~ recipe updated & photo added in 2007 ~ 2005: A brilliant combination, maple syrup and lime, a sort of sunlit sweetness. If you do the prep work ahead of time, reverse the order of preparation, that is, start the syrup and while it cooks, peel the carrots. The uncooked carrots can sit in the saucepan, no water, for a couple of hours without harm until you're ready to cook. A light touch with the syrup is important. If it overcooks, as mine did tonight, the sugar will caramelize and turn into chunks of hard (and unusable) candy. 2007: This time, I used half the maple syrup, a good option for less sweetness. CARROTS GLAZED WITH MAPLE SYRUP AND LIME Active prep time: 15 minutes Time to table: 30 minutes Serves 8 Water to cover Salt 2 pounds fresh carrots (see TIPS) 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 small onion, minced (about 1/4 cup) zest and juice (about 1 tablespoon) from a lime 1/4 cup maple syrup (see TIPS) Salt and pepper to taste In a medium saucepan, bring to boil just enough water

Ten minutes start to finish! While what I threw together last night isn’t yet perfect, it’s a great start. I especially like the technique of cooking the vegetables in virtually no-cal chicken broth (water would likely work as well since the source of flavor is soy sauce) rather than stir-frying in oil. I did add a bit of sesame oil to deepen the flavor but even it might not be necessary. If you haven’t recently checked out the frozen vegetables at the grocery store, do. They are often on sale and of course can be kept in-waiting in the freezer. And they’re good (well, except for the carrots!) and terrific to have on hand for nights it’s frozen vegetables or no vegetables at all. The mix used here was called “vegetable stand” and included broccoli, red pepper, sugar snap peas and water chestnuts. It would be easy to add an onion, mushrooms, zucchini, any vegetable on hand or that your family really likes. This could be the start of a supper stir-fry – just cook tofu, chicken or shrimp

Need a quick snack before dinner? An easy, healthy party appetizer? This one's as easy as can be, just fresh asparagus (either raw or briefly cooked) served with mayonnaise "doctored" with lemon. It's so simple, so good! Real Food, Fast & Casual. Just Three Ingredients! A Summer Classic. Not Just Easy, Summer Easy . Little Effort, Big Taste. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Great for Meal Prep. Scales from Small Plates to Large Platters. Low Carb. Low Fat. Weight Watchers Friendly. Naturally Gluten Free.

THIS is my idea of a vegetable heaven! Fresh and fast and flavorful! The inspiration for tonight came from this morning's visit to the farmers market. My favorite stop is to see Charles, a farmer in his late 70s, old and frail enough that I always breathe a sigh of relief when he returns each spring. Charles is a bit bent over but still spry, his eyes a bit bleary with cataracts but still sparkle for regular customers. I came home ruby-red spears of rhubarb and a huge bag of fresh spinach, dirt still on the roots, leaves deep in color, deep in flavor. The recipe comes from a favorite cookbook, French Food at Home by Laura Calder, one I turn to again and again for spare and simple -- and delicious -- food. I'll make this again soon -- trying supermarket spinach and halving the fat. LEMON SPINACH Active time: Maybe 10 minutes? (mostly washing spinach leaves) Time to table: Maybe 20 minutes? Serves 2 1 pound fresh spinach 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 tablespoon olive oil Grated

Need an extra-quick and extra-easy bell pepper side dish? You don't even really need a recipe, just a little nudge of an idea. So here it is. Cut up some bell peppers, saute them in a skillet with a little onion, then finish with a splash of balsamic vinegar that forms a thin glaze. So there you go. :-) Come back any time. Real Food, Fast & Casual. Just Two Ingredients! Not Just Easy, Summer Easy . Year-Round Kitchen Staple. Little Effort, Big Taste. Low Carb. Low Fat. Weight Watchers Friendly. Not just vegan, Vegan Done Real . Naturally Gluten Free. Whole30 Friendly.

A bright green asparagus spread for crackers, sandwiches, pasta, steaks, "scoops" and more, just lightly cooked fresh asparagus plus garlic, walnuts or sunflower seeds. It's not really a tapenade (since it has no olives). It's not asparagus pesto (but has basil and walnuts). It's not really an asparagus dip (it's thicker than a dip). What the heck do we call this delicious stuff??? Fresh & Seasonal, a Summer Classic. Low Carb. Weight Watchers Friendly. Great for Meal Prep. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Not just vegan, Vegan Done Real . Naturally Gluten Free.

Today's easy cauliflower recipe: Just large florets of cooked cauliflower tossed in a lemon-cilantro vinaigrette. Low calorie. Low carb. Weight Watchers friendly, just 1 point for PointsPlus! Not just vegan, " Vegan Done Real ". ~recipe & photo updated 2014~ ~ more recently updated recipes ~ When I tried this simple cauliflower recipe for the first time on just Day Six of A Veggie Venture in 2005, well, honestly, I was un-impressed. "Maybe" I said, then conceded "probably not". I found it filling but oddly unsatisfying and time-intensive for a weeknight supper, all in all, not a promising combination. When I tried it again nine years later, wow, what a difference: I loved its taste and found it very easy to prepare! It's a simple way to serve cauliflower. Large florets are cooked and then doused with a simple lemon-cilantro vinaigrette. I served it at room temperature, more cauliflower salad than cauliflower side vegetable. Frankly, two