Best Ways to Cook Vegetables
Best Ways to Cook Vegetables
False
Steamed vegetables are synonymous with healthy eating for good reason. Steaming cooks vegetables without submersing them in water, so they are more likely to retain vitamins and minerals. Unlike sautéing, steaming doesn’t require oil, so it’s a great way to prepare vegetables if you’re watching calories. The best vegetables for steaming include broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, leafy greens like spinach, and other relatively tender vegetables.
Kitchen Tip: Aromatic spices such as cinnamon sticks, lemongrass, and ginger can be added to the steaming liquid to permeate vegetables with subtle flavor.
When the weather is warm, grill vegetables outside on the barbecue. Like roasting, grilling locks in flavor and caramelizes the surface of vegetables, giving them a crispy sweetness. Grilling is a terrific way to prepare corn, sweet peppers, zucchini and other squash, onions, potatoes, and a variety of other vegetables.
Kitchen Tip: If you have a gas cook top, you can grill vegetables inside all year round. Hold the vegetables with tongs above the flame, turning to cook them evenly. Another option is to place vegetables on a grilling basket over the flame. Bell peppers, available most of the year, are perfect for grilling over a stove top.
Vegetables feature in many classic sauces and spreads. A classic favorite from Spain, romesco sauce, combines roasted red peppers with almonds, hazelnuts, olive oil, and vinegar to create a flavorful sauce that can be used with fish or vegetable dishes. Classic Italian pesto sauce is made with generous handfuls of basil blended with pine nuts, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. To make a rich-tasting vegetarian pate, sauté mushrooms and onions, season with Italian spices or herbs de Provence, and blend in a kitchen blender.
Kitchen Tip: Invest in a good food processor, which makes vegetable-based sauces and spreads much easier.
Next Article:
Skip to Article Content- Guide to a Healthy Kitchen
- Healthy Recipe Makeovers Give your favorite comfort foods a healthy makeover.
- Better Brown-Bag Lunches Try these healthy, easy lunches and snacks for work or school.
- Surprise! How to Feed a Crowd Unexpected guests? Here's how to throw together a nutritious meal in a flash.
- How to Whip Up Simple Meals No time to shop? You can usually turn out a delicious meal from what's on hand.
- Healthy Fish Recipes These sizzling seafood recipes will please nearly everyone.
- 10 Tips for Fast, Healthy Meals These quick and easy recipes require very little time in the kitchen.
- Best Food, Worst Food in Pantry Beware of canned soup filled with salt. You have far better foods in stock.
- Best Ways to Cook Vegetables Discover a whole new way to eat vegetables with these tasty techniques.
- Whole Grains With Great Taste They're good for you, and now you can find out how to make them taste great.
- Great Grains You Don't Know Quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, and more: Unusual grains make a comeback.
- 10 Nutrients You May Be Missing Are you getting enough of these 10 key vitamins and nutrients for health?
- High-Fiber Feasts Find out how to get more whole grains into your family.
- Best Leafy Greens Our expert ranks and rates the best leafy greens for health.
- Dairy Myths and Truths Get the plain truth about the benefits and risks of dairy foods.
- How Much Protein Do You Need? Do you get enough protein? Do you get the best types?
- All About Omega Fatty Acids Omega-3 and omega-6 offer proven health benefits.
- The Truth About Gluten Behind the claims and counterclaims about gluten.
- 12 Staples for Every Pantry Make sure you have these culinary work horses in your pantry.
False
Best Ways to Cook Vegetables
Steaming Vegetables
Steamed vegetables are synonymous with healthy eating for good reason. Steaming cooks vegetables without submersing them in water, so they are more likely to retain vitamins and minerals. Unlike sautéing, steaming doesn’t require oil, so it’s a great way to prepare vegetables if you’re watching calories. The best vegetables for steaming include broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, leafy greens like spinach, and other relatively tender vegetables.
Kitchen Tip: Aromatic spices such as cinnamon sticks, lemongrass, and ginger can be added to the steaming liquid to permeate vegetables with subtle flavor.
Grilling Vegetables
When the weather is warm, grill vegetables outside on the barbecue. Like roasting, grilling locks in flavor and caramelizes the surface of vegetables, giving them a crispy sweetness. Grilling is a terrific way to prepare corn, sweet peppers, zucchini and other squash, onions, potatoes, and a variety of other vegetables.
Kitchen Tip: If you have a gas cook top, you can grill vegetables inside all year round. Hold the vegetables with tongs above the flame, turning to cook them evenly. Another option is to place vegetables on a grilling basket over the flame. Bell peppers, available most of the year, are perfect for grilling over a stove top.
Making Vegetable-Based Sauces
Vegetables feature in many classic sauces and spreads. A classic favorite from Spain, romesco sauce, combines roasted red peppers with almonds, hazelnuts, olive oil, and vinegar to create a flavorful sauce that can be used with fish or vegetable dishes. Classic Italian pesto sauce is made with generous handfuls of basil blended with pine nuts, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. To make a rich-tasting vegetarian pate, sauté mushrooms and onions, season with Italian spices or herbs de Provence, and blend in a kitchen blender.
Kitchen Tip: Invest in a good food processor, which makes vegetable-based sauces and spreads much easier.
Source...