Penny Noepel - Fast and easy ways to cook vegetables

by Penny Noepel

This bulletin is about a remarkable foodthe vegetable. Consider the facts. Vegetables are

High in vitamins, minerals, and fiber

Lower in calories than most all other foods

Cholesterol-free

Virtually fat-free

Relatively low in sodium and high in potassium

Versatile there are endless ways to prepare them

Idea for providing color, texture,
and appeal to the luncheon or dinner plate

Delicious!

No other class of food can make all these claims.

Because vegetables are tastiest and most nutritious when theyre properly prepared, the first section of this bulletin will present basic cooking methods for vegetables, using tools and appliances found in most kitchens. The rest of the bulletin will devote one or more pages apiece to a wide variety of vegetables, including storage tips, the best cooking methods, recipes, and tasty ways to use leftovers. So put on your apron and come into the kitchen with me!

Variety is more than the spice of life it is a key element in good nutrition. Vegetables add variety to our meals with their colors, flavors and textures. We can add to this variety in a number of ways:

Change the shape/form of the vegetable as in slicing, dicing, grating etc.

Use different methods of preparation/cooking

Serve a vegetable with or in a sauce

Combine two or more vegetables for a new taste treat

Vegetables are most flavorful and nutritious, however, with a minimum of preparation. For this reason they are the ultimate convenience food. Most can be eaten with just a rinsing off or a little scrubbing under running water. When cooking, use only a minimum of water (if any) and dont overcook!

Although sodium is a necessary nutrient, it occurs naturally in adequate amounts in foods (including vegetables); we dont really need to use salt in our cooking. Babies who dont get salt in their food dont miss it, but those of us who have acquired a taste for salt seem to think that it makes foods, especially vegetables and eggs, taste better. Because some people, primarily older persons, find that salt and salty foods cause fluid retention, and because sodium is associated with high blood pressure, many cooks are choosing to leave it out of cooking.

A sensible approach is to moderate our use of salt, in the same way we moderate our intake of fats and sugars. Salt in modest amounts is found in some of the recipes in this bulletin. Feel free to cut down or leave it out if you wish, or if your doctor recommends that you do so.

All vegetables contain complex carbohydrates, and most Americans dont get enough complex carbohydrates in their diet. Vegetables also contain some protein about 2 grams per 100-gram (-cup) serving. Three servings of vegetables contain about as much protein as one ounce of lean meat. The quality of vegetable protein is enhanced when meat, dairy products, grains, or beans are eaten at the same meal (or within an hour or two of each other).

Vegetables and fruits are also high in food fiber (roughage), particularly when eaten raw and with their skins on. Peas, green and dried beans, apples, and celery are all excellent sources of roughage.

To conserve the food value of cooked vegetables, use only a small amount of water (or none) and cook until just tender. Stir-fried vegetables should be tender yet crisp. Save the cooking liquid, if any, to us in soups, stews, and sauces. Or drink it!

All vegetables are not created equal. The color of a vegetable can indicate vitamin content. Generally, the darker green or the deeper orange, the more vitamin A. Broccoli, dark leafy green vegetables, carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, and hard-skinned winter squash are especially good sources of vitamin A. Vitamin C is destroyed by contact with air and by prolonged cooking. To minimize its loss, prepare your vegetables shortly before cooking, or eat them raw.

Nutritionists recommend three to five servings of vegetables daily, including dark green or orange vegetables three or four times a week.

Vegetables are best fresh, and the fresher the better. Nothing beats vegetables harvested right from your own garden moments before a meal.

Next best to fresh is frozen. Frozen vegetables are harvested at the peak of maturity (ripeness), quality, and nutrition, and quickly processed to retain as much of their wholesomeness as possible. Because frozen vegetables have been partially cooked by blanching, they require less cooking time than fresh vegetables.

Canned vegetables need only reheating. Since some of the vitamins, minerals, and flavor are in the vegetable liquid, plan to save the liquid for use in soups, stews, sauces, or vegetable juice cocktails. Although canned vegetables are inferior in taste and texture to fresh or frozen, they are convenient to keep on hand for instant or emergency uses.

If you are preparing a recipe that calls for a small amount of vegetables and you want to avoid waste, it is easy to get just the amount you need from a supermarket salad bar. Suppose you want cup of sliced mushrooms, a few strips of green pepper, or cup of black olives for garnish. Buy just what you need and none will go to waste.

Children learn about foods and eating by example. Be positive and happy when you introduce new vegetables to your infant, even if you dont care for the vegetables yourself. Children learn to accept a wider variety of foods if they see them being enjoyed by other family members.

Some children seem to dislike vegetables cooked, but will enjoy the same vegetables raw. All children can be helped to discover the good taste of crisp and crunchy vegetables. Carrots and celery are familiar to most, but just about all vegetables taste good raw. Snap green beans, fresh or frozen peas, and green pepper are all popular.

Firm and crunchy vegetables benefit the teeth and gums in two ways. They provide needed exercise for the chewing muscles, and they help to dislodge bits of food from around the teeth. Since back teeth are necessary for grinding raw vegetables, children under three should be watched carefully to be sure they are chewing adequately.

Try stuffing celery with peanut butter or cottage cheese. Cut carrots into pennies and strips. Older children like to eat whole carrots. Raw yellow turnip (rutabaga) tastes surprisingly like carrot. Cut a peeled turnip into thin wedges or sticks, or mix hot, mashed turnip with mashed potato for a milder flavor. If your child is particularly fussy about vegetables, blend or puree cooked vegetables and hide them in soups, meat mixtures (casseroles, meatloaf), and in cookies and sweetbreads.