PREPARING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Vegetables are the workhorses of the nutrition world. They usually are inexpensive, available year round, store well, and are packed full of nutritients. Here's how to buy and prepare them for better health.
VEGETABLES
- ARTICHOKES
If you squeeze an artichoke and it squeaks, it's fresh! Artichokes should be compact, firm and heavy for their size. A slight brown tint in the artichokes you buy in the fall is actually desirable - it's called "winter kiss" caused by frost, and increases sweetness. To prepare, cut off the top 1" of the artichoke, then using a scissor to cut off all sharp tips, cut off the stem and rinse in lemon water. If you want to remove the choke before cooking, gently pull apart the leaves and carefully scrape out the hairy choke. Artichokes can be boiled or steamed until the leaves can be easily pulled off. Eating them is an art - pull off each leaf and scrape the tender bottom between your teeth. Dipping sauces enhance the artichoke's flavor. Marinated bottled artichokes are an easy way to add this vegetable to your repertoire. Feta, Cheese and Rice Salad - ASPARAGUS
Thick or thin? There is an ongoing controversy about which is more tender. It really doesn't matter - just go with your own preference! Choose firm stalks with tightly closed tips. Asparagus can be peeled if you wish, using a swivel bladed peeler, but I never do. Just make sure to stop peeling about 2" from the tips. Rinse the spears well, since they can be sandy. Then hold the spears in both hands and bend until they snap. The spears will break naturally at the point where they begin to be tender. Steam or roast them until tender. Turkey, Asparagus and Strawberry Salad - BEANS
Most legume beans like limas, cranberry beans, black eyed peas, and fava beans are sold canned. If you find fresh, make sure to pick plump, firm pods. Shell them just before using, then steam or boil until tender. I recently learned to love fresh soybeans, which are delicious served as a snack or appetizer. Just boil the whole pods in lightly salted water for 5 minutes, then cool. Shell as you eat. - BEETS
Fresh beets should be firm, round and smooth with no soft spots. They can be roasted or steamed. If you roast them unpeeled, they can be eaten like a baked potato. The red stain from beets is permanent, so cover your work surface with waxed paper as you work. Cut off the stem and root, wash and scrub thoroughly, then cook by boiling, roasting or steaming. After cooking the skins will slip off easily. - BROCCOLI
As the most popular member of the cruciferous family, broccoli has so much fiber and so many nutrients, including those valuable phytochemicals. Choose firm, plump heads with no yellow florets and firm leaves. Separate the florets from the stalk, wash well and cook by steaming or boiling. If you don't undercook or overcook it, there won't be an unpleasant sulfur smell. The stalks can be peeled and cut into thin pieces. Begin cooking the stalks a few minutes before the florets to ensure they are done at the same time. Marinated Greek Salad - BROCCOLI RABE
This leafy green vegetable is popular in Italy and is becoming more available in the United States. It is not a member of the broccoli family, but part of the larger brassica family. Choose firm stalks with crisp leaves. Some yellow flowers are perfectly acceptable. Wash well and cook very thoroughly. Most recipes call for simmering the rabe in water, then draining and sauteeing. The bitter taste may be an acquired taste. - CABBAGE
Cabbages should be firm and heavy, with leaves tightly attached to the stem and the head. Wash the head, then remove the outer tough leaves. Cut or shred the cabbage as directed in the recipe. I most often serve cabbage raw in salads, but it is delicious cooked and finished with a little butter. Tomato Cabbage Bisque - CARROTS
Smaller carrots are sweeter! I love the baby carrots packaged in the produce section of the supermarket. These are actually ordinary carrots which have been thoroughly trimmed to be a uniform small size. If you are buying carrots with green tops, make sure the tops aren't wilted. Remove the tops before storage to increase the carrot's shelf life. Wash, peel if necessary, and cook by steaming, roasting, or boiling. Boursin Soup - CAULIFLOWER
Cauliflower is fairly perishable, so buy it only 2-3 days before you eat it. Choose firm, heavy heads with creamy white florets that have no brown spots. The stem isn't edible. Wash well, cut off the florets, and serve raw or steam them lightly until tender. Red, White and Blue Slaw - CORN
Fresh corn on the cob is one of the joys of summer. Stopping at a farmer's stand is the best way to get the freshest, sweetest corn. Choose firm, heavy ears that have bright green, tightly attached husk and light, dry silk. Husk the cobs right before cooking. I usually boil the corn in a pot full of lightly sweetened water for only 2-3 minutes - really just heating the kernels. To remove the kernels from the cob, hold upright and cut down using a large chef's knife, being careful to cut only the kernels and not the tough casing. Mexican Chicken Salad - CUCUMBERS
Cucumbers you buy in the grocery store are almost always waxed to prolong freshness. I always peel cucumbers before using them. Cut in half and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds, which can be bitter. Then slice or chop and use in recipes. Cooked cucumber has a delicate taste and tender texture. Chicken Artichoke Salad - FENNEL
