Vegetables: The Right Way to Cook Them
Been to the weekly artisan food market and picked up the freshest, tastiest veg? If that’s the case, our guess is you won’t want to undo your excellent buying choices by subjecting the food you’ve bought to poor cooking techniques. So, what do you do? You bookmark this guide, because when it comes to cooking veg, it’s the only guide you’ll need.
So, here’s a few tips to bear in mind when you’re about to whip up a vegetable cooking storm in the kitchen. Read on…
Don’t Overfill Your Pan
Everyone knows if you cook vegetables in too much water, you lose nutrients. So, what do you do instead? Try cooking them in as little water as possible – microwaving or steaming is the best when it comes to hanging onto the vegetables’ nutrient content. After all, isn’t that what it’s all about?!
The good thing is, steaming or microwaving will give the very same results as boiling – and it won’t take you much longer either. Try steaming potatoes before mashing them. And as an alternative to blanching asparagus, green beens or broccoli, give them a quick blast in the microwave until they’re soft and tender – yum!
Don’t Forget to ‘Fridge’ Your Veg
Okay, we know ‘fridge’ isn’t a verb – but it should be!
Did you know that veg contains enzymes that synthesize and degrade vitamins? After the veg has been picked, vitamin synthesis stops, but degradation continues. But guess what? That’s right; you can slow down the process by simply popping your veg in the fridge before you cook it. Add them to airtight containers if possible and then simply cook via pressure cooking, microwaving or steaming.
Pressure cooking only uses a small amount of water and it takes just a minute or so. Microwaving, meanwhile, also means you won’t lose much in the way of nutrients from your veg. Finally, steaming is a great option – so long as you don’t use too much water in the process!
And Here’s a Few Don’ts – Just for Good Measure
- Don’t fry veg. Just don’t (unless…you know…you’re making a stir fry)
- Don’t be tempted to buy veg that’s going out of date – it won’t be half as tasty
- Don’t just chuck it in the pan; if it looks like it’s past its best, get rid.
Need some more advice on the best way to cook vegetables? Head on over to health and wellbeing site, WebMD – it’s packed full of tips you’ll be able to easily put into practice. Such as this one:
“Cut vegetables into bite-sized pieces so they can cook all the way through quickly. Heat the pan first over relatively high heat. Add oil. Wait until the oil begins to shimmer before adding the vegetables. Cooking time depends on the desired tenderness.”
Now go! And make sure you keep all these top tips in mind when it comes to cooking veg!