Pan-cooking zucchini keeps the flavor of the squash fresh and doesn't take much time or talent. Boiling the zucchini in a pot can make it mushy and steaming doesn't add any flavor. If you can slice and saute, you can cook zucchini in a pan.

Canned foods are a convenient and inexpensive way to add fruits and vegetables to your diet, and their rich texture makes them a good meat substitute in vegetarian recipes.

Casseroles are easy to make ahead of time and give you a hot meal on busy weeknights when you don't have time to cook. It's therefore unfortunate that both cooking and not cooking broccoli -- a classic casserole ingredient -- can ruin the final dish. If you're confused about broccoli, fear not.

Watermelon is a juicy and tasty treat during the summer months. It provides you with a wealth of nutrients, including potassium and vitamins A and C, and the fruit has little impact on your blood sugar levels, making it a smart snack or dessert.

Overall, apples are a healthy food choice, rich in fiber and vitamin C. But sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. Apples are high in sugar and have also been known to cause gastrointestinal distress. Pesticide residues are another possible concern, as are allergic reactions in some people.

Potatoes do not preserve well when left whole, but you can turn them into twice-baked potatoes and place them in the freezer for up to three months. This method of preserving works well for extra potatoes from a plentiful garden harvest or a dinner for which you baked too many potatoes.

Succulent pears work famously well as finger foods, but the summery fruit also lends itself to dishes ranging from tarts and chutney to salads and relish.

Christopher Columbus introduced pineapples to Europe when he brought one as a gift to Spain's Queen Isabella from the island of Guadeloupe in 1493. Native to southern Brazil and Paraguay, pineapples were domesticated by the Indians, who carried the plant to South and Central America and the West Indies.

Baby bella mushrooms, also known as criminis, are a type of fungus commonly used while cooking, says Bon Appetit. In addition to its appealing taste, baby bella mushrooms provide a number of important health benefits.

Whether as a snack on its own or in a peanut butter sandwich, fruit salad or bread, bananas are a staple in the American diet. Even most young children know in order to eat the banana, you first have to peel it. Then, most people toss the banana peel in the trash or compost bin.

Bell peppers provide a crunchy, nutritious snack full of vitamin C when served raw, but this vegetable also works well when when grilled, stir-fried, roasted or steamed. You can eat the cooked bell peppers plain, mix them with other ingredients, stuff them or add them to a salsa.

Dried fruit serves as a handy and portable snack; dried goji berries may be a smart choice for your diet. Not only are these dehydrated fruits low in fat, they provide vitamins and may offer health benefits as well.