Robyn Webb M.S. - Diabetic meals in 30 minutes—or less!

The phrase strive for five is really true when it comes to eating vegetables. Unfortunately, most of the time vegetables just end up as lifeless blobs on our plates. This chapter provides fast, delicious vegetable recipes that everyone will enjoy. You can use either fresh or frozen vegetables, but avoid canned varieties because of the high sodium content and dull flavor. Although eating fresh vegetables is a tasty part of your healthy lifestyle, avoid the tendency to overbuy them. For the freshest flavor, try to store vegetables for no more than 2 days in your refrigerator.

If you want them to last longer, your best bet would be to buy frozen veggies. The new vegetable plastic bags available, with tiny holes to help the vegetables breathe, will keep your vegetables fresher. Look for this in the plastic bag and foil aisle of your grocery store. For the best nutritional value, try to stick with the vegetable powerhouses, such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peppers (particularly the red ones), beets, and all of the greens, such as mustard, kale, chard, collards, and spinach. Many different techniques are available to cook vegetables. Steaming: This technique requires a little more time than boiling, but preserves levels of some nutrients like vitamin C, which are diminished by boiling. Steaming: This technique requires a little more time than boiling, but preserves levels of some nutrients like vitamin C, which are diminished by boiling.

Steaming helps retain delicate vegetable flavors and is therefore better suited to mild-tasting vegetables, such as summer squash, carrots, and beets, rather than strong-tasting vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts and cabbage. For proper steaming, place vegetables on a steamer rack above boiling water in a saucepan. Cover the saucepan tightly to keep in the steam. Replenish the water if you need to during the steaming process. Pasta pots often come with steamer inserts, or use Chinese bamboo steamers that stack and enable you to steam many items at once. Stir-frying: This is a very quick method of preparing vegetables. Stir-frying: This is a very quick method of preparing vegetables.

Keep the heat relatively high, and continuously toss the cut vegetables over the heat until they are done, but are still slightly crisp. A wok is the best vehicle for stir-frying, but a heavy skillet will do. Make sure your pan is hot enough or the food will absorb too much oil and stick to the sides. Grilling: This method is suitable for certain vegetables. Sweet peppers, tomatoes, large mushrooms, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn are all delicious when grilled. Simply brush the vegetables with a little oil to prevent drying.

You can place small pieces of vegetables in foil and then set them on the grill. The rack should be about 6 inches from the heat source, and the heat should be about medium. Microwaving: This technique is best for vegetables you need done in a hurry that would normally take a long time to cook. Usually, vegetables should be microwaved at high power. Roasting: This is a favorite method of cooking winter squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes. The dry heat preserves the flavor of these veggies better than steaming.

Moisten the vegetable with oil or a marinade and bake in the oven until tender. You can also scatter these vegetables around a chicken or roast to absorb the meat juices as they cook. Braising: This method cooks vegetables slowly with a small amount of liquid, which you can then use to make a sauce. For added flavor, the braising liquid should be either soup stock or water enhanced with onions, garlic, or herbs. The best braising pan is a deep saut pan with a lid; a heavy, wide casserole; or a Dutch oven. Use Herbs and Spices: Try experimenting with different herbs and spices. Use Herbs and Spices: Try experimenting with different herbs and spices.

Reaching for the salt shaker all the time limits your culinary imagination (and adds unwanted sodium to your meal plan). Vegetables have a nice, sweet flavor when cooked properly, so a sprinkle or two of salt is all you really need. When you just feel like tossing in some herbs for flavor, here are some good matches. Fresh herbs will taste the best. You can use dried herbs, but for best flavor results, make sure they are not more than a year old. Tarragon for asparagus Basil for tomatoes, carrots, and potatoes Thyme for carrots and summer squash Rosemary for potatoes, peas, and spinach Mint for peas Dill for broccoli, corn, and beets Marjoram for broccoli Use about 1 Tbsp of chopped herbs for 2 cups of vegetables.

Just take a pair of scissors and snip the herb right into the cooked vegetable. Add fresh ground pepper, a dash of olive oil, and serve! Total Servings: 6 Serving Size: 1/2 cup You can also use this glaze for cooked beets. Carrots 3 cups diagonally sliced, peeled carrots Glaze 1/3 cup fresh orange juice 1/4 cup water 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 Tbsp honey 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot 2 Tbsp water Garnish Fresh mint leaves 1. Prepare the carrots by steaming them over boiling water on a steamer rack, covered, for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. 2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the orange juice, water, lemon juice, honey, and spices.

Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 3 minutes. 3. Combine the cornstarch or arrowroot with the water. Add to the orange juice mixture and cook over low heat until thickened. Pour the orange glaze over the carrots and serve.

Garnish with mint leaves. Exchanges 2 Vegetable

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Calories	54
Calories from Fat	1
Total Fat	0 g
Saturated Fat	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	48 mg
Total Carbohydrate	13 g
Dietary Fiber	2 g
Sugars	7 g
Protein	1 g

Garden-Fresh Green Beans
and Tomatoes with Oregano Total Servings: 6 Serving Size: 1/2 cup Try to purchase vine-ripened tomatoes for this straight-from-thefieldside dish. 2 tsp olive oil 1/4 cup diced onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups cut green beans (trim ends and cut green beans in 1-inch lengths) 1/4 cup low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 medium tomato, diced 1 Tbsp fresh minced oregano 1 Tbsp minced parsley Fresh ground pepper and salt to taste 1. In a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic and saut for 3 minutes (do not let the garlic brown). Add the green beans and broth, cover, and steam for 3 minutes. 2.

Add the diced tomato, cover, and steam 30 seconds. Add the oregano, parsley, pepper, and salt and steam for 30 seconds more. Serve. Exchanges 1 Vegetable 1/2 Fat

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Calories	39
Calories from Fat	17
Total Fat	2 g
Saturated Fat

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