Veggie Recipes - Broccoli, Potatoes

Broccoli: protein, fiber, vitamin A, serious vitamin C, calcium, iron

Potatoes: protein, fiber, serious vitamin C, iron








Broccoli-Cheese Pasta:

1 stalk broccoli
8 oz. block of Velveeta, cubed
2 (ish) c milk
12 oz. noodles, any kind
salt

Wash and cut broccoli into bite-size pieces. Use the florets and little stems, but not the stalk. (You can add the stalk to one of the following recipes.) Wrap it air-tight in a big piece of foil with about 1/4 c water and put in oven at 350 for 20 minutes.
While broccoli steams, cut Velveeta and put in medium saucepan. Melt over low heat, constantly stirring. Add milk and mix in a little at a time. Add salt to taste. When Velveeta mixture is thin and hot, fold in the broccoli. Pour onto noodles.

Cream of Broccoli Soup:
(or peas or asparagus)

2 tbsp. butter
1 onion, minced
salt
2 tbsp. flour
4 c chicken broth
1 1/2 lb. fresh or frozen broccoli, thawed; frozen peas, thawed; or fresh asparagus (trimmed)
(before using broccoli stalk, cut off the dark green outside)
1/2 c heavy cream
pepper

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add onion and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook until onion's soft. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.
Add broth, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan. Simmer 5 minutes.
Food process the broccoli. Add to soup and simmer 10 minutes.
Puree the soup again until smooth. Return to pot, add cream, simmer briefly. Salt and pepper.

(This soup can't be frozen, but it also doesn't make much - about 2 meals.)

Broccoli Rice Casserole:

(Never done the same way twice. Here's one method.)

1 c uncooked rice
1 c grated cheddar or Velveeta
1 c broccoli bits
1 can cream mushroom soup

Cook rice. Mix rice, broccoli, and soup. Put in small casserole and spread cheese over top. Bake at 350 until cheese is totally melted.
Other things to add might be butter, sour cream, salt, or pepper.

Rice: also good added to soups. Try white rice in chicken noodle, tortilla, or vegetable.

Potato Soup:
3 big baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 (ish) c milk
3 tbsp. butter
salt

Boil potatoes in medium saucepan until they start to fall apart. Pour most of the water off. Mash the potatoes. Add butter first. When melted, fold in milk until desired consistency. Salt to taste. Makes about 3 bowls.
Other brilliant ideas: Add grated cheese, chopped green onion, sour cream or yogurt, bacon.

Curry Potatoes:

Cook potatoes as above, but with little milk. They should be mashed-potato consistency. Then start adding curry powder! Just keep going until you think it tastes good. Also good with sour cream, yogurt, or cheese.
This is a great item for a veggies-only meal because it's flavor-packed.

Herbed New Potatoes:

12 small new potatoes (the red ones)
4 tsp. butter
4 tsp. minced fresh parsley or 1 1/3 tsp. dried
4 tsp. minced fresh chives or 1 1/3 tsp. dried
salt

Peel half-inch strip around the middle of each potato (so they look like oreos) and place in a medium saucepan of cold water. Cover by 2 inches with water. Boil until easily pierced with fork, but no more. Don't overcook. Drain.
Melt butter and stir parsley, chives, and salt into it. Pour over potatoes and toss to coat.