Eat your Veggies! Simple Cooking Methods

Vegetables add colour, taste, texture and bulk to our daily diet. There are dozens of different vegetables that can be prepared in literally hundreds of ways. So what's best?

There is no best. The thing to do is to eat your vegetables, lots of them, everyday in a wide variety of ways and stop worrying about the preparation methods. Variety is the key...

Raw

Many vegetables taste fabulous just the way they are straight out of the garden. Lettuce, tomato, celery, cabbage, onion, radish, carrot are obvious choices here. But they are just as likely to find themselves next to chopped up broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans and zucchini on a starter platter with dips. Wash 'em, chop 'em and eat 'em. Oh, yeah, you could also make a salad!

Steamed

Steaming heats the vegetable and softens it's texture. It's gentler than boiling and allows the vegetable to maintain it's colour if not overdone. Use a stainless steel steamer that will fit into most good size sauce pans. Make sure you use a pan with a tight fitting lid. There should be enough water to just touch the bottom of the steamer. Water should be simmering the whole time the vegetables are being cooked.

Boiling

Boiling vegetables is really going out of fashion, but it's a legitimate preparation method! The big concern is loss of nutrients. All cooking methods result in the loss of some goodness from the vegetables. If boiling, try to find a way to use the water the vegetables have been boiled in (i.e. to make a gravy or sauce) to bring those nutrients back to the table. Vegetables should be barely covered with water. Bring the water to a boil (covered) then slow to a simmer until vegetables are tender.

Microwave

Very popular for vegetables as it retains colour, flavour and nutrients. Trial and error will be your guide with microwaving as there are plenty of variables involved. However, a few guidelines will help...The more food you put into the oven, the longer it will take to cook. Underestimate your cooking time rather than overestimate. Undercooked food can be cooked some more. Over-cooked food is ruined. Food straight from the fridge will take longer to cook than that at room temperature. All food continues to cook after it has been removed from the microwave oven. It is part of the cooking process and should be taken into account to prevent over-cooking.

Stir Fry

Very rapid method of quick frying vegetables, meat (optional) and sauces in one pan to make a meal. Primarily associated with Asian cooking. The key to doing this well is preparation. All items to be cooked should be chopped to a size that will allow them to cook quickly in the wok. It is also important that the wok is heated to a high, consistent temperature throughout. Vegetables maintain their colour and crispness with this sort of cooking (if not overdone).

Baking

Brilliant! Especially for those 'root' vegetables like potatoes, turnip, carrot and beetroot. Chop into similar size pieces, brush lightly with olive oil and put in a hot oven to roast. Size of the pieces will determine the cooking time but expect at least 40 minutes. Outside is chewy, inside is moist and fluffy. Dress with sour cream and chives. Yum!

Barbeque

Does anything scream summer like the word barbeque? Love a barbeque. This is primarily open flame cooking, so could apply to a campfire as well. Cooking outside just changes everything about food. You'll need foil, fire and fresh veggies. Grease your foil, chop your veggies and put the closed packages on the grill. Be adventurous, it's really hard to mess this up!

Judy Williams (http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com) splits her time between being a media executive and an earth mother goddess. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.

---

Cooking With Kids--Safely!

School's out! And summer is a good time to introduce... Read More

Cooking -- What You Need To Know

From ancient times till the nineteenth century cooking was basically... Read More

Homemade Whipped Cream

Most grocery stores carry cans of whipping cream ready to... Read More

Chinese Cooking Technique: Deep Fry

There are usually 2 ways of deep frying in Chinese... Read More

Wok this Way! (Part 1 of 5)

IntroductionWoks have been synonymous with Chinese cooking since the emergence... Read More

Chinese Cooking Technique: Thicken

"Thicken", or "Thickening" is a very common technique used in... Read More

How to Prepare the Best Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Would you like to prepare the best Garlic Mashed Potatoes... Read More

Gourmet Sauces, Rubs and Marinades - Give Your BBQ a Gourmet Kick

Many individuals agree that the sauce on barbecued meat is... Read More

Alone In the Kitchen: Stirring Up Mindfulness

Put on your apron! It's time to stir up a... Read More

10 Easy Ways To Protect Your Family From Food Poisoning

Do you realize the many ways that bacteria can contaminate... Read More

10 Dishes Every New Bride or Groom Must Know How to Make!

Okay, you've either gotten married or are planning to pretty... Read More

The Right Grill for Your Barbecue

Barbecue is a mix of talents. There is the choice... Read More

Caring For Your Wooden Cutting Board

Researchers have found that bacteria have a tougher time surviving... Read More

Do you own an AGA or RAYBURN cooker ?

The Cooker-rail....This is a novel way of increasing the drying... Read More

Wok this Way! (Part 2 of 5) Selecting a Wok

As mentioned in Part 1 of the series, woks come... Read More

What is a Serving Size?

Have you ever wondered how much a serving really is.... Read More

Easy Herb Butters

Since herbs are plentiful this time of year, why not... Read More

Eating Healthy with a Meat Grinder

While it may be surprising, owning your own meat grinder... Read More

How to Cook a Lobster

French chefs plunge them into boiling water; English ones, in... Read More

10 Simple Ways To Safely Store Food

Storing foods can present its own set of problems. And... Read More

Wok this Way! (Part 4 of 5) Cleaning and Caring for Your Wok

Non-stick woks do not require seasoning, and come with simple... Read More

To Fry Or Not To Fry?

Here's a little known factoid - did you know that... Read More

Bread in the Woods

We really like fresh bread while we're camping. There is... Read More

Fruit Cake

Are you the fruit cake in your family? Before you... Read More

Baking Bread and Your Freezer

There's a lot of bread in our freezer. In our... Read More

10 Wide Open Tips For Food Safety In The Great Outdoors

Hiking, camping, and boating are good activities for active people... Read More

How to Make Homemade Ice Cream (Without an Ice Cream Maker!)

COLFAX, WISCONSIN - June is Dairy Month and what better... Read More

How to Make a Cajun Roux

The process of preparing Cajun food is in no way... Read More

50% Less Cooking

50% Less Cookingwithout hitting the fast food button! Don't you... Read More

Barbecue Success With The Rule Of Thirds

Ever been to a barbecue party where the 'chef' placed... Read More

Digital Thermometers

Types of digital thermometers & their culinary uses.Thermocouple:Of all food... Read More

Kitchenaid Stand Mixers ? A Kitchen Work Horse

Kitchenaid stand mixers are very popular in today's kitchens and... Read More

The Perfect Scone: Keys to Make Your Scone Just Right

Ah, there's nothing like a tender, steaming scone in the... Read More