Best Bet Diet Cookbook

Vegetables Recipes

From stir-fries to kabobs, vegetables take centre stage in these vibrant dishes.

Assorted fresh vegetables including white mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, parsnips, and leeks on a wooden surface.
Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Maple Roasted Brussels
Sprouts with Bacon

SERVES 6
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 6–8 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Steps
  1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  2. Place Brussels sprouts in a single layer in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup; toss to coat.
  3. Partially fry bacon.
  4. Sprinkle bacon over Brussels sprouts.
  5. Season with salt and black pepper.
  6. Roast in the preheated oven until bacon is crispy and Brussels sprouts are caramelized, 45 minutes, stirring halfway through.
  7. Aluminum foil can be used to keep moist, cook it evenly, and makes clean-up easier.

No Big Dill Carrots

SERVES 4
Ingredients
  • 2 cups baby carrots
  • 1 tablespoon dried dill
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Steps
  1. Steam carrots and serve topped with a sprinkle of dill and lemon juice.

Steamed Fresh Vegetables

SERVES 4
Ingredients
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced
  • 1 stalk broccoli, cut in florets
  • 8 mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
Steps
  1. Steam carrots and parsnips for 3–5 minutes or until tender-crisp.
  2. Add broccoli and mushrooms. Steam for 3 minutes or until broccoli is bright green.
  3. Transfer to serving bowl, sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

TIP
Other vegetables to substitute or add: celery, fennel, cauliflower, zucchini, cabbage or Brussels sprouts.

Roasted Vegetables

SERVES 8
Ingredients
  • 2 large leeks, sliced in strips length wise
  • 4 carrots, sliced length wise
  • 3 tomatoes, halved
  • 4 parsnips, sliced length wise
  • 2 cups broccoli spears
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups whole mushrooms
Steps
  1. Arrange vegetables in greased large
    baking sheet.
  2. Cover vegetables with oil.
  3. Bake at 375°F for 1 hour or till vegetables are tender and nicely brown. Stir occasionally.

TIP
Any of your favourite vegetables can be used.

Salad Rolls

Salad Rolls

SERVES 4
Ingredients
  • 8 rice paper wraps
  • 2 avocados
  • 3 carrots, shredded
  • 1 cucumber
  • ¼ purple cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1 head butter leaf lettuce (or romaine)
  • Basil leaf for garnish (optional)
  • Sweet chili sauce for dipping (optional)
Steps
  1. Cut up or shred all veggies.
  2. Run dried rice paper wrap under warm water and lay flat on a wooden cutting board.
  3. Place a row of sliced avocados then one leaf of lettuce.
  4. Place the rest of the veggies on top of lettuce.
  5. Once rice paper wrap is softened, carefully roll the wrap folding the ends in first.
  6. Repeat for each roll.
  7. Garnish with fresh basil leaf and serve with spicy chilli sauce.

TIPS

  • Add chicken or shrimp as a protein.
  • Make extra for lunch the next day.

Mushroom Asparagus Risotto

SERVES 4-6
Ingredients
  • 2 cups arborio rice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large red onion, diced
  • 2 cups mushrooms, diced
  • 12 asparagus spears, cut into bite sized piece
  • 3 cups dry white wine
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • ⅓ cup gluten-free and dairy-free
  • Parmesan cheese substitute (optional)
Steps
  1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and add minced garlic.
  2. Add onions, mushrooms and asparagus and sauté until brown.
  3. Add arborio rice to the mixture.
  4. Slowly add the wine and broth. Stirring constantly over low heat.
  5. Continue to cook and stir for 30 minutes or until rice and vegetables are done.
  6. Garnish with shredded gluten and dairy-free parmesan cheese if desired.

Vegetable Stir Fry

SERVES 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 cups broccoli crowns, chopped
  • ½ red onion, diced
  • 1 cup mushrooms, diced
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 1 cup carrots, diced


SAUCE

  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 cup orange juice (or pineapple juice)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (soy sauce substitute)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon ginger, minced
  • 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce (optional)
Steps
  1. Chop all vegetables into bite-sized
    pieces and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl mix sauce ingredients and set aside.
  3. Heat oil in deep fry pan or wok. Sauté onions and mushrooms until soft.
  4. Add in other vegetables. Stirring often, cook until they are tender and crisp.
  5. Pour sauce over vegetable mixture and bring to a boil. Turn down and let simmer for 5 more minutes.
  6. Serve over rice or rice noodles.

