The key to veggies is to use a little fat. Whether it’s salad dressing, cheese, cream, olive oil, bacon, etc., it mellows them.
Here are some things you can try:
zoodles (zucchini noodles sauteed in olive oil, garlic, and salt), topped with alfredo or vodka spaghetti sauce. These cook down a lot, so start with more than you think you want. Precut zoodles seem really expensive, but you can buy a spiralizer. I like my vegetti which is easy to use but can trap food in tight places. I have a dedicated toothbrush that I run over it before I put it in the dishwasher.
frozen stir-fry/Asian blend vegetables and/or sugar snap peas - serve with ramen, potstickers, fried rice, etc. I like to top with Trader Joe’s furikake seasoning, Kikoman’s terriyaki sauce, and unsalted sunflower seeds.
Add broccoli or mixed vegetables (broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower) and a little mustard to mac and cheese.
Put broccoli and cheese sauce on a baked potato.
The Knorr rice/pasta packets are convenient. Add a drained can of protein (chicken, tuna) and some veg. Here are some combinations I like:
Cheddar Broccoli rice with chicken and a lot of broccoli (let cook a little before you add broc so it doesn’t overcook)
Creamy Chicken rice with chicken and drained canned mushrooms
Butter and herb pasta with tuna, onions, and sugar snap peas
Spinach is wonderfully versatile. Throw some in a cheese sandwich, eggs, etc., just add it towards the end of cooking time because it’s easy to overcook. It pairs excellently with mushrooms and/or tomatoes/marinara. If you use canned, be sure and drain thoroughly. Generally, I think fresh or frozen is better. It’s also good sauteed with garlic, salt, and olive oil. Sometimes I like to mix it with rice, onions, garlic, salt, mustard, mushrooms, crushed red pepper if you like spice, and some type of creamy/cheesy binder (ricotta, alfredo sauce, etc.),
Escalivada - Spanish roasted vegetables. (needs fresh vegetables). I’m afraid I don’t have a specific recipe, I just google it.
Here’s a family favorite. Grandma called it gumbo because it had okra. My husband refused to call it gumbo because it’s not an authentic gumbo, so we call it Slum Gullion which is what Grandma called it when she was out of okra.
Brown ground beef with garlic and chopped onion. Add canned tomatoes (I usually add diced, but you can use whole), tomato sauce, green peppers, and okra, and maybe a little water. Once the okra is softened, stir in some instant rice, take off heat, and let it sit while rice cooks. Put cheese in top (we use colby but you could use cheddar or any variety you want).
* I generally use frozen vegetables.
* If you used canned mushrooms, inspect them for black areas where grit is trapped. Lately, I’ve been finding more and it’s the last thing you want in your dish.