Fennel looks like a fat bunch of celery. The delicate licorice taste and crunchy texture is delicious. Choose firm, heavy bunches with fresh leaves and no flowers on the stalks. To prepare, wash, then remove the stalks. Cut off the top and bottom of the bulb, then peel if necessary and cut into wedges, slices, or dice. Fennel can be served raw or steamed or boiled. Grilled Seafood Salad - GREENS
Fresh greens are very perishable. If you buy loose bunches, choose crisp, tight heads. Wash the individual leaves carefully and dry them thoroughly on paper towels. I love the prepacked prepared salad greens sold in most grocery stores. Canadian Bacon and Peach Salad - JICAMA
Jicama is a fresh, crisp root or tuber with a sweet apple-y flavor that is delicious sliced raw in salads. Choose heavy tubers with no soft spots. Wash, peel, and slice to serve. It is sliced and served with lime and chili powder in Mexico. Patriotic Salad - KOHLRABI
Kohlrabi is a very nutritious, delicious root vegetable. Choose kohlrabi that is smaller than 3" in diameter. Wash and peel before slicing. It can be served raw in salads, or cooked by steaming or boiling. - MUSHROOMS
Fresh mushrooms are wonderful in salads, especially pasta salads. There is something about the tender, soft texture with a bit of crunch that is delectable. Choose mushrooms that are firm and creamy white, with no brown spots. Only buy mushrooms from reputable sources, and if you hunt your own, make sure you know what you're doing! Store them in a paper bag in the refrigerator. Rinse quickly to wash. Don't soak the mushrooms in water, or they will absorb lots of liquid and be watery. Cut off the ends of the stems, then slice or chop. The thin membrane under the cap that encloses the gills is called the veil. Mushrooms are still fine if the veil is open, revealing the gills. Open veil mushrooms won't last as long, but have a richer flavor. Wonderful exotic mushrooms varieties like portobella, crimini, morels, and oyster mushrooms are now available to add a rich, smoky flavor to your recipes. Grilled Garlic Steak Salad - ONIONS AND LEEKS
Buy firm, solid onions and leeks with no wet spots. Leeks should have crisp, dark green leaves and feel heavy for their size. Don't store onions in the refrigerator, or they will soften. Peeling onions under water is really the only way to avoid tears. When you cut an onion, you release sulfur compounds that irritate your eyes. Holding a match or piece of bread in your mouth just doesn't work. Make sure you rinse leeks very well, as they are grown in sand and the sand really can hide in between the leaves. Oniony Meaty Spaghetti Sauce - PEPPERS
Bell peppers are sweet and smoky, while peppers like jalapenos and habaneros are very spicy and hot. Choose firm, brightly colored peppers and store them covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Wash them, cut in half, and remove seeds before slicing or chopping. Roasting peppers, then placing them in a paper bag and removing the skin makes the peppers smoky, soft and sweet. The seeds and membranes in hot peppers store most of the capsacin, so remove them for less heat. Be very careful when preparing hot peppers to not touch your eyes, nose or mouth or your skin will burn. By the way, drinking milk or eating bread is the best way to reduce the heat taste of hot peppers on your tongue. Wild Rice Salad - POTATOES
Potatoes store very well, so buy them in bulk! Make sure to store them away from onions, however, as they each release a gas that shortens the other's shelf life. Don't store potatoes in the refrigerator, as the starch will convert to sugar and the taste will be unacceptably sweet. Potatoes should be firm, heavy, and smooth with no soft spots or bruises. I almost never peel them before adding them to a recipe, but you certainly can peel if you prefer. Potatoes Grand Mere - SPINACH
Fresh spinach is a wonderful addition to salads. It is soft and sweet with a wonderful nutty flavor. Cooked spinach has more available nutrients, however. I prefer using frozen cut leaf spinach when a recipe calls for cooked, but cooking fresh spinach is very easy. Purchase spinach with crisp, deep green leaves with no bruises or soft spots. Wash thoroughly because it tends to be sandy. Steam the spinach with just the water that clings to its leaves for moisture, until it wilts and turns very deep green. Seven Layer Salad - SQUASH
Winter squashes are hard skinned, heavy fruits (yes, fruits!) that should be firm, with a dry, attached stem. Winter squash is almost always baked. Pumpkins, butternut squash, delicata, Hubbard, acorn and spaghetti squash are common varieties. Summer squashes are more like cucumbers, with tender, soft skin and delicate flesh. Choose firm, small summer squashes with no brown spots. Peel if you like, wash, and slice. Summer squashes are wonderful cooked in a little butter, with salt and pepper. Varieties include zucchini, yellow summer squash, crookneck and scalloppini. Marinated Vegetable Salad - TOMATOES
If you are lucky enough to grow fresh tomatoes yourself, you know how wonderful they are right off the vine. During the fall, spring and winter months, I prefer buying plum, cherry, or grape tomatoes rather than the large woody varieties that are bred for shipping sturdiness. Tomatoes should be firm, but give gently when pressed. If you can buy them from a farmer's market or roadside stand, so much the better! To seed tomatoes, cut in half and gently squeeze to remove the seeds and tomato jelly. To peel tomatoes, dip briefly in boiling water until the skin begins to split. Cool by plunging into ice water, and the skin will slip right off. Mango Tomato SaladHow to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables and you will be much healthier and live longer too!
Linda