I was assigned a "salad or some sort of veggie". We are having ham, potatoes, deviled eggs and apple pie. I was assigned the salad or veggie part and I haven't a clue what to bring. I have LOTS of picky eaters (family kids) but a plain old salad is boring. Should I buy some veggies and slice them up and serve them with ranch and hummus dips? Hmmm.... what would you girls do?

At the cooking last I took last week we had some amazing roasted veggies with roasted garlic. Simple easy and delicious.

Here's the recipe (serves 8)
8 medium carrots
8 medium parsnips
1 bag new potatos
4 small turnips
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp losher salth
1 head roasted garlic*
1/2 - lemon juiced

Pre-heat oven to 375

Peal rinse and rtip the ends of the carrots and parsnips, scrub the skins of he potatos and turnips, trim the tops of the turnips and blot all the veggies dry

With the carrots and parsnips, cut into spears by first cutting them in half and then cutting the thicker ends in half again lenghtwise, place in a bowl.

Cut the potatoes and turnips int wedges about 1 inch wide at the base and add to the bowl with the other veggies, alon with the olive oil and salt, mix well

lay the veggies on a parchment lined baking sheet, spread out evenly and arrange the potatos and turnpis skins down

Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

On a chopping board squeeze out the garlic from its husk and with the side of a knife work the garlic into a smooth paste, squeeze the half lemon over this and work into a smooth mix. Remove the vegetable from the oven and place in a bowl, add the garlic mixture and mix well.

*Roasted garlic recipe

4 heads of garlic
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 lemon
salt

Preheat oven to 350

Cut the tops of each head of garlic so the each clove is exposed

Place in the center of a sheet of aluminuns foil. Over each head of garlic dirzzle the olive oil and squeeze the lemon. Add a pinch of salt. Wrap garlic heads tightly in foin and place in the oven for 25 to 30 mins.

Revome an allow to cool (still wrapped). The garlic will keep in the fridge for three to four weeks.

Not quite a salad, but oh so yummy.

I make a lite pasta salad that nobody knows is lite. It's made with tri-color curly pasta cooked and cooled, diced onion, grape tomato halves, chunks of cucumber, green pepper cubes, sugar snap peas cut in half or thirds, and crushed Italian seasoning spice. Use whatever amounts you like. Drizzle ff Italian dressing over all and mix well. If this sets awhile, you may need to add more dressing later.

My DH has a large family and let me tell you, do not fall into the I-must-please-everyone trap!!! One year for Thanksgiving my MIL made three green vegetables because everyone is picky. I was helping her and we were so tired and grumpy by dinner time because we had to make so many accommodations.

So make something you like and that you know most people will eat, but don't wear yourself out trying to find something that everyone will eat!

As far as salads go, they need not be boring! I made a great spinach salad for the 4th of July one year that had strawberries, smoked gouda, and a lime-honey dressing. It was divine!

How about going for something out of the ordinary? Asparagus and artichokes aren't necessarily "common" on most dinner tables and they are very "Spring." I think they also seem more luxurious then other veggies too (maybe this is just me.)

My family is far from luxurious. The problem is, I'm the ONLY person bringing a veggie dish, so it kind of needs to be something universal.

Well what do they usually eat? If you want it to be something "universal" just make what you know they eat and make it healthier.

Could you bring more than 1 veggie dish? Maybe your family is different but at (small) family gatherings in my family, there are generally 3-4 veggie dishes and any less people would be disappointed.

I don't eat salads really at all. I eat a lot of green beans, squash and broccoli. I don't like mayo, sour cream or cream cheese at all. I'm picky, I'm thinking I'll make some sort of broccoli salad.

I have a great, easy recipe for a healthy, low calorie cauliflower salad that I'm sure would work great for broccoli as well. It can be served at room temperature or cold and it holds up well so it would be great for a potluck.

Cauliflower Salad
16 oz cauliflower (or broccoli), divided into bite-sized pieces
4 oz thinly sliced celery (About 4 stalks)
2 oz finely diced onion (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup non-fat yogurt or reduced fat sour cream
2 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp lemon pepper

Roast or steam the cauliflower or broccoli until it is tender (10 to 15 min). If you prefer your onions cooked, roast them at the same time or saute them with a little cooking spray. (I usually slice the onions into rings, roast, then finish dicing the onions. If you dice them before roasting, they will cook really fast and have a tendency to burn. If I saute them, I dice them first, then saute them.)

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

This will make four side servings @ around 60 calories each.

I have had great success with a form of coleslaw. Either finely slice regular green or Napa. I include onions (green or brown), cucumber, apple and/or or grapes, and cilantro. The dressing is a combo of a little mayo, Dijon mustard, and an Asian chicken salad type dressing with extra vinegar (cuts calories and "tarts" it up). Could omit mayo. Kids go back for seconds and thirds. They REALLY like it when it includes some thick noodles like udon or Chinese egg. Make day ahead, and serve near room temp. Oh- or serve some of the crunchy chow mein noodles on the side as an optional topping.

Oh... what great ideas... I'm really happy I read this great thread