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Home » Recipes » Vegetarian

Shortcut Grains and Veggies

By: Kathryn Doherty | Last Updated: Mar 6, 2025 | Published: May 11, 2015
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A super easy, wholesome, shortcut side dish of grains and vegetables to make with dinner on a busy weeknight!

A large skillet with a colorful mixture of grains and vegetables and a wooden spoon resting to the side.


 

Sometimes we need a little help. A little ace in the hole to make dinner easy and fast.

Sure, I do mostly homemade and I plan ahead my family's meals, but I like a shortcut as much as the next person.

It’s almost reassuring, isn’t it, to have something in your fridge or freezer that makes dinner a breeze?

Close up of a mix of grains and vegetables, including asparagus, carrots and peas in a large skillet.

This is one of my favorite healthy go-to shortcuts.

The ingredient list is simple - a bag of those frozen mix from Trader Joe's and whatever other fresh or frozen veggies you want to toss in.

If you're on top of things and have extra rice/barley/quinoa in your freezer like I try to do, then you can make this yourself from scratch. Mix the grains and any veggies in a skillet and it's ready to go.

I've done that too. But I always have a bag of this on hand to be safe.

Plus, this covers my starch/grain and my veggies all in one easy side dish.

A bag of Trader Joe\'s multigrain blend with vegetables.
A large skillet with a frozen grains and veggie mix alongside frozen peas before being cooked and mixed together.

Of course, it’s not enough veggies for me on its own, so I like to bulk it up.

(If you're a veggie fanatic like me, check out this veggie lovers quiche and marinated veggie salad for some of our other faves.)

Here, I added a half bunch of asparagus and some frozen peas.

You also could use zucchini, peppers, corn or even small bits of broccoli or cauliflower.

It’s a clean out the veggie bin sort-of dinner, as well as a shortcut. Use what you've got on hand.

This recipe works as a vegetarian entree (serving 1-2 probably) but it also makes the perfect easy side dish to any type of grilled, sautéed or roasted protein - fish, chicken, steak, pork, etc.

Or pair it with some rotisserie chicken from the store - mix it right into the pan to heat it through and combine everything.

Serious shortcut heaven. And also still healthy, wholesome, real foods for your family. Score!

A small white bowl full of a mixture of cooked grains and a mix of veggies.

And it makes for a dinner you don’t have to think about. Sometimes that just hits the spot. (As do the leftovers for lunch the next day.)

Pull this out the next time you need a quick fix!

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

A wooden spoon resting in a large skillet full of a mix of grains and vegetables, including asparagus, carrots and peas.
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Shortcut Grains and Veggies

A super easy, wholesome, shortcut side dish of grains and vegetables to make with dinner on a busy weeknight!
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time5 minutes mins
Total Time10 minutes mins
Yield: 4 servings as a side, 1-2 as a vegetarian dinner

Ingredients

  • 1 (16 oz.) bag Trader Joe's frozen Multigrain Blend with Vegetables
  • 1-2 cups extra veggies (see notes, below)
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil.
  • Add any fresh, raw veggies you are using and saute for 3-4 minutes.
  • Once slightly tender, add the frozen Trader Joe's mix and any other frozen veggies you are using.
  • Stir until heated through, 2 to 3 more minutes.
  • Season with salt and pepper, to taste. You can also sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

Veggies: Pick a combination of fresh or frozen asparagus, peas, zucchini, peppers, corn, broccoli or cauliflower, cut into small pieces so they cook quickly and blend in well with the packaged mix. Feel free to use whatever extras you have to stretch out this freezer mix and of course, to add more veggies!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 188mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g
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Meet Kathryn

Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

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