•Identify vegetables and their uses.•Explain the value of vegetables in the diet.•Explain how to select and store vegetables.•Describe and demonstrate methods for preparing, cooking, and serving vegetables.

Enjoyed raw or cooked

Appetizers, side dishes, soups, salads, breads, and main dishes.

Add flavor, color and texture to meals.

Contribute significantly to health

Many are rich in vitamin C Leafy green vegetables provide

folic acid, vitamin K, calcium, and magnesium.

Important source of fiber, complex carbohydrates, and phytochemicals.

No cholesterol Most are low in calories, fat and

sodium Many of them may lower your

risk of some cancers and heart disease, because they contain antioxidants, including vitamin A and C and lycopene.

Vegetables are found in different parts of specific plants. What is edible on one plant might not be on another.

Eat the entire plant – lettuce

The other parts – flowers, fruits, seeds, stems, leaves, roots, tubers…

Seaweeds Grow in water with

filtered sunlight Many are grown in

Japan Classified as algae,

not plants Low in fat and rich in

vitamins and minerals Higher in sodium than

other vegetables

Carrageen (KAR-uh-geen) is a sea vegetable that helps produce the consistency of such products as ice cream, salad dressings, soups, and puddings

Other examples: arame, kombu, laver, wakame, nori, dulse, hijiki, agar

Fresh Can be bought locally Can be grown at

home Canned

Look for low sodium Frozen Dried Overall, the

nutrients are the same

Some are regular veggies picked while immature

Others are full grown plant varieties

Ripeness – best to use within 2-5 days

Color and texture Avoid color not normal to

the plant, such as green potatoes. This indicates solamine. It can be cut away.

Shape – look for normal Size – should feel heavy

in relation to its size. Extra large may be overripe, tough and have poor flavor. Too small may have poor flavor

Condition – wilted, decayed or damaged veggies have fewer nutrients and won’t last long. Best to buy without the tops. Avoid veggies that are sprouting.

Except for roots, tubers, and bulbs, veggies should be refrigerated as soon as possible.

Don’t wash yet, as moisture speeds up bacterial action and causes mold to grow.

Potatoes – store in a cool dry place, but don’t refrigerate due to the humidity. The dark helps keep them from turning green. A brown paper bag will work.

Onions – cool dry place in a basket or loosely woven bag, so a can get air circulation. Don’t store with the potatoes, as it will speed up molding of the onion and sprouting of the potato.

Most veggies should be stored in the refrigerator in plastic bags, airtight containers or the refrigerator crisper section. Use perforated plastic bags to allow moisture to escape. Let tomatoes ripen before refrigerating them.

Wash thoroughly even before peeling

Wash tender veggies under cool, running water.

Scrub thick skin veggies with a stiff brush.

Don’t soak – causes nutrient loss

Don’t use detergent – mixes with pesticides and waxes and forms harmful compounds

Don’t peel if possible to retain more nutrients

To keep cut up veggies crisp in frig, Add a few ice cubes

to the covered container they are refrigerated in.

Nutrients – vitamins, C and B are easily dissolved in cooking water

Texture – heat softens the cellulose or fiver of the cell walls, making them tender. Overcooking creates mushiness

Flavor – cooking releases flavors, improving the taste. When overcooked, loss of flavor or unpleasant flavor can result.

Color – when properly cooked, vegetables remain colorful. Overcooking green vegetables, changes the chlorophyll into an unattractive olive green

Add small amount of water to saucepan, cover and bring to boil

Add the veggies, recover and bring to a boil again. Then lower the heat until the water simmers. Cook covered, just until veggies are tender. Drain

Some veggies will simmer in the water that clings to them after washing.

If you plan to peel the veggie (potatoes) do it after you cook them, to save nutrients.

If you have hard water, it can cause red veggies (such as cabbage) to turn purple Add a little acid (vinegar

or lemon juice) to the cooking water

Don’t add salt, it hides the natural flavors

Try to use the cooking liquid

A nutritious method Place steamer

basket in a saucepan with a tight fitting lid.

Add water to a level below the basket

Cover the pan and bring to a boil

Add the veggies and recover.

Good for beets, whole carrots and potatoes

Preserves nutrients well

Cut into large pieces and place in a heavy pan with a small amount of water or liquid.

