by MiLa Driver

Created on: January 11, 2009   Last Updated: February 06, 2012

We all want to incorporate more vegetables into our diets but working our jaw on a raw carrot seems more tedious work than fulfilling consumption. Try eating vegetables from a can and you end up with a mouthful of unwanted added salt and preservatives as well as the feeling that you might as well have all your teeth pulled out since canned vegetables tend to be mushy and extremely uninteresting. So what's a busy person to do to add that very much needed produce into our diets? It's not as difficult as it may seem.

First, become accustomed to the idea of always purchasing fresh vegetables at the supermarket. Some vegetables that you should consider using on a regular basis because they adapt well to different seasonings, toppings and recipes include carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, potatoes, and green beans. Tomatoes, onions and garlic are great to always have on hand since they can frequently be used to enhance the flavor of other vegetables.

Once you get used to a routine of having fresh produce on hand for your meals, then prepping them will seem second nature. The best way to eat fresh vegetables is to steam them since doing so keeps most of the nutrients in, enhances their natural flavors, and produces beautiful, vibrant hues which in turn makes them seem more appealing to us. It's okay to eat the same few vegetables week in and week out because you don't always have to prepare them the same way, but do try to go out on a limb and try new varieties as you become more comfortable with fresh vegetable preparation.

After bringing home your groceries, make time to prep your vegetables so that meal preparation during the week seems more effortless. Wash all your produce, cut off the ends of carrots, green beans, and sugar snap peas, trim the stalk of broccoli and cauliflower, peel your carrots and potatoes, and peel your onions and garlic. Keep separately in an air tight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.

Steaming vegetables does not necessarily involve using a steamer. Start by chopping your vegetables roughly the same size to allow uniform steaming. Line the bottom of a pan with the vegetables and then add enough water to cover them roughly half way. Cover the pan with a lid and allow steam to build up inside. Check them every few minutes by poking them with a fork. You should be able to lightly insert the fork into the vegetables when the steaming process is complete. Next, take the pan off the heat source and place your vegetables in a strainer while running them under cool water to stop the cooking process. Assemble them on a large plate. Now the fun part.

One way you can flavor your veggies is by chopping up a tomato and adding it to the pan with your vegetables. You should be able to peel the skin off the tomato after steaming and then chop it into tiny chunks before adding it to your steamed veggies along with some coarse salt and a sprinkling of pepper. Steaming a few cloves of garlic and then smooshing them and tossing with your veggies is also delightful. Chopped, steamed onions also add dimension to the flavor. Also try tossing them with Hoisen sauce or soy sauce. Add lemon or lime juice and salt for a tangy taste. Steam some brown rice and mix in your vegetables for a super filling meal.

Steamed vegetables go well with any protein side; fish, poultry, beef, pork or even tofu. They go well when added to soup made with bouillon cubes. What could be easier? Boil some chicken in water, put in two chicken and/or tomato bouillon cubes, add some egg noodles and then your delicious, steamed veggies! Eating healthfully has never been so easy and so scrumptious!

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