Wine Sauteed Veggies – $.95

While some of you may be completely happy with a full plate of freshly sauteed veggies, I understand your hesitation in making this a full meal. You’re welcome to use this as a side item, but I challenge you to try to eat a simple plate of hot veggies for lunch or dinner and see how you feel afterward.

This is a super simple method of cooking veggies. The two tricks are *high heat and *knowing when to add your ingredients. You want to put in veggies that take quite a long time to cook first, then the tender ones later.

First, in a hot non-stick skillet, add a splash of extra virgin olive oil. I started with a handful of chopped onions first so they could be a bit more caramelized (and my stomach hates partially cooked onions for some reason.) After a few minutes I added chopped green pepper and broccoli. I want these to be done, but not mushy by the time I’m finished. After a few minutes of those three things cooking, I added a few chopped mini portabello mushrooms, chopped zucchini, and minced garlic. Don’t feel like you have to use only these ingredients! Use your own favorites or even your leftover veggies you need to get rid of.

After about 2 or 3 minutes, you’ll start to see all the veggies browning slightly and the mushrooms tender. At this time, add a hearty pinch of salt to the veggies. This is when the magic happens. Add a splash of your favorite red wine (or balsamic vinegar, if you prefer). Don’t add too much, just a tablespoon or two. Otherwise everything will get soggy and mushy. Remember, your pan should be pretty hot, so when you add the wine you’ll see a junk load of steam coming from the pan. DON’T cover the skillet at any time, by the way.

After you see most of the wine or vinegar evaporated, your meal and/or side item is ready to roll. Serve underneath a nice piece of cooked meat or with a glass of wine if you prefer. Cheap, easy, fast, and healthy!

Onion – $.65 ($.15)
Baby Portabello Mushrooms – $2.79 ($.56)
Zucchini – $1.87 ($.31)
Broccoli – $1.69 ($.42)
Green Pepper -$.84 ($.21)
Splash o’ Wine – ($.25)
Cost of Two Servings: $1.90
Cost of One Serving: $.95