Vegetables. Eat your vegetables….. 8 Families of Vegetables Vegetables come from different parts of the plant. Have you ever eaten the flowers or seeds.

Vegetables

Eat your Eat your vegetables…..vegetables…..

8 Families of Vegetables8 Families of Vegetables Vegetables come from different parts of the plant.

Have you ever eaten the flowers or seeds

of a plant?

Do you know what part you are eating?

Flowers Fruit

Seeds Stems

Leaves

Roots

Tubers

Bulbs

FlowersDid you know that eating broccoli

or cauliflower means that you are eating flowers?

The white head of the cauliflower is made up of little white flowers.

The little green buds of the broccoli plant are also delicious to eat either raw or cooked.

“Fruits” of the Vegetable Plant

• Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and pumpkins are plant fruits that we eat.

These vegetables grow on vines or on separate plants.

• There are many different kinds of peppers and all of them can be sweet, mild, or spicy. Like the tomato, they are green when they are young and change color at maturity.

• Cucumbers can be used to make yummy pickles or eaten raw in a salad.

• Pumpkins are used to make pies, breads, and cookies.

Fruits of a Vegetable Plant…

artichoke

eggplant

okra

Winter Squash

Acorn squash, spaghetti squash, & butternut squash.

A Guide to Peppers The heat of a pepper is measured using Scoville units: The relatively mild poblano weighs in at about 1,500 SCU, while the superhot habañero is 250,000 SCUs.

If you want the flavor without the mouth-scorching fire, remove the seeds and interior ribs from a chile before cooking it.

It's also a good idea to have dairy products, such as milk or yogurt, on hand—they contain casein, which helps neutralize capsaicin, the chemical that gives chilies their heat.

Remember: Always protect your skin by wearing gloves when handling hot peppers.

Corn, peas, green beans.

Corn syrup is used in soda.

Seeds

Stems

Celery Asparagus

Mushrooms

Leaves

• The tasty leaves that we eat

can be eaten raw or cooked.

• Lettuce, cabbage, and spinach are eaten raw in salads. Cabbage and spinach may be cooked before eating.

Look at all the different kinds of pretty leaf vegetables!

Leaves

endive

romaine

cabbages

iceberg

spinach brussel sprouts

Roots

• Carrots, turnips, sweet potatoes and radishes.

TubersTubers

• The spots on a potato are called eyes. They are actually undeveloped buds where

new plants can grow from.

• If we wanted to grow more potato plants, we could cut a big potato into small pieces and plant the pieces that have at least one eye.

• Tubers, like bulbs and roots, grow underground.

Tubers

Red potatoes

Russet potato

New potatoes

Bulbs

Onions

Leeks

Garlic

Scallions

Carrot Diversity

Buying Fresh Vegetables

• Ripeness – are harvested when ripe. Buy only what you can use during storage.

• Color and texture – should be bright and crisp.• Shape – should be typical for the vegetable• Size – should feel heavy in relation to its size• Condition – wilted, decayed or damaged should

be avoided.

Washing and Serving Vegetables

• Wash thoroughly under cool, running water.

• Scrub root vegetables and squash with a stiff brush.

Cooking Methods

Steaming Grilling

Stir-fry Microwaving

Roasting

Baking

Frying

Storing Fresh Vegetables

Except for roots, tubers and bulbs,

most vegetables are highly perishable

and be refrigerated.

Potatoes, onions, and garlic should be stored in a cool, dry place. Place them in a basket or loosely woven bag so air can circulate around them.

Moisture and refrigeration can cause mold to grow.

Washing Lettuces

•Remove and discard discolored, tough, or wilted outer leaves. To clean leaf lettuce, such as green leaf, romaine, bibb lettuce, or curly endive, wash the leaves by holding them under cold running water. •Gently shake dry. Transfer leaves to a colander to drain, dry on paper towel, or use salad spinner.

Drying Lettuce - Water that clings to greens dilutes dressing and makes salad soggy.

Excess moisture causes greens

to deteriorate quickly.

Storing - Wrap cleaned greens in a clean, dry kitchen towel or paper towels, and refrigerate them in a re-sealable plastic bag or airtight container. Greens will stay crisp for 3 to 5 days

Mushrooms

Button, cremini, porcini, portabella, shitake, truffle, & oyster.

Algae - Sea Vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals

Sushi nori

Exotic Vegetables

Fennel

Bitter melonJicama

Kohlrabi

Celery root

tomatillo

Bean sprouts

Convenience Forms of Vegetables

• Canned Vegetables – canned whole, sliced or in pieces.

• Frozen Vegetables – are closest in nutrients, color, and flavor to fresh