Vegetables

Needless to say, raw or cooked, vegetables taste best when picked fresh and served promptly. I can safely say that corn served and eaten within minutes of harvesting is by far the best tasting! More and more people have taken to the home garden or shop at farmers' markets for that reason. However, even if you shop in a supermarket, vegetables are generally shipped and handled to ensure that they retain as much flavor and nutrients as possible.

In shopping for vegetables, pick those that are bright in color and crisp or firm in texture. The healthy looking carrot, with its deep orange color, will contain several times more vitamin A than the limp, pale one. The deeper the color of the vegetable, the higher its vitamin A content will be.

When it comes to root and stem vegetables, select the smaller ones; the bigger, older ones are likely to be tough or woody and won't soften during cooking.

Reject bruised and blemished vegetables, and any that have cracks or tears, or have been chewed by insects; such damage makes it easy for bacteria to enter the tissue.

After purchase, perishable vegetables like leafy greens should not be washed until you are ready to use them; this will minimize vitamin and mineral loss and curtail the growth of bacteria. If the vegetables are dirty and need to be rinsed, shake them well, wrap them in paper towels to absorb any excess moisture, and then place them in plastic bags or in other closable containers before putting them in the refrigerator.

Generally speaking, vegetables that easily wilt or dry out should be kept in a dark, cool and slightly humid atmosphere. This restricts the proliferation of bacteria and mold, prevents dehydration and suppresses enzymes in the vegetables that, once activated, lead to loss of flavor and texture and leads to decay. Spinach, broccoli, and celery are three of the many vulnerable vegetables that will maintain their quality longer when refrigerated at around 35 to 40 degrees and at high humidity. The vegetable crisper or drawer in your refrigerator is a perfect environment for them.

Among the hardier vegetables that should not be refrigerated due to the fact that their starch converts to sugar are: potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions and winter squash. All require cool, dark, well-ventilated conditions. That was the well-founded premise of the root cellar! It prevented potatoes and other veggies from sprouting, withering, or rotting. A cupboard on an outside wall, away from the range or refrigerator, or a cool, airy basement provides today's substitute.

When it comes to preparing and cooking vegetables, you should rinse them under running water; scrub tough skinned veggies with a vegetable brush. Trim sparingly: the green outer leaves of cabbage, for example, are high in food value, and unless they are tough or wilted, these leaves are well worth eating. Peel thinly if you feel it's necessary, or consider leaving the skins on some veggies, such as potatoes. Nutrients are directly beneath the skin and the peels are a good source of fiber and also contain vitamins and minerals.

Slice or chop with a sharp knife. When slicing, use a sawing motion; this will reduce bruising and further save nutrients.

Avoid soaking sliced, chopped or peeled vegetables; soaking leaches out minerals and water-soluble vitamins, especially if the pieces are small. Also, try not to leave the vegetables exposed to air and light. Cook them as soon as you can.

Generally speaking, vegetables need to be cooked only until they are tender but still slightly crisp.

The most misunderstood cooking method, unfortunately, is the one most commonly used: boiling. When a lot of water is used and the process is prolonged, boiling can destroy as much as 80% of the vitamin C, and cook and leach out other vitamins and minerals as well. Too many well-meaning cooks throw away far more nourishment than they realize when they pour the cooking water down the drain. For example: an experiment proved that water in which cabbage was cooked contained more B vitamins than the vegetable itself.

To conserve nutrients and enhance flavor, most vegetables benefit from methods other than boiling, such as...

Sautéed, Steamed & Waterless Cooked Vegetables

These methods are a sounder way to cook vegetables where nutrition is concerned.

Steamed broccoli, for instance, retains 80% of its vitamin C - boiled broccoli, only 33%. The color is also better; the volatile acids in the vegetables rise with the steam to the lid and then run down the sides of the pan into the water below, and so they don't have any sustained contact.

To ensure that the vegetables will cook evenly, distribute them loosely in the steamer; this allows the vapor to circulate around them. A metal vegetable steamer or steaming basket is a good investment but you can improvise with a colander or strainer positioned over a saucepan.

Add the vegetables only after the water is boiling; the high temperature helps to inactivate enzymes that would otherwise destroy the vitamin C.

Sauteing and stir frying are two other nutritionally sound methods. The trick is to cut or slice the vegetables small or thin enough so that the heat can penetrate them quickly and to use the smallest amount of oil possible (only a tablespoon or so will do) so as not to elevate the calorie count unduly. Stirred and tossed over high heat in the few minutes required to cook most vegetables by the saute or stir-fry method surrenders little nutritional value.

A leafy vegetable such as spinach -- which has a high moisture content -- will have enough water clinging to it after rinsing to allow it to be cooked in a covered pot or pan without additional water. With a tougher leafy vegetable like collard greens, a couple of tablespoons of water will effectively aid the cooking process.

Combinations of some vegetables are quite harmonious and colorful. Try some combinations of those listed below. They need to be added in accordance of how long they need to cook and how they are cut. These are in order of when to add them:

· Radishes - cut into rounds
· Carrots and beans - cut diagonally
· Celery - cut diagonally
· Corn kernels
· Sprouts
· Potatoes - quartered
· Turnips - quartered
· Cabbage - chopped
· Rutabagas - diced
· Yams - cut into half moons
· Parsley - minced
· Fresh Peas
· Carrots - cut into matchsticks
· Turnips - cut into matchsticks
· Parsnips - cut into wedges
· Chervil - minced
· Onions - diced
· Squash - diced
· Bok choy or chard - cut into 1" squares
· Cabbage - shredded
· Carrots - grated
· Mung bean sprouts
· Carrots and Broccoli stems - cut diagonally
· Broccoli flowerets
· Parsley - minced
· Cauliflower flowerets

Create a variety of special dishes by adding sauces and dressings.

Now let's talk about Salads