Season Cover tightly and

bake in oven at 375 until veggies are tender and browned and the liquid is reduced to a sauce

Sautéed, fried, stir fried or deep fried

To speed cooking, add a small amount of water to pan and cover

For baked potatoes Pierce skin Rub with oil if you

want crispy skin Temperature can be

between 300-450 Done when fork

easily pierces

Drizzle with oil and with seasonings and toss lightly to coat,

Place on baking sheet in a single layer

Roast at 425 until browed, tender and caramelized. Turn over ½ way during cooking

Put long cooking veggies in center of grill. Good to wrap in foil

Small pieces can be on a skewer or in a basket

Brush grill with oil To shorten cook time,

blanch less tender veggies first

Marinate Brush with oil and herbs Group by cooking times

Cook quickly and in little water = high nutrients

Arrange strategically Tender parts in the

center Cover Stir Pierce Follow directions for

power levels, cooking and standing times

•Identify fruits and their uses•Explain the value of fruits in the diet•Explain how to select and store fruit•Describe and demonstrate methods for preparing, cooking, and serving fruits

Important source of dietary fiber Carbohydrates Vitamin C Potassium Phytochemicals, such as beta

carotene Low in calories Low in sodium Fat Free Some fruits have bonuses

Oranges – folic acid Bananas – magnesium Raisins and other dried fruits - iron

Fruits is the part of a plant that holds the seeds

There are six classifications of fruits Berries Melons Citrus fruits Drupes Pomes Tropical

Thick rind or outer skin

Juicy Usually have

many seeds Examples:

Watermelons Cantaloupes Casaba (kuh-SAH-

buh)

Small JuicyThin skinExamples –

strawberries, cranberries, grapes, blackberries

Thick rind with a thin membrane separating inner flesh segments

Examples – Oranges Tangerines Grapefruits Lemons limes

A single hard seed, pit or stone

Inner flesh is soft and covered by tender, edible skin

Examples – Cherries Apricots Peaches Nectarines Plum

Thick, firm flesh Tender, edible

skin The central core

contains several small seeds

Examples- Apples pears

Grown in tropical and subtropical climates

Examples Bananas Guavas Papayas Mangos

Fruit Category Uses I have tried this

Apple

Apricots

Avocados

Bananas

Blueberries

Cherries

Clementines

Cranberries

Gooseberries

Grapefruits

Grapes

Kiwifruits

Kumquats

Lemon and Limes

Fruit Category Uses I have tried this

Mangos

Melons

Oranges

Papayas

Peaches or Nectarines

Pears

Persimmons

Pineapples

Plums

Pomegranates

Quinces

Raspberries

Strawberries

Tangerines

Carambola “Star Fruit” Oval shape with four

to six prominent ribs and edible skin

When sliced horizontally, it forms star shape

Doesn’t darken when cut

Ripe – yellow gold with slight browning on the ribs

Flavor – a combination of plums, apples, and citrus

Cherimoya “Custard Apple” To eat, spoon the

custard texture from chilled fruit

Heart shaped Green skin with

imprinted petal shapes

Tastes like a blend of strawberries, pineapples and bananas

Feijoa (fay-YOH-uh) Small, egg shaped Thin, bright green

skin Fragrant, cream

colored flesh Flavor – pineapples

and mint Peel before eating

Lychee (LEE-chee) Also spelled litchi Small with rough

red shell and a single seed

Flesh is creamy white, juicy and sweet.

To eat, remove the shell and seed.

Lychee nuts are the dried fruit

Prickly Pear Produced by

cactus plants Sometimes called

cactus pears Come in a variety

of colors Peel, section,

remove seeds, and serve cold

Sapote (sah-POH-tay) Medium, pear

shaped, Thin, olive-green

skin Creamy, custard like

flesh Tastes like

combination of peach and vanilla

Peel and remove seeds

Tamarillo (ta-muh-RIH-loh) Small, egg-shaped Tough, bitter,

varicolored skin Flavorful, tart,

pink flesh Peel, remove

seeds, and add sugar before eating

Ugli fruit About the size of

grapefruit Rough, thick,

yellow-green skin Juicy, yellow –

orange flesh Divided into

sections Eaten like

grapefruit

Some are available all year round and others are Seasonal

Mature fruits have reached full size and color Ripe fruits are at their peak of flavor and are

ready to eat. They are tender and have a pleasant aroma.

Most fruits are picked when under ripe to prevent them from spoilage during shipping. Grapes, berries, cherries, citrus fruits, pineapples,

and melons won’t ripen after harvest and must be picked when fully ripe.

If a fruit is picked before it is mature, it never ripens

To test fruits for ripeness, press very gently. Ripe fruits gives slightly under pressure. Don’t press too hard.

Natural blemishes don’t affect quality.

Some oranges experience regreening. In warm weather, chlorophyll, returns to the skins of ripe oranges. Bright lights in the produce department can also cause regreening.

