Everything You Need To Learn
How To Cook Vegetables

WHY to eat your vegetables!

After reading on and watching the video below, you're going to want to load up on your veggies. Promise.    :)

Is It Vital To Choose Organics?

It's OPTIMUM to eat organic vegetables all the time since they're grown in soil which is naturally abundant in nutrients. But let's be real, it's not always easy to find organic veggies, plus it can get expensive.

So to make things easier on you, memorize these Top 5 Veggies you should ALWAYS buy organic. Why? Because they are members of "The Dirty Dozen", the top 12 fruits and veggies that must be purchased organic due to the amount of pesticides they contain:

1. Celery
2. Spinach (and other Leafy Greens like Kale and Collard Greens
3. Sweet Bell Peppers (and Hot Peppers if you eat a lot of them!)
4. Cucumbers
5. Cherry Tomatoes
6. Snap Peas (Imported)
7. Potatoes

If you can't find these organic, then don't eat them. Plain and simple.

The missing five of the Dirty Dozen are the "dirty fruits".

And on the flipside, there are "The Clean 15" - those fruits and veggies that contain the least amount of chemical pesticides, in case you can't afford to purchase (or don't have access to) organics:

1. Onion
2. Sweet Corn (technically a whole grain, organic)
3. Asparagus
4. Sweet Peas
5. Cabbage
6. Eggplant
7. Sweet Potato
8. Avocado (technically a fruit)
9. Cauliflower

The missing 6 are the "clean fruits".

By the way, if you get the chance, join a local CSA group (Community Supported Agriculture), or start one up yourself. They are faaaantastic because they support your local farmers, and the prices are usually very reasonable for FRESH, ORGANIC produce! I love what Michelle from Brooklyn has to say about her experience with a CSA.

Click here to locate a food co-operative or CSA near you. Here in Reno, Nevada, our gor-geous Great Basin Co-op ALWAYS has fresh, organic produce, most of it locally grown.

And if you don't have anything like this near you, start your own buying club.

How Much Do You Need?

Eat 4-6 servings of vegetables per day. Having a hard time imagining how you're going to eat that much food? Keep in mind a serving might be smaller than you think! One serving of cooked veggies is equal to 1/2 cup or the size of 1/2 a baseball. Refer to the Vegan Food Pyramid to learn more about serving sizes.

Raw Or Cooked?

Raw veggies are chock full of nutrients and are invaluable to your good health. At the same time, cooking your veggies helps to break down the cellulose walls which makes some nutrients more accessible than they'd be in their raw state.

So what's the answer? Should you eat your veggies raw or cooked?

Quite simply: Be sure your diet is filled with both raw AND cooked vegetables.

Eat one fresh green leafy salad per day (2 cups equals 1 serving), and add chopped raw veggies such as bell peppers, onions, bok choy and grated beets. The more colorful, the better -- and the more beautiful your salad is, the more your mouth will water before your first delectable bite.

As a general rule, I've always found that those veggies that seem to be lacking in lip-smacking flavor in their raw state seem to be the veggies that are best cooked first to make their nutrients more readily available. Every body is different, and the nutrients my body needs might differ slightly from those that your body needs.

So listen to your body -- you'll discover which veggies you prefer cooked and which you like raw. Don't be afraid to experiment to find what works for you. The most important thing is to just get those veggies into your belly!    :)

Some General Rules About Vegetables

• Whenever possible, don't peel your veggies -- the skins contain lots of valuable nutrients;
  
  
• Avoid overcooking your veggies. As a general rule, veggies should be JUST tender when poked with a fork. Green veggies should be cooked just until they turn a bright and vibrant green;
  
  
• When making a dish with more than one veggie (recommended!), be sure to cut them all about the same size so they cook up in the same amount of time (or close to it);
  
  
• To clean root vegetables, simply scrub with a brush under cold running water. Most of your veggies are best cleaned in a bowl full of cold water and an edible acid, such as lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, for 10 minutes -- this will ensure thorough cleansing. 1/4 cup of this edible acid is usually enough for a large bowl of water;
  
  
• Cook only the veggies you need at each meal -- leftover cooked veggies are very sad and have lost their vitality. If they look wimpy, they ARE wimpy!
  
  
• Whenever possible, select fresh, local, seasonal, organic veggies;
  
  
• Most veggies can be washed immediately upon returning from the grocery, then placed into air-tight bags or Tupperware-like containers to keep your greens and veggies fresh. When you're ready to eat, they'll be ready to go;
  
  
• If you own a vacuum sealer and would like to seal your vegetables for the freezer, be sure to cook them GENTLY first -- parboiling seems to work best, meaning drop cut veggies into boiling water for just a couple minutes to JUST begin the cooking process, then remove and run under cold water. Cool thoroughly, and be aware that you may have to use a large bag to allow room for water to "seep" towards the seal without interrupting the sealing action. Random Factoid - Raw broccoli emits a gas that will break the seal on your bags.