How to cook vegetables: boiled, fried, baked, frozen, grilled

There steaming and boiling there are usually two ways to cook vegetables”for diet“And we often imagine overcooked cauliflower, gray broccoli and waterlogged carrots. Light, of course, healthy and fast, but attractive. But even simple steamed or boiled vegetables can be it’s delicious with some little tricks or it can be used for more complex recipes such as vegetable and tuna pizza. The golden rule: don’t overcook them and don’t be afraid of salt.

How to cook steamed vegetables

Steam cooks vegetables gently, preserving all nutritional properties: fibers, vitamins, mineral salts, antioxidants are not lost. The color and texture of the vegetables are also preserved. This is another big plus no need to add oil in food, but the spice takes a raw place. So you can better control the quantity and quality.
Do not skimp on making steamed vegetables tasty fresh herbs and spices, both for seasoning and to add to cooking juices: ginger slices, rosemary sprigs, basil, thyme, peppercorns are just some of the flavors you can use. Also pay attention stop cooking as soon as the vegetables are done. This means taking them out of the basket right away, or at least opening them up and serving them right away or transferring them to another container. Ideally, you can also quickly soak the broccoli and florets if you don’t eat them right away. in water and ice to make sure you stop cooking.
The vegetables best suited for steaming are generally green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, asparagus, green beans and peas, squash, and potatoes. If you are mixing vegetables, remember to cut the vegetables that cook longer into small pieces.

Boiled vegetables

For boiled vegetables that don’t look like the ones in the canteen use salt, but most of it will not be absorbed and at the same time you will keep the bright color of the vegetables. It is better to cook them whole, not to despair too much of the nutrients they contain, and then cut them or cut them in any case so as not to make them too small. Also pay attention to the cooking times: drain the vegetables when they are still al dente and run them under cold water or immerse them in water and ice to prevent residual heat from continuing to cook them. Green beans are ready in about 6-8 minutes, broccoli and cauliflower in about 5 minutes, potatoes in 15-20 minutes, and spinach in a few minutes. Reuse the cooking water as stock.

Blanching vegetables: a special boiling

To peel peppers and tomatoes more easily, to remove the overly sharp taste of some bitter vegetables, or to preserve the color of some vegetables bleach. All you have to do dip the vegetables in boiling water and cook for a few secondsit takes enough time for the water to boil again. Drain them, they should not cook, and immediately immerse them in water and ice. At this point you can proceed as you wish. Plus if you eat them as is season with oil, salt and vinegar or lemonalso try serving them with mustard sauce or something yogurt based sauce all white and aromatic herbs.

How to cook frozen vegetables

Already cleaned, cut, prepared, only to be cooked: frozen vegetables are a real lifeline. If they’re natural and not over-seasoned or “cooked,” there’s nothing nutritionally to envy about fresh ones. In contrast, freezing usually takes place a few hours after harvesting, thus retaining all the nutritional properties.
You can blanch them and then saute them in a pan, in the oven, or use them for lasagna, or cook them directly in the pan with a little oil.. The microwave oven is also suitable: place the vegetables in a suitable container and follow the cooking times indicated on the packaging.

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