Vegetables Vegetables

Names for Vegetables - Parts of plant from which they come. Tubers – potato, yam, sweet potato, Jerusalem artichoke Bulbs - chives, onions, garlic, leeks, shallots Roots - beets, turnips, carrot, radish

Stem - asparagus, celery, mushroom, rhubarb Leaves - brussel sprouts, cabbage, chard, greens, lettuce, spinach, Watercress Seeds - beans, peas, corn, bean sprouts, string beans

Flowers - artichoke, cauliflower, broccoli, rapini (italian broccoli) Fruit - cucumber, eggplant, tomato, peppers, squash

Flavors Strong - cabbage, brussel sprouts, turnips, cauliflower, onions Mild - most all vegetables

Nutrients Water content - fruits, stems, flowers, leaves Starch - tubers, bulbs, roots, seeds

Nutrients Contribution Vitamin A – eyes Leafy green and deep yellow vegetables contain carotene which converts to Vitamin A Vitamin C – Most vegetables contain vitamin C - broccoli, green peppers, tomatoes, cabbage Vitamin B - Lima beans and peas

Minerals Calcium: soybeans, okra, collard greens, spinach, kelp, broccoli, celery Iron: soybeans, cooked spinach, cooked swiss chard, peas, chickpeas, turnip greens, collard greens, potatoes, asparagus

Carbohydrates Cellulose, starch and sugar Corn, potatoes, carrots, onions, beans, peas, sweet potato

Proteins Incomplete protein - dried beans, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, artichokes, watercress, sweet corn

Quality Vegetables Firm texture, free from decay, crisp, smooth, dense, free from bruises, good color WASHING veggies helps remove pesticides that might remain on the skins

Avoid nutrient loss Cook in larger, rather than small pieces when possible Use a small amount of water Cook only until fork tender

Retaining nutrients when cooking vegetables Save liquids and use in soups or gravies Stir frying-fast and leaves vegetables crisp Ways to cook and retain nutrients: microwave, simmering, steaming, baking

Ways to cook Microwave: put vegetable into microwave safe dish with little or no water. Cook only until tender, overcooking can make them rubbery. Bake: cook in a casserole Steam: Bring an about an inch of water to boil in a saucepan or steamer. Place veggies in a steamer basket or colander and cover. Stir-fry: putting frozen or fresh veggies in a wok or pan with small amount of oil over high heat stirring rapidly Sauté: cooking veggies in a frying pan with little butter or oil over high heat until veggies are shiny, then cover and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Fried - pan, deep fry, batter/crumbs Pressure cook - quick, good flavor, color Broil - tomato, eggplant

Cooking that destroys vitamins in vegetables Heat Air Water Avoid cooking vegetables in large amounts of water Avoid cooking vegetables for an extended period of time

Color Yellow- carotene White-flavones(White to yellow/dark gray, overcooking cause the color change) Red-anthocyanin(Red to purple/blue, add acid to keep food red, Green-chlorophyll

Forms Fresh - available certain times of the year Canned Frozen Dried

Serving Size How many servings of vegetables should the average person have every day? 1 - 4 cups Serving Sizes 1 cup leafy ½ cup cooked or chopped fresh ¾ cup juice

Selecting and Preparing Vegetables How do you select a quality vegetable? Appearance, feel, smell, weight What are the characteristics you want to consider? Color Firm Texture Smooth skin Dense (heavy for size) Free from bruises No decay Smells good

Care and Storage Refrigerate most. Examine first before putting away. Tubers and root vegetables - store in cool, dry, dark place Canned vegetables - on shelf at room temperature, use within a year Frozen - use immediately when thawed