Manly Vegetable Medley

I am sure there are many men who enjoy hearty, healthy vegetables, but my husband is not one of them. I have a difficult time getting him excited about whole vegetable sides that are better for us than some veggies stirred into rice. So I was excited when I came upon a frozen vegetable side at Trader Joes that seemed "manly": roasted potatoes with green beans. I bought it for a steak he was going to grill.

This got me thinking about other vegetable medleys I can create with preferred vegetables. I was always under the assumption that sauteing vegetables required a lot of oil, but then I learned a new trick: broth. I found that I would add oil when my vegetables were sticking to the pan, but broth offers the same relief without the added calories.

This side is great for fish, vegetarian meats, such as soy nuggets, or any excuse to get your man to eat more whole vegetables.

Vegetable Medley

1 tsp minced garlic

1 minced shallot

1 pint sliced mushrooms

5-6 fingerling potatoes

1 bunch petite asparagus

1/4 broth (chicken or vegetable)

coarse salt and pepper

universal seasoning mix, such as Mrs. Dash

Set a pot of water to boil. Boil potatoes, whole, for 10-15 minutes or until they are easily pierced with a knife. The skins should not be coming off or you have boiled too long. Let potatoes cool.

Saute garlic in a nonstick pan. Add mushrooms and onion and 2 tbs broth. Cut asparagus into 2 inch pieces - be sure none of the asparagus is mushy. Cut far down the stalk until the centers are mostly white. Slice cooled potatoes. Once mushrooms are tender add asparagus and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and seasoning mix. Trader Joes has a grinder with generic seasonings that works great. Stir vegetables until asparagus is bright green, 3-5 minutes. Add more broth if necessary to keep vegetables from sticking. Do not overcook or your vegetables will lose their nutrients. Be sure to taste test - I over-seasoned my first batch.

Power Snack

Snacks are difficult for calorie-cutters. Easy snacks are bags of chips or popcorn that provide instant gratification. Healthy snacks still require preping.

Any of my AppState alumn followers will remember AppWraps. One of them was an adult peanut butter and jelly, which has inspired my power snack that is ideal for post-workout relief, a lite dessert or even breakfast on the go.

Power Snack (makes 2)

one ripe banana, thickly sliced

2 whole wheat tortillas

2 tbsp peanut butter

2 tbsp pecan pieces

1 tbsp honey

This snack provides a lot of natural protein and fiber along with potassium for sore mussels. It still takes an effort for me to buy and eat whole wheat tortillas but that less-processed wrap does help in nutrition and ease of digestion. The homemade version at Trader Joes has a great texture.

I also love Trader Joes reduced-far peanut butter. Other commercial low-fat peanut butters replace fat with sugar, which does not aid in reducing unneeded fats and sugars. Trader Joes reduced-fat peanut butter actually de-fats the peanuts. You get a peanut butter that keeps its shape better than all-natural peanut butter and is super-tasty.

Spread one tbsp peanut butter onto a tortilla. Layer one half of the sliced banana and top with one tbsp pecans and half tbsp honey. Wrap tortilla, making sure the bottom is securely closed - honey will tend to drip out otherwise. The natural sweetness in the banana and honey make this power snack a satisfying dessert if you have a sugar craving. If you don't have or prefer pecans I recommend walnuts.

Repeat with other ingredients and share your power snack with a drowsy co-worker or workout partner. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Greek Panini

Most of you are thinking gyro? But lamb and yogurt sauce can be very bad for the arteries. What is good for the arteries are artichoke hearts and fiber-rich beans. So I took some of my favorite Greek ingredients and threw together a quick panini that is overwhelming in taste but not calories.

Ever heard of the Sonoma diet? This diet is based on the 10 Mediterranean ingredients that contribute to a heart-healthy diet. Hence, Greek-inspired vegetarian!

There are a lot of options here so pick what you like or what works best for you. Whole grain pocket pita is useful in this recipe because the feta and chopped artichokes make this a messy sandwich. I used whole grain bread and toasted it, which was delicious and already available.

There is also a variety of hummus that you can use. I highly recommend my homemade hummus but if you are strapped for time, I would recommend Trader Joes hummus. They come in a variety of flavors, including parsley, garlic and roasted red pepper. However, they have a short shelf life, which means they lack unhealthy preservatives. I LOVE their white bean hummus, which adds more fiber-rich beans to the recipe.

Greek Panini

4 tbsp prepared hummus

1 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes

1-2 tbsp crumbled feta

1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts

red leaf lettuce

whole grain bread or pita pocket

optional add-ons:

thinly sliced cucumber

seeded tomato, thinly sliced

banana peppers, sliced

black olives, seeded and sliced

Lightly toast bread slices or pita pocket - this will help the pita from falling apart. Chop sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts. Lightly dab vegetables with a paper towel to absorb some oils. Once bread is toasted, spread 2 tbsp hummus on each slice/side of your bread choice. Top one side with sun-dried tomatoes, feta and artichokes. Layer lettuce on other side and fold over. For added texture and heartiness, add other Greek-inspired ingredients such as cucumber, tomato, peppers and other preferred ingredients.

Cut in half and serve with my summer couscous. Or I recommend a Greek salad with cooked orzo (chilled) with chopped spinach, tomatoes and cucumber with a black olive and feta vinegarette.

Cheap Rice Fritters over Greens

I know fritters are kind of the "f word" for light cooking, but I have found a way to make a cheap and delicious meal to include fritters without overdoing it. This recipe is based on Rachael Ray's Cheesy Rice Fritters but of course this needed some assistance with cutting calories.

I have to confess, my husband is the one how usually makes these. They are so good with real bacon, but I highly recommend soy product "bacon" or going without to make this dish purely vegetarian and cut back on saturdated fat.

This is also a great cheap meal that includes a lot of pantry items and leftovers. Adjust the ingredients and amounts depending on what you have available, but this is easily one of Rachael's true $10 meals.

Rice Fritters

1 cup brown rice

2-3 slices vegetarian bacon, such as Morning Star (optional)

4 oz shredded low-fat mozzarella or other white cheese

4 oz Parmesan cheese

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup breadcrumbs or panko

crushed red pepper

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

greens, such as spinach, spring greens or a mix

light dressing (optional)

Cook rice using 2.5 cups of water (water should be completely evaporated when done). I am not a fan of brown rice, and I've admitted that a few times, but this is a recipe that I can really support using it. It helps to cut back on a few carbs and the cakes seems fluffier.

Cook bacon, if using, and chop up into pieces. If you do choose to use real bacon I recommend a reduced-fat version but not turkey bacon. This recipe works best with crispy bacon and turkey bacon will not get you there.

Once rice is done and dry, mix together "bacon", salt, pepper, red pepper, egg, bread crumbs and cheeses. Start off with half a cup each of the cheeses and gradually add more if needed. The mixture should be sticky.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a NONSTICK frying pan. If you don't use non-stick you will end up using a lot more oil. Make 10-12 balls out of the rice mixture and press into patties. Fry cakes on each side for about 2-3 minutes or until lightly brown.

Prepare a plate with lots of greens, one tsp dressing (if using) and top with 3-4 cakes. These are filling and delicious and even the husband can make them :)

Other variations include chopped bell peppers and corn. Corn is easily stored frozen so it will accommodate a "cheap" meal. Get creative with this recipe. Add vegetables that are about to go bad or seasoning that you think will liven the taste. And let me know what you try and what works!