TIPS

  • Add cashews or other nuts.
  • Make extra for lunch the next day.
  • Add a protein like chicken or lean beef strips if desired.
Oven Baked Parsnips French Fries.jpg

Oven Baked Parsnips French Fries

SERVES 6
Ingredients
  • 8 parsnips, sliced lengthwise and halved in shape of French fries
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Steps
  1. Grease baking sheet with olive oil.
  2. Place parsnip fries in microwave dish and microwave for 1 minute.
  3. Spread parsnips on baking sheet.
  4. Bake in hot oven at 425°F turning frequently for 5–10 minutes.

Savory Warm Mushrooms
in Wine Sauce

SERVES 4
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound small mushrooms
  • Pepper to taste
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons white wine
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
Steps
  1. Wash mushrooms well and cut off stems.
  2. In a skillet, heat olive oil on low heat.
  3. Place mushroom caps in heated olive oil and add pepper and garlic.
  4. Simmer for five minutes.
  5. Add wine and lemon juice.
  6. Cover and let stand for five minutes.
  7. Sprinkle with parsley.

Steamed Fennel with Zucchini,
Carrots & Green Onions

SERVES 6
Ingredients
  • 6 green onions, cut in half lengthwise then cut into 2 inch lengths
  • 2 cups each julienne (thin strip) carrots, fennel, and zucchini
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper to taste
Steps
  1. Steam all vegetables for 6 to 8 minutes.
  2. Transfer to serving dish and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. The mild taste of fennel makes a pleasing addition to zucchini and carrots.

Zucchini Bake

SERVES 6
Ingredients
  • 6–8 medium zucchinis, sliced thinly
  • 4 juicy ripe tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
Steps
  1. Heat oil in pan.
  2. Add garlic and zucchini slices.
  3. Sauté gently for 3–5 minutes.
  4. Place in shallow oven-proof dish.
  5. Add chopped tomatoes to pan with seasonings, simmer for 5 minutes.
  6. Pour mixture over zucchini.
  7. Top with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle top with a small amount of oil, and broil for 2 minutes to crisp breadcrumbs.

BBQ Veggie Kabobs

SERVES 6
Ingredients
  • 2 large bell peppers (red, orange or yellow)
  • 1–2 medium red or sweet white onions
  • 1/2–1 pound mushrooms
  • 1–2 zucchinis
  • ½ pound cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Metal skewers
Steps
  1. Chop all your vegetables so they are approximately equal in size and shape.
  2. When threading vegetables on skewers, alternate between different vegetables, leaving a small space between each end with a mushroom to secure vegetables on skewer.
  3. Place vegetables skewers on baking sheet.
  4. Mix olive oil and lemon juice together.
  5. Brush mixture over vegetable skewers with and refrigerate one hour before grilling.
  6. Cook skewers on preheated grill until vegetables are tender, turning and basting vegetables with olive oil mixture occasionally. Grill for 10–15 minutes.

TIP
For kabobs you can cook meat and vegetables separately, so you have more control over different cooking times of the meat i.e. rare, medium rare, well done. Or you can mix the meat and vegetables on the same skewer if preferred.

*See Steak Kabobs recipe on the Special Occasions page

Fried Rice

SERVES 6
Ingredients
  • 3 cups rice, cooked (one day old rice works best)
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 cup mushrooms, diced
  • ½ cup carrots (fresh or frozen), diced small
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (optional)
Steps
  1. In a large fry pan, add olive oil, garlic and diced onion.
  2. Add mushrooms and carrots and sauté.
  3. Add coconut aminos (optional).
  4. Fold in cooked rice until entirely mixed and fry until rice starts to crisp.

VARIATION
Can add cubed rotisserie chicken for protein.