It can be difficult to find ways to make your everyday veggie dishes interesting — and just as difficult to make them tasty enough to stand up to the main course. Luckily, celebrity chef Antonia Lofaso, who you may know from her appearances on shows such as "Top Chef" and "Chopped," has an easy solution, which she shared with Daily Meal when we spoke to her at the New York City Wine & Food Festival . "When you're looking at your veggie side dishes, turn them into part of your dinner," she said, adding, "If I'm doing a broccolini and I'm serving it with Italian food, [I] put some garlic breadcrumbs and a ton of herbs [on it].
" This is a go-to tip Lofaso says she often shares. To try out her suggestion, start with a recipe for simple roasted classic vegetables , then add the crucial crunch element with breadcrumbs and serve it alongside your favorite iconic Italian dish to make your entire meal more cohesive. More ideas of how to make your veggies match the main dish Giving your veggies an Italian spin is just the beginning, and so is keeping them as a side dish.
If you're making chicken enchiladas or another south-of-the-border entrée and want to include veggies, it's all about the spices. "If I'm making something more Mexican-inspired, I'm using cauliflower," Lofaso said, suggesting, "Dust everything with cumin and coriander and a little bit of chili, and roast it." If you don't like cauliflower, swap it out for your veggie of choice, but stick with the seasoning.
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