Howdy! Do you love vegetables as much as I do?
Aside from sourdough bread (if only it was as healthy as veggies), vegetables are my favorite type of food. I make this side literally every single night with dinner, and it never gets old (my husband agrees I promise!). I also make it every time we have guests over and everyone always asks how the veggies were done and are SHOCKED at how simple the recipe is. The best part? My SON even loves them!! That’s what I call a MOM WIN.
Let’s talk about vegetable health benefits for a second. As most of you know, vegetables are SO incredibly healthy for you. It is suggested to eat 5-9 servings (Holy COW) of vegetables every single day! In case you don’t know, one serving is equivalent to half a cup. That’s around 3 cups of vegetables recommended to eat each and every day!
Veggies are awesome because they taste delicious, but they’re naturally low in calories and fat (halleluyah). The best part is the body uses almost as many calories digesting veggies as there are in veggies in the first place! They’re packed with great nutrients like fiber, potassium, folate (folic acid), vitamin A and vitamin C. You literally can’t go wrong with a big plate of vegetables, which is why I wanted to share this recipe with you. Follow the steps below for a bomb yet SIMPLE veggie recipe and comment how yours turned out!
This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning, if you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no cost to you. Full disclosure here. All opinions are my own.
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 bundle of asparagus
- 8 mushrooms
- 2 large carrots thinly sliced
- 1 zucchini
- 1 squash
- 1 green onion bundle
- 1 broccoli crown
- 8 marinated artichoke heart quarters
- 1/3 cube butter
- 2 spoonfuls of marinated artichoke oil straight from the jar
- salt and pepper to taste
*You’ll need a medium sized pan with a matching lid
I use the Kirkland brand of artichoke hearts above (click on picture). Really, any marinated brand of artichoke hearts will work. These large jars are packed with artichokes and last forever!
I use All-Clad non-stick pans, and they are a freaking LIFE CHANGER! I never invested in nice cooking ware until I met my husband. He taught me how important it is to have nice quality things, especially things you use everyday such as kitchen necessities. It makes. life. EASIER. Check out the pan below if you need one. Trust me, you need a non-stick pan in your life!
Step One: Wash All Your Veggies
Duh. Seems obvious, right? Well, many times I have started to cut my veggies and totally forgot to wash them! So, just a friendly reminder in case you have mom brain like me. 🙂
Step Two: Slice Your Veggies
I cut everything pretty small so that my son can eat them without me stressing and freaking out that he’s going to choke. So basically, slice your veggies to be bite size! I would thinly slice the carrots because they’re the hardest, and slice the zucchini and squash a bit thicker so they don’t get mushy. I ALWAYS slice my broccoli last. I can’t stand when I forget and slice it in the beginning and then I’m stuck with tiny pieces of green all over my hands while trying to slice the rest. Just me? Oh…
Step Three: Add Butter and Oil to Pan
I usually use 1/3 – 1/2 a stick of butter, and cut off slices throughout the pan so it melts evenly. This is literally what makes this side. I have always cooked with healthy oils until I met my husband. He can’t stand the taste of olive oil, and has forbidden me from using it. haha! So when I know he’s eating, I’ll use butter. I’m sorry, but it just tastes SO MUCH BETTER YOU GUYS. I’ve tried this with oil and it’s just not the same (still good, though). So, if you have a husband like mine, use butter. If you love olive oil or coconut oil or whatever fancy oil they have out there now, then use oil!
After you add the butter, add a couple spoonfuls of the oil the artichokes are marinated in. This boosts the taste!!
Step Four: Add Your Veggies and Onion to Pan
In a southern twang accent “Throw all them veggies in y’all! It’s time to get cookin’!” Anyway, throw your veggies in and don’t forget to add your artichokes! I usually add around 8 pieces. 6 for me 2 for my husband, if he’s lucky. LOL I freaking LOVE artichoke hearts!! He knows to let me get my fix first. hehe Anyway, add as many pieces as you want! I find that this amount is perfect for flavor, though.
Step Five: Cook on Medium High with Lid on
Turn your stove top to medium high and throw your lid on. After 2 minutes when the butter has melted, stir your veggies so they get all the juices. Put the lid back on and stir every minute. This is KEY! If the kids are distracting you, tell them to go outside and play! Or do chores. I can’t wait until my son is old enough to do chores. Getting side tracked…Ok so STIR EVERY MINUTE. Stir, put lid back on, stir, lid back on, etc…
Step Six: Add Salt and Pepper Halfway Through
I usually add my salt and pepper in halfway through cooking (so like 7 minutes in) I don’t know why…but I like seeing the salt and pepper stick to the veggies because they’re softer! Weird I know. Anyway, I usually turn my salt grinder around 9 times and pepper 7 times. Stir it all up, put your lid back on and cook for the additional time. 15 minutes from start to finish is usually how long it takes for the veggies to get soft, but NOT mushy! Everyone’s stoves are different, though, so check them every time you stir them!
Step Seven: Enjoy!
This is my favorite step you guys!! LOL Like I said, we eat this pretty much every night. I’ll usually make a carb side for my husband and son (potatoes, couscous, quinoa, rice) and then some sort of meat. It pairs great with everything!!! The butter, marinated oil, and juices from the mushrooms make this side SO scrumptious! I hope you guys enjoy this simple recipe, comment what you think about it! 🙂
DON’T FORGET!!!
Add your leftover veggie stems to your compost bucket, and SAVE your green onion roots! If you place them in water, they’ll grow! To see how, check out my other post by clicking here…
About the Author: Ericka Campbell
Ericka is a 30 year old blogger living in Healdsburg, CA with her cowboys (husband and son) and ridiculous amount of animals. When she’s not blogging she’s in the garden fighting weeds, hanging with her girls (which means her chickens), taking pictures of flowers, or chasing Cowboy Cade around so he doesn’t destroy her plants. Whatever she’s doing at the moment, she probably has a glass of red wine in hand. She’s from California, but she sure as heck says “y’all.”
I have ate your veges your right they are good . Now I know the secret the marinate sauce. Who would of thought. I like how you tied it all together about saving the onion for one of your projects. Your photos are very colorful and bright.