here are three takes to make you pick up a fork.

Dressing-in-the-Bowl Supper Salad

Marinating onions in vinegar cuts their bite. Add small treats to this mix like dried cranberries, sunflower seeds or grated cheeses. Of course, chicken, tuna or tofu makes salad a meal.

Ingredients:

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
about 1/4 cup good-tasting vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. dark mustard
1/2 cup rinsed and drained canned chickpeas or kidney beans (optional)
2 Tbsp. of your favorite fresh herb
2 bags salad greens (about 10 ounces total)
2 to 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:

In a large salad bowl stir together the onion, 3 Tbsp. vinegar, some salt and pepper and the mustard. Toss in the beans. Let stand for about 30 minutes while you set the table, etc.

When ready to serve, add the herb and greens along with 2 Tbsp. of oil. Toss, taste and adjust seasoning with more oil, vinegar, salt and/or pepper.

Serves 4

Five-Minute Sweet Peppered Cabbage

This no-fat technique could squelch all the bad press cabbage has received over the years. Sweetened by cooking in generously salted water (believe it or not), meltingly tender and sparked with tasty vinegar and black pepper, the cabbage is good hot or at room temperature. And it holds a week in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

1 large green cabbage, halved, cored and cut into 1-inch dice
6 quarts boiling, generously salted water
about 3 Tbsp. good-tasting vinegar (wine, sherry or cider)
freshly ground black pepper
salt if needed

Preparation:

Drop cabbage in boiling water. Once it's back to a boil, cook 3 minutes, or until just tender.

Drain in a colander and, while still hot, toss with vinegar, generous amount of black pepper and taste for salt. Cabbage should have a pleasing tartness and a nice snap of pepper. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with fish, meats or poultry, especially anything grilled.

Serves 4 to 6

Tender Greens in Garlic Sauce

The darker the green, the more nutrients in the leaf. Swirling a little butter into the greens as you take them off the stove delivers fresh butter lushness without excess fat.

Ingredients:

1 to 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 bags (20 ounces) baby spinach, or washed chard or escarole, chopped
1/2 Granny Smith apple, cut into 1/4-inch dice (optional)
freshly ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp. good-tasting butter

Preparation:

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for a minute. Turn heat to medium, stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and turn heat up to high. Blend in the greens, adding more as each batch wilts in the heat.

Sauté greens one minute, or until wilted, tender but still brightly-colored. Add apple dices if desired.

Season greens with nutmeg to taste. As you pull them off the heat, swirl in the butter so it barely melts. Serve hot or warm.

Serves 2 to 3