Everyone knows that summer time is the best time for enjoying fresh fruits and vegetables. From tending to your garden, shucking corn, snapping peas for a fresh summer salad or grilling peppers on the barbecue, Summer is the perfect time of year for vegetables. One of my favorite things to do it visit the local farmer’s market. I would always come home with more fresh vegetables then we could ever eat in a week. 
It’s hard to resist those dark green peppers, sweet corn and plump cucumbers.
Summer might be over but that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy vegetables the same way you do during the summer months. OK, so it might be a bit hard to barbecue when it’s 30 degrees outside, but aside from that most of the same great veggie moments you enjoy during the summer you can enjoy year round too.
My family loves vegetables… thankfully. I started my kids on vegetables as soon as the doctor said it was OK. From a very young age I have been feeding my kids broccoli, spinach and Brussel sprouts, to name a few. Theses are things that kids (and many adults) won’t eat.
Sometimes it’s not so much the vegetables but the way it’s prepared and presented. Just slapping some wilted spinach on a plate is not the most appetizing and appealing thing to do. You need to jazz it up a bit with some color and flavor. Mix in other vegetables, like chopped up peppers in red, orange and yellow. Mushrooms and spinach go great together too, as does garlic and black pepper.
Asparagus is one of those veggies that my family really hasn’t gotten into… yet. That is because I never really cooked it. I thought it was complicated but it’s not. I found a super easy, super quick and super delicious recipe.
Ingredients:
- Asparagus spears (approx. two dozen)
- Lemon juice (I used one of those lemon shaped juices)
- 2 tablespoons of Country Crock
- 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
Wash the Asparagus and trim off the ends.
Carefully put the Asparagus spears in a skillet of boiling water (you can add a little bit of salt to the water for flavor if you prefer).
Let the spears boil for around approx. 3 minutes (you want them to still be crunchy)
Drain the water from the skillet and leave the Asparagus.
Add the Country Crock to the skillet and Olive Olive. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice into the skillet too (approx. two tablespoons – but more or else depending on what you like). Season with salt and pepper (optional).
Mix it all up together and serve. You can also top with some grated Parmesan too.
I know that this isn’t a gourmet quality recipe, but it’s how I’ve been making it. I’ve made it a few times since the summer. I more or less “eye ball” things at this point.
I did have a picture of the side dish. For the life of me I can’t track it down. It wasn’t a half bad picture either. And my food photos don’t always turn out that good either. Ugh!
I chose Country Crock because 70% less saturated fat and 30% fewer calories than butter. Plus my family loves it. We’ve been using Country Crock for as long as I can remember. You’ll never open up my fridge and not see a tub of it somewhere. Whenever possible we buy the huge tub which lasts us for a long time.
Another tasty recipe is fresh baby carrots with cinnamon butter. Simply steam a package of fresh baby carrots. In a small pan (or even a microwave safe bowl) melt ounce 2 tablespoons of Country Crock. Then stir in 1/4 cup of honey and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Pour the mixture over the carrots an mix it around until the carrots are coated.
Combining flavors that children like helps to get them to eat (and enjoy!) veggies.
Thankfully my kids like garlic and pepper too. After I steam broccoli I mix in 1 tablespoon of Country Crock, approx. a teaspoon of minced garlic and a dash of pepper and mix it all together.
There are literally so many different ways to prepare and enjoy vegetables. Or you can simply just add a dab of Country Crock.
Speaking of Country Crock, they are offering a FREE recipe book. I have the actual book and they are some super cute recipes. I tried one of the recipes in the book but unfortunately it didn’t turn out as well as it did in the book. I made the recipe called “Fall For Them Leaves”. Don’t get me wrong, the recipe turned out great as far as the taste is concerned. I just had a hard time cutting the veggies into leaf shapes. I didn’t have the right kind of knife. I think it would have worked better with a smaller knife (I was using a bigger knife).
If you would like to download the recipe book you can find it on Country Crock’s “The Crock Country Chronicle“. You can download the book “A Very Veggie World“, or print it out. There are some really cute recipes in the book that are sure to be a huge hit with kids, and even “big kids”.
The Crock Country Chronicle has recipes, tips and great articles. Current articles include Grab & Go Snacks and Lunchbox Remix. Be sure to check out the video recipe for the Tortilla Crusted Chicken Breast. Mmm!!! It’s a great way to put chip crumbs to good use.
