Message of the Day
FRESH, FROZEN, CANNED
Growing up, I only knew vegetables one way. FRIED! I didn`t even know
what
vegetable I was eating, because all of them looked the same – FRIED!
Yes, we
had salad on the table for dinner, but us southerners really liked to
ladle
on the dressing, so it`s more like a bowl of dressing with some lettuce
and
chopped tomatoes in it.
I did not become adventurous with vegetables until I came to California
in
the early seventies and opened up a salad bar in Beverly Hills called
"Ruffage." I would get up at four o`clock in the morning and go to the
wholesale produce market to pick up lots of veggies for the day. I made
friends with all the salespeople there, and they would let me taste all
the
vegetables that had been picked and shipped to them. I began having
salads
every day! I tried all kinds of combinations, and when I began eating
vegetables, I began feeling healthier!
There are three ways you can buy veggies nowadays. You can buy them
fresh,
and that`s the best way to eat them. There`s something about the taste
of
freshness that cannot be duplicated. All around the country, there are
many
big supermarkets and massive superstores that have a great selection of
fresh produce at very affordable prices.
The next best thing is frozen. The frozen food department is busting
with
bagfuls of frozen veggies. I picked up a few myself last week. I got
one
with broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower, and another with water
chestnuts,
bell peppers, and zucchini. I keep them handy when I want to make a
quick
vegetable soup or a stir-fry. Sometimes I steam the veggies and add
them to
a baked potato or some pasta.
The third way to purchase veggies is in a can. Before writing this
message,
I bought various cans of veggies. I bought canned spinach, canned green
beans, and canned mixed vegetables. Well, I found that these veggies
tasted
very salty and very soggy. They just didn`t make my taste buds sparkle.
If
for some reason you have to buy canned vegetables, please rinse them
off
before cooking with them.
Are you eating enough portions of veggies every day? How many – five,
six,
seven? Are you eating salads for lunch, snacking on carrots and celery
sticks for snacks during the day? Are you serving a side of vegetables
with
your evening dinner?
Tell me your favorite way of serving veggies. Are they simple, or are
they
edgy? ;-)
Love,
Richard
