Tasty Ways To Cook Vegetables

Vegetables are naturally low in calories, fat, and sodium, and are good sources of important vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Let the natural flavor of vegetables come through. Use less butter, margarine, salad dressing, honey, and soy sauce to keep down extra calories, fat, sugars, and sodium.

Use a minimum amount of water, cook vegetables to the "tender-crisp" stage so they look and taste best and retain more nutrients. Scrub potatoes, cook, and serve unpeeled for more fiber. Try cooking starchy vegetables in unsalted broth for added flavor. Add herbs and spices to enhance flavor. Start with a "pinch" and then let your taste be your guide.

Make your own low-fat, low-sodium, condiments. Try making your own salsa by mixing diced fresh or "no-salt-added" canned tomatoes with diced onions, green peppers, and chilies. Make your own salad dressings. Creamy dressings can be made with plain low-fat yogurt rather than sour cream or mayonnaise. Sprinkle lemon juice and herbs on steamed vegetables.

Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn, green peas, and dry beans are not high in calories. But calories climb up high when vegetables are fried and when sweet or fatty sauces and seasonings are added.

Cooked or canned dry beans and peas are good in main dishes as well as soups and salads. Here are some simple dishes to try. Combine black beans and rice with chili powder or other peppery seasoning for a Caribbean-style dish, or combine black-eyed peas and rice in a traditional Southern "Hoppin' John." Try a mixture of any of the following beans with diced onion and a vinaigrette dressing for a three-bean salad; green beans, kidney beans, lima beans, and chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Add kidney beans or chickpeas to a lettuce or spinach salad. Blend well soaked and cooked chickpeas with fresh parsley, optional clove of garlic, a dash of olive oil and lemon juice, then refrigerate for a surprisingly tasty dip (Humus).

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