For more veggie recipes visit www.CountryCrock.com. The Sauteed Basil & Garlic Vegetables looks so good!
You can also find Country Crock on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
Country Crock has generously offered to give a lucky reader a fun prize package. The prize includes;
- A basket perfect for toting veggies
- Cooking tools to help you prepare and cook your veggies
- A copy of A Very Veggie World by Clare Crespo—a unique recipe book full of fun and whimsical inspiration
- A coupon for a free tub of Country Crock
Thank you Country Crock!
This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on October 20, 2012 at 12:01 AM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply or a new winner will be chosen.
To enter please leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite way to enjoy vegetables and Country Crock. Feel free to share the recipe too if you want (the recipe part is optional).
For extra entries you can use the Rafflecopter widget (below) but you must complete the initial entry requirement or the extra entries won’t qualify.
Kimberly
*I recevied free a free product coupon as well as the prize package in exchange for my participation. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced in any way.
About Kimberly
I would like to try the Brown Rice Vegetable Wraps
Ingredients
◦4 Tbsp Country Crock Spread
◦20 Green Onions (green set aside, white chopped)
◦2 Carrots, diced
◦2 Cloves Garlic, minced
◦3 cups vegetable broth
◦1 cup uncooked brown rice
◦1/2 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
◦1 tsp Garlic Powder
◦1/4 cup tomato paste
◦1/8 tsp fresh or dried oregano, crushed or minced
◦1/2 cup green peas (optional)
◦8 Large Cabbage leaves (green or purple)
Instructions
1.Boil cabbage leaves in a large pot of water – approximately 5 minutes until soft. Set aside to cool.
2.Turn off heat to water. Place green onion stems in water to soften.
3.Melt 3 tbsp Country Crock spread in a large skillet on medium heat
4.Add chopped onion, carrots, garlic and bell pepper.
5.Cook until soft.
6.Add broth, rice, tomato paste and oregano. Stir until paste is dissolved.
7.Bring to a boil.
8.Reduce heat, cover and simmer for approx. 40 min (until liquid is absorbed)
9.Heat oven to 375 F
10.Assemble wraps as shown in image above
11.Place wraps in baking dish with 1/2 inch of water.
12.Drizzle remaining 1 tbsp of Country Crock over wraps and sprinkle lightly with garlic powder (optional pepper)
13.Bake for 20 minutes.
14.Set wraps on serving plate.
15.Wrap softened green onion steps around each wrap, tie at the top.
Thanks for the chance!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It sounds really good. I’m going to try making it one night. Thanks!
Country crock is great with jam on toast or melted on brocolli
i like them fire roasted http://klout.com/#/lifesandcastle
I like the vegetables steamed with melted country crock on them.
I always melt it over hot veggies
oops I like them fire roasted
debbie jackson
djackson1958 at hotmail dot com
I love to saute my veggies in Country Crock
Green beans or fresh corn with Country Crock.
a little melted on top is good
I love to steam up veggies (whatever is in season) and coat them generously with Country Crock, seasoning to taste, and serve it over a bed of rice or some cooked wide noodles. Delish! Thanks.
I like to grill my veggies. Melt some country crock and brush it on both sides of whatever veggies you want to grill (I like zuchinni, squash and eggplant, all cut in long slices) and sprinkle with salt, pepper and some garlic powder. Then just grill them for a few minutes on each side and they are delicious!
I like to steam them and then melt Country Crock and Parmesan cheese in them – my kids love veggies this way
i love country crock too! i use it in pretty much use it in everything i cook. i steam all kinds of vegetable
i have in the house and add some country crook churn style . i like the picture of the vege leaves
I always use Country Crock. We love it over veges and I also use it to cook everything that calls for butter in the recipe.
MASHED POTATOES WITH COUNTRY CROCK
After I cook or warm up the veggies, I will add some country crock & a little salt & pepper on it.
I think your family will eventually warm up to the asparagus. My 2 nd 4 year olds are finally eating it without any fuss. Country Crock and salt are a must for us. I will have to try the lemon juice next time!
I like my veggies sauted w/Country Crock.
I love any vegetable with Country Crock and sprinkled with ground flax seed. Yum.think I will go cook some right now
I steam my veggies and then put the Country Crock on top and let it melt down over my veggies.