MINNEAPOLIS — As a kid in small-town Minnesota, I didn’t appreciate the bounty of my dad’s sprawling garden. I turned my nose up at parsnips, rutabagas and eggplant, and tolerated green peppers and green beans. I did welcome squash, tomatoes, carrots and zucchini though, so all was not lost on me.

Now, there’s not a vegetable I don’t embrace, or at least tolerate (I’m looking at you, celery). My spouse, on the other hand, is the opposite. While he does eat select vegetables, we don’t share the same adventurous spirit, at least on culinary matters.

Two new cookbooks — “Centerpiece” by Helen Graham and Heidi Herman’s “The Hidden Vegetables Cookbook” — perfectly capture our relationships with vegetables. One touts recipes for “veggie-averse adults,” the other advocates “bold, vibrant recipes to put vegetables in the spotlight.” Both urge cooks to work vegetables into meals, they just go about it very differently.

Graham, who was the executive chef at the London vegetarian restaurant Bubala, takes a playful approach to recipes, and you’ll find big flavors from the Middle East and North Africa, as well as some inspired by her upbringing and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage.

There are spirited sauces and salads, mains and desserts, all elevating vegetables to superstar status. You’ll roast watermelon and pickle eggplant, throw zucchini on skewers and marry carrots and cardamom in a sweet halwa. In honor of spring and picnic season, we’re sharing recipes for Potato Salad and Basil Zhoug with Coconut Crunch, and Flash-fried Snow Peas with Hazelnuts and Polenta.

Two new cookbooks are for those on opposite ends of the vegetable-eating spectrum.

On the other end of the spectrum, Herman’s “Hidden Vegetables” works to creatively infuse vegetables into dishes with broad appeal.

The idea, she puts simply, is to get the nutritional value of vegetables without having to taste them. Beet juice finds its way into bright-pink glazed doughnuts, Brussels sprouts and pureed spinach are mixed into a batch of baked beans and riced carrots and broccoli appear in barbecue meatballs. The book is colorful and easy to follow, with loads of tips on shopping for and preparing vegetables, pairing seasonings, and the pros and cons of fresh vs. frozen to help guide cooks. To show the gamut of recipes in the book, we’re including Herman’s recipes for Banana Cauliflower Muffins, Veggie Peanut Chicken and Zucchini Noodles, and Cauliflower au Gratin Pasta.

Like them or not, eating your vegetables has never been easier.

FOR THE VEGGIE LOVERS

Potato Salad and Basil Zhoug with Coconut Crunch

Serves 6.

There are a few components here; save yourself the stress and make them all ahead of time and assemble the salad the day of serving. The coconut crunch recipe produces more than you will need; you’ll want to keep it on hand for making simple salads or roasted vegetables taste immeasurably better. It will keep for a month in a cool, dark place. From “Centerpiece” by Helen Graham (Hamlyn, 2026).

2¾ lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-in. cubes

1 tsp. fine sea salt

1 recipe Basil Zhoug (see below)

½ red onion, finely chopped

For the garlic and lemon dressing:

2½ tbsp. lemon juice

3½ tbsp. mayonnaise

7 tbsp. Greek yogurt

3 cloves garlic, finely grated

1 tsp. fine sea salt

For the coconut crunch:

6 tbsp. pumpkin seeds, toasted and roughly chopped

6 tbsp. unsweetened coconut

2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp. maple syrup or agave syrup

2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. fine sea salt

Directions

Put the potatoes in a pan with the 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt, then pour in enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then cook for 12 to 15 minutes until tender throughout. Drain and allow to steam-dry for 10 minutes in a colander set over a bowl.

To make the dressing, in a large bowl whisk together the lemon juice, mayonnaise, yogurt, garlic and salt.

Once the potatoes have steam-dried but are still warm, add them to the dressing, toss thoroughly and set aside.

To make the coconut crunch, set a small saucepan over a medium heat and add all the ingredients. Stir continuously for 2½ to 3 minutes, until the coconut has browned and it’s looking a little more glossy and sticky. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

To assemble, add the basil zhoug and red onion to the dressed potatoes. Toss gently but thoroughly before transferring everything to a serving plate and scattering with half the coconut crunch, reserving the rest for another use.

To make basil zhoug: Roughly chop 2 garlic cloves and 1 green chile in a blender. Add 1 cup roughly packed basil, 1 cup loosely packed cilantro, 6¾ tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon hawaij and ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt and blend until smooth and emulsified yet retaining some texture. Find hawaij in Middle Eastern markets, or there are plenty of recipes online to make your own.

Flash-fried Snow Peas with Hazelnuts and Polenta

Serves 4.

This is a celebratory, substantial way to eat possibly author Helen Graham’s favorite summer vegetable. You can sub in ground ancho chile if you can’t find guajillo, and this recipe also works well with green beans in place of snow peas. From “Centerpiece” by Helen Graham (Hamlyn, 2026).

For the peas:

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Leaves 1 oz. basil, torn

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. trimmed snow peas

1½ tsp. fine sea salt

For the hazelnut salsa:

¼ c. olive oil

⅓ c. blanched hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

½ teaspoon guajillo chile flakes (see Note)

1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. maple syrup

½ tsp. fine sea salt

For the polenta

2 c. vegetable stock

2 tsp. fine sea salt

8 oz. quick-cooking polenta

3½ tbsp. unsalted butter

⅓ c. finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

To make the salsa, place the olive oil in a small saucepan and heat until smoking, then turn off and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Or, if you have a food thermometer, heat the oil to 350 degrees. Place the remaining ingredients in a small heatproof bowl and pour over the oil. Mix to combine and set aside.

To make the polenta, bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the salt, then gradually pour in the polenta, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Reduce the heat and continue whisking for 3-4 minutes until the polenta thickens and the whisk leaves tracks. Stir in the butter and Parmesan and check for seasoning, then turn off the heat and leave, covered, until ready to serve. You may want to add a little water to loosen it to your desired consistency if it firms up before you’re ready.

To prepare the peas, put the lemon zest and juice, garlic and basil in a heatproof bowl and stir to combine. Add the olive oil to a frying pan and set over a medium-high heat. Once smoking, add the snow peas and salt and cook for 3 minutes, tossing regularly, until the peas have softened and blistered in places. Add straight to the bowl with the lemon mix and toss to combine.

Spoon the polenta on to a serving dish and top with the flash-fried snow peas. Spoon over the hazelnut salsa and serve.

FOR THE VEGGIE AVERSE

Banana Cauliflower Muffins

From “The Hidden Vegetables Cookbook,” by Heidi Herman (Hekla, 2025). Note that Herman intentionally omits portion sizes and servings due to the variables involved in determining them — how the food will be served, FDA guidelines and personal factors like metabolism, dietary restrictions and more.

3 large ripe bananas, mashed

¾ c. sugar

1 egg

⅓ c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1½ c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. ginger

½ tsp. salt

½ c. riced cauliflower

Chopped walnuts or pecans, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Add the sugar, egg and the cooled melted butter and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger and salt. Add to the banana mixture and stir until just combined.

Fold in the riced cauliflower and chopped nuts until just combined. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake 20 minutes. Remove muffins from pan immediately; place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Veggie Peanut Chicken and Zucchini Noodles

Note: If you test this recipe and don’t like the zucchini noodles, follow instructions but substitute cooked linguine for the zucchini noodles. The sauce is still chock-full of other hidden veggies. From “The Hidden Vegetables Cookbook” by Heidi Herman (Hekla, 2025). Note that Herman intentionally omits portion sizes and servings due to the variables involved in determining them — how the food will be served, FDA guidelines and personal factors like metabolism, dietary restrictions and more.

2 c. water

2 c. chicken or vegetable stock

2 large chicken breasts, quartered

2 whole carrots, peeled and chopped in 2-in. pieces

1 large red bell pepper, seeds removed and quartered.

1 jalapeno, halved and seeds removed, optional

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. minced garlic

½ c. diced leeks

3 large zucchini, spiralized into noodles (see Note)

For the sauce:

⅓ c. honey

⅓ c. soy sauce

2 tbsp. sesame oil

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

1 tsp. ginger

½ c. creamy peanut butter

1 tbsp. sesame seeds

1 tbsp. dried cilantro

½ c. chopped peanuts

½ c. minced Brussels sprouts

1 tsp. hot sauce, such as Sriracha

Directions

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add water, vegetable stock, chicken, carrots, bell peppers and jalapeno. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Using a strainer placed over a large pot, pour off liquid and reserve. Place chicken on a plate to cool; shred the chicken once it has cooled and set aside.

Add the cooked vegetables to the bowl of a food processor, along with ½ cup of the reserved liquid. (Discard the remaining liquid or save for another use.) Pulse on high until the vegetables are puréed. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add garlic and leeks and sauté until tender. Add the zucchini noodles and shredded chicken to the skillet.

Cook and stir for about 3 minutes, until chicken is warm and the zucchini is slightly soft, but not mushy. Remove from heat and set aside while you make the sauce.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, mix the honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger and peanut butter. Whisk constantly until the peanut butter has melted and mixture is smooth.

Add vegetable purée, sesame seeds, cilantro, chopped peanuts, minced Brussels sprouts and hot sauce and heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken and zucchini noodles and toss until combined. Serve immediately.

Cauliflower au Gratin Pasta

Note: For a more flavorful dish, don’t be afraid to use stronger cheese or add your favorite spices. Try chili powder for spice, nutmeg or ginger for savory, or diced jalapenos for heat. From“The Hidden Vegetables Cookbook,” by Heidi Herman (Hekla, 2025). Note that Herman intentionally omits portion sizes and servings due to the variables involved in determining them — how the food will be served, FDA guidelines and personal factors like metabolism, dietary restrictions and more.

16 oz. dry uncooked pasta, preferably ziti, rotini or bowtie

1 c. riced cauliflower

1 c. diced asparagus

4 tbsp. butter

½ c. flour

4 c. milk

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

1½ c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided (see Note)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using a medium saucepan, prepare pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta and place in a baking dish. Mix in riced cauliflower and diced asparagus.

Using the same saucepan, melt butter and add the flour, whisking constantly to prevent burning. Slowly whisk in the milk until a thin sauce forms.

Add the Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and half the cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.

Pour sauce over pasta mix. Spread remaining cheese over the top and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese melts and is lightly browned. Serve warm.

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