Veggies on our table

I could live in a week with only vegetables serve on meals-neither meat nor fish. It’s the same thing with hubby. Maybe we’re aspiring to be vegetarians? LOL! I love vegetables! Our parents inculcated on us the importance of vegetables. They are the sources of calcium, riboflavin and iron. When a good variety of veggies is eaten in generous amount each day, the bodies’ nutritional needs will be abundantly met.

Many of the veggies can be cooked in a very simple manner like baking in whole and boiling. To keep veggies from looking monotonous, include yellow or orange ones.

Here are ways to get the most benefits from vegetables:

• Serve raw vegetables like lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, carrots and turnips as often as possible.

Here in Thailand’s restaurant (carenderia), it’s very common to find raw veggies like beans, cucumber, small eggplants, aubergine and other veggies that I haven’t tried yet coz we didn’t use to eat them in the Philippines on tables for free. They are usually served with shrimp paste.

• Cook vegetable fresh from your garden. If it is not possible, chose those that are fresh. Veggies deteriorate fast in nutrients and palatability. Grilled or overcooked veggies lose most of their ascorbic acid content.

I missed picking up fresh camote tops from our garden…oppps..from our neighbors’ garden actually in our previous place…he..he…

• Cook vegetables whole or in large pieces ( I usually do this in boiling or if I add-on veggies in soup). More nutrients are retained when less surface area is exposed.

• Steam vegetables quickly or boil in as little water as possible. Add veggies to boiling water. Reduce heat when boiling resumes.

• Never use baking soda. It destroys vitamins.


• Serve vegetables immediately.