Microwave cooking translates to easy cooking. You can quickly cook vegetables in a microwave that you would normally steam on top of the stove. Simply place the vegetables in a microwave safe dish and add a small amount of water. Green beans, peas and broccoli need about 3 tbs.

Cooking vegetables on a grill is a quick and healthful technique. It requires little or no fat, depending on the vegetable, and won't leach away water-soluble vitamins as boiling can. However, there are times when a true grill isn't available. For those occasions, a grill pan can be a useful substitute.

Green bananas are a staple in Jamaica and other Caribbean nations, as well as in India and parts of Africa. In these countries, the green banana is treated more as a vegetable than a fruit, and it is most often prepared and used in dishes much as Americans use potatoes.

Fondue is not just a meal; it's an entire culinary experience. A vegetable fondue can be served as an appetizer or a main course. In this communal do-it-yourself meal, pieces of chopped vegetables are cooked individually on long skewers either in hot oil or cheese.

Vegetable or “veggie” burgers have become commonplace as meat alternatives, joining the menu alongside hamburgers in restaurants and fast food establishments. They are no longer reserved for individuals who follow vegetarian or vegan diets.

Blood thinners such as warfarin or Coumadin are prescribed by doctors for patients who are at risk of serious health complications due to blood clotting. As with most medications, certain foods are contraindicated for patients on blood thinners.

For most people, potassium is a healthy part of their diets, and getting enough is easy by eating a variety of food. But doctors require some people with heart and kidney problems to lower their potassium intake. This turns out to be hard to do, since almost all foods contain some potassium.

Purple kale has purple-green leaves and deep purple stems. The sturdy green is in season in spring and fall when the weather is cooler. Although tender young kale leaves are suitable for fresh use, the tougher larger leaves have the best flavor and texture after cooking.

Tamales contain meat, vegetables and seasonings tucked inside a tender dough wrapped in a corn husk and tied closed. The corn husk protects the tamale during steaming, while also providing its own serving container. Steaming tamales, as opposed to baking them, keeps the dough soft and tender.

Raw and cooked vegetables add flavor, texture and many nutrients to your diet. While eating vegetables raw gives you an abundance of vitamins and minerals, cooking certain vegetables enhances some nutrients. The average