These tips are great. While I really like to buy fresh vegetables I must admit that chopping a bunch of them can be time consuming. Nonetheless I do it because I enjoy them and making a stir fry with chicken and vegetables is a real treat. I guess I'm going to have to buy a good chef's knife. I remember when my son paid over $200 for one and I thought he had lost his mind; now I understand but then he is a true chef whose dream is to open a restaurant some day. Joyce
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Sherri Crum Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2007 9:15 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [RecipesAndMore] Re: Ten Tips for Easy Vegetable Preparation Hi Delma, Lots of good and useful info here. Thanks! Sherri On 7/20/07, delma bliss <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Ten Tips for Easy Vegetable Preparation > > Vegetables Made Quick and Easy > > People on low carb diets should be, and usually are, eating more > vegetables than people eating more "regular" diets. If prep time is > what's standing in your way, take note: Including more veggies in > your diet can be done easily and quickly. > > You can get your veggies on the table in a hurry if you: > > 1. Have The Right Tools and Know How to Use Them > Get a good chef's knife, learn how to use it, and keep it sharp. When > you know you can cut up a big mound of vegetables in just a few > minutes, you are much more likely to do it. This one tip has given > our family many more vegetables over the years than we otherwise > wouldn't have eaten. > > > Tip: Don't try to cut too fast at first. Build up your speed > gradually. Soon you will be chopping like a pro. > > For some jobs, a food processor is also very helpful. It can shred a > zucchini or turn cauliflower into "cauli-rice" in a few seconds. > > 2. Set Up Your Work Space > Running all over the kitchen is a time-waster. If possible, set up > your kitchen so you have a work space for cutting right next to the > stove. That way, you can just "chop and drop" as you go. I have a > trash can next to me on the floor and a container for scraps for the > compost (or garbage disposal) on the counter. A plate or bowl for > veggies that aren't ready to be cooked is also helpful. > > 3. Choose Vegetables that are Easy to Prepare > Vegetables that don't tend to be dirty, aren't tricky to chop, and > don't need a lot of extra fuss are your best bets on those evenings > when you don't feel like cooking. Asparagus can be rinsed and the > ends chopped off in seconds. Cabbage is easy to prep; when you run > your knife through it, you get lots of pieces. Zucchini is very easy > to chop. > > 4. Chop Once, Eat Lots > It doesn't take twice the time to chop up twice the vegetables; do it > once and eat for several meals. Once in awhile, chop up everything > left in your vegetable drawer and sauté it all together in a big pan > with olive oil. You can spice it up however you want to. Throw in a > bunch of herbs, some garlic or chopped nuts. You can eat it as a side > dish, in an omelet or other egg dish, or with dressing as a cooked > salad. > > 5. Or Don't Chop > Roast or grill your veggies with salt, pepper, and a little olive > oil. This concentrates the flavors in a wonderful way. It often works > best with the vegetables whole or in larger pieces. > > 6. Order in the Pan > When cooking up a bunch of veggies in a pan, start with the veggies > that take the longest to cook and work your way to those that cook up > in a flash. Generally, this would mean starting with aromatics such > as onion, celery, and carrots, followed by denser options such as > broccoli or cauliflower (I sometimes give these two a head-start in > the microwave, depending on what else I'm cooking), then peppers, > then less-dense veggies such as zucchini and mushrooms, and ending > with greens such as spinach and chard. > > 7. Or Just Cook Quick Ones > It takes almost no time to sauté a little garlic in olive oil (just a > few seconds, until aromatic, or it will be bitter) and dump in a sack > of already-prepared spinach greens. Add a little lemon juice, and > yum. (If you're adventurous, try adding some chopped anchovies to the > olive oil. Chances are, no one will be able to identify them, but > they will really improve the dish.) > > 8. Let Someone Else Do the Prep > Who doesn't love that you can buy a bag of greens that someone else > has washed and picked through? More and more you can buy already- > prepped vegetables at the store. If your mushrooms are already > sliced, it takes almost no time to cook them at home. > > 9. A New Attitude > A few years ago, I decided to try to change my attitude toward > chopping vegetables. Whereas I used to see it as an obstacle to get > through in order to get dinner on the table, I decided to learn to > enjoy it. I can now honestly say that preparing vegetables has become > a relaxing part of my day. It can be almost meditative. Put on some > music and chop away. > > 10. Canned or Frozen is Still Good for You > Some vegetables actually have more nutrition when frozen (or even > canned) near the field in which they were grown than when carted > fresh for thousands of miles. Although I've focused on fresh > vegetables because I think they taste better, there is no shame in > nuking some frozen broccoli for dinner in a pinch. > > > > > > -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.11/909 - Release Date: 7/20/2007 4:39 PM --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
