If you were like me growing up, you had a tough time eating your vegetables. No matter how my parents spun it I hated the idea of eating anything that looked close to a vegetable. I always thought I just didn’t like vegetables unless they were covered in a sauce or cut up small enough, so I didn’t know I was eating them. It wasn’t until I had grilled zucchini in high school that I discovered my new passion for veggies. Growing up 90 percent of my veggies came from a can. There’s nothing wrong with that and you still get all the same nutrients, but a lot of veggies lose their texture once they are canned. That alone caused me to think I didn’t like veggies. In this blog, I’m going to go over my favorite ways to prepare veggies.
The beautiful world of stir fry. Who doesn’t love American Chinese takeout? The sweet sticky chicken, beef and broccoli, and tasty fried rice. What’s not to like when it comes to these dishes? The question at hand is how we can bring some of these flavors into our own kitchen. The short answer is stir fry. The simple definition of stir fry is to fry quickly over high heat in a lightly oiled pan (such as a wok) while stirring continuously. You don’t need a wok to stir fry veggies, all you need is a large pan with big walls. Stir-frying is great because it cooks the veggies fast, takes on a good color, and keeps the vegetables’ texture. My favorite veggies to stir fry are broccoli, bell pepper, and whole green beans.
Now what if you don’t want a lot of flavors in your veggies? Maybe you’re cooking for a toddler or trying out a dish that doesn’t need your veggies to have any color on them. A great alternative to boiling your vegetables is steaming them. With a large pot and a steam basket, you can cook your vegetables and keep a better texture than boiling them.
There are many ways to cook vegetables. My biggest advice for cooking veggies is to simply put effort into them. Find a new cooking method, try a new seasoning, and even try new vegetables you didn’t grow up eating. I’m a firm believer that everyone likes vegetables, they just haven’t had their favorite yet. Lastly, texture is king when it comes to veggies. Nobody likes an overcooked steak (at least most people) the same goes with broccoli. With different methods and cooking times, you’ll be surprised how good veggies can taste.