Winter Garden Low Fat (Printable)

Lightly steamed winter vegetables tossed with fresh herbs for a healthy, colorful addition to meals.

# List of ingredients:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup cauliflower florets
02 - 1 cup broccoli florets
03 - 1 cup Brussels sprouts, halved
04 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
05 - 1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
06 - 1 small red onion, cut into wedges

→ Seasoning & Herbs

07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon olive oil
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
02 - Add carrots and parsnip to boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
03 - Add cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts; cook for another 5 minutes or until just tender.
04 - Drain all vegetables thoroughly and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
05 - Add red onion, parsley, thyme, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper; toss gently to combine evenly.
06 - Serve warm or at room temperature, optionally garnished with additional fresh herbs.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which feels like a win on busy weeknights.
  • The vegetables stay bright and crisp instead of turning into mush, and somehow taste more like themselves.
  • Low fat doesn't mean flavorless—fresh thyme and lemon do the heavy lifting here.
02 -
  • Overcooking vegetables even by 2 minutes turns them dull and watery—set a timer and stick to it, because you can always cook them a bit longer but you can't undo mush.
  • The raw red onion is what keeps this dish from tasting flat and one-dimensional; don't skip it or swap it for cooked onion, which changes everything.
03 -
  • Prep all your vegetables before you start boiling the water, because once that water is ready, everything moves quickly and you don't want to be chopping while vegetables are overcooking.
  • If you're doubling this recipe for a crowd, don't double the salt or lemon all at once—taste and adjust, because flavors can intensify unpredictably in larger batches.

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