Veggie Tips

Written by Langley Fundamental Middle School

Here are some tips on preparing, eating, and vegetables.

Potatoes

• To bake potatoes in half the usual time, let them stand in boiling water for 15 minutes before popping them into a very hot oven.

• To get added crispness, sprinkle potatoes with flour before frying them.

• Put left over scalloped potatoes in blender with some milk. Heating this makes delicious potato soup.

• To keep peeled potatoes fresh and white, add lemon juice to the water you keep them in.

• Do not store potatoes in the refrigerator. The starch in the potatoes will change to sugar.

• Put your leftover hash browns or fresh shredded potato in a waffle iron. Coat the iron with cooking spray first, and season the potatoes. Delicious!

Onions and garlic

• When cutting onions, light a candle nearby. It will help keep you from “crying”.

• You’ll shed fewer tears if you cut off the root end of the onion last.

• No more tears when peeling onions if you place them in the freezer for 4 to 5 minutes first.

• A leftover baked potato can be re-baked if you dip it in water and bake in a 350° F oven for 20 minutes.

• To remove those nasty garlic and onion smells from your hands, rub them with coffee grounds, toothpaste, white vinegar, or even salt.

• Do not store onions and potatoes together as onions give off a gas that makes potatoes spoil faster.

• Bury whole onions wrapped in foil into coals for one hour for a delightful accompaniment to grilled meats.

• To peel pearl onions easily, boil for one minute. Drain, then cut a thin slice off the bottom of the onion and slide off the peel.

• For best flavor, leave garlic at room temperature.

• Toss damp hickory chunks, outer onion layers or garlic halves on hot coal for flavourful meats, poultry and fish.

• The entire green onion is edible. The white portion has a slightly stronger flavour than the green stems.

Go green

• Grandmother always added mint jelly to the peas. They still do in England.

• Don’t toss out the tougher outer leaves of lettuces, they are especially rich in vitamins. Either cut up into smaller pieces for your salad or save for making broth or soup.

• If you double a vegetable recipe, increase the liquids, herbs, and spices by less than one-half.

• Save leftover parsley stems, celery leaves, asparagus and broccoli stalks or other vegetable trimmings. Collect them in re-closable storage bags and freeze. Add to soups, stews and sauces for a boost in flavor and nutrients.

• Use tough green leaves of leeks in vegetable stocks for a lovely flavor.

• When buying celery, pick out the greenest bunches, they have the most flavor.

• When chopping vegetables, don’t forget the celery leaves and broccoli stems. They are healthy and good for you.

• Cook green vegetables in an uncovered pot to retain bright green color.

• Add some fresh mint to your fresh spinach the next time you prepare it for a wonderful flavor combination.

• A little lemon juice added to the water you cook green vegetables in will help them retain their colour.

Corn

• When boiling corn, never add salt–it toughens. Add a little sugar. Delicious!

• A dampened paper towel or terry cloth brushed downward on a cob of corn will remove every strand of corn silk.

• When cooking corn on the cob, adding salt to the boiling water will toughen the corn. Add it after cooking.

White vegetables

• If you rinse fresh mushrooms, give them a whirl in the lettuce spinner for quick drying.

• When cooking white vegetables, add cream of tartar to prevent them from yellowing.

• When cooking cauliflower, add ½ teaspoon sugar to the water to keep the cauliflower white.

Bright colored vegetables

• When storing beets and carrots, cut off the leafy tops to prevents spoilage.

• Grated orange and lemon peel also adds a light touch to fruits and vegetables

• Slice carrots, celery and other vegies on the diagonal for stir-frying; the larger the cut surface the faster the cooking.

Miscellaneous cooking tips

• Do not cut veggies ahead of time or soak in water before cooking, as this will cause a decrease in vitamin content.

• When cooking vegetables, remember, if it grows above the ground drop it into boiling water. If it grows below the ground, start cooking in cold water. (However, steaming is suggested).

• Do not wash veggies before storing, they spoil faster.

• A low fat alternative for sauteed vegetables; use vegetable broth instead of oil or butter. Freeze the vegetable broth in ice cube trays and use one cube of broth in place of one tablespoon of oil.

From “Super Tasting Allstar Recipes” from the parents, students and teachers of Langley Fundamental Middle School.