Immature, overripe and damaged fruits Lost nutrients Poor flavor and texture Quick to rot

Look for Condition▪ No bruising or damaged spots

Denseness▪ Avoid dry, withered, very soft or very

hard Color Aroma Size▪ Heavier = juicier

Shape

Never wash fruits before storing them Encouraging bacteria growth and

mold

Under ripe fruits – to speed ripening, put in brown paper bag. Adding an apple (produces harmless ethylene, a fruit ripening gas.) If you store fruit in a plastic bag, make holes to allow moisture to evaporate

Store uncovered at room temperature. They can be refrigerated after ripening. The skin turns dark, but the bananas keep their quality

Sort to remove bad ones.

Refrigerate in a perforated, plastic bag or container, in a covered, shallow container, or uncovered in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Store at room temperature. Refrigerate for longer storage.

Refrigerate in an airtight container or plastic bag

Even if you plan to peel them, wash first under cool, running water. Thick skinned fruits can be brushed.

Avoid soaking Some fruits have been waxed for better

appearance and to prevent moisture loss. It cannot just wash off.

Never use detergents. It can react with pesticides and waxes and create harmful compounds.

If you want or need to pare – thinly because many nutrients are right under the skin.

If you need to remove peach skins, you can lower the fruit into simmering water for 15 seconds and then with a slotted spoon, switch to ice water for two minutes.

To retain nutrients, keep the chunks fairly large and serve as soon as possible.

If longer storage is needed, cover tightly with plastic wrap and squeeze out the air. refrigerate

When apples, banana or peaches turn brown it is because the oxygen in the air reacts with an enzyme in the fruit, called enzymatic browning

Ascorbic acid, vitamin C, destroys the enzyme. Since lemon, grapefruit, and orange juices contain vitamin C, you can dip the fruit into one of these juices.

Or you can buy ascorbic acid powder to mix with water and sprinkle on the fruit.

Shapes Kebabs Color Melon balls Baskets made

from rind Fruit dips Frozen fruit bites Trifles – fruit

layered with cakes, custards, nuts, etc

Fresh and frozen have more nutrition

Dried is high in natural sugar

Canned Whole, halved, sliced or

pieces May be packed in syrup. For a quick healthy desert,

puree canned fruit in a blender and serve over angel food cake.

Come with or without sugar.

Freezing damages cell walls, allowing water to run out as fruit thaws, and creating a softer texture.

Thaw only partially

Most common Raisins Prunes Dates Peaches Apples Apricots Cranberries

Look for good color Look for soft and

pliable After opening, cover in

an airtight container and refrigerate

Nutrients – some nutrients, especially vitamin C, are heat sensitive

Color – some become lighter, some deeper

Flavor – become mellow and less sharp and acidic. Overcooking produces loss of flavor or unpleasant change.

Texture – heat causes the cells to lose water and soften, making them tender and easy to digest.

Shape – to keep the shape, add sugar to the cooking water, which draws some water back into a fruit’s cells, strengthening them.

Use a saucepan with a tight fitting lid

If you want them to retain their shape, poach them. Use firm fruits, such

as apples, peaches, plums or pears.

Whole or large pieces Place in saucepan,

add sugar and enough water to cover them. Cover and simmer gently just until ender. Rapid boiling breaks the fruit apart.

Cut into small pieces or leave small berries whole.

Add a small amount of water, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. The cells walls break down and the juices are released. Do not add sugar yet. Simmer in a tightly covered pan, stirring occasionally to break the fruit apart. At the end of the cooking time, add sugar, honey or another sweetener if you wish.

You can add lemon juice, lemon or orange rind, vanilla, cinnamon or other spices.

Side dishes Fruits should be firm

and drained▪ Apples, pineapples,

banana May be sautéed in a

small amount of butter or margarine until lightly browned.

Fritters Dip cut up fruit in a

batter and deep fry until golden brown

Alone or as part of a recipe Pineapple or dried

prunes are often baked with pork

Pies, cakes, cobblers, muffins

Baked apples▪ Core the apples, and

cut a thin skin of skin from the middle, to allow the apple to expand as it cooks so it won’t burst. Fill the cavity with raisins, nuts, spices, and sugar. Set the apple in ¼ inch of hot water and bake until tender.

Any tender fruits that holds its shape Bananas Peaches Grapefruit halves Pineapple slices Canned fruits

Brush surface with melted butter or margarine or use a topping, such as brown sugar or seasoned crumbs to prevent them from drying out.

Choose firm, ripe fruits Cantaloupes Apples Pears Peaches Bananas

Can be put on a skewer

Brush a little oil on the grate. Grill fruit until grill marks form. Turn to cook the other side.

Watch the timing, as they easily overcook

Cover, but leave a small opening for steam to escape.

Pierce whole fruits in several places to prevent bursting.

Pay attention to power levels and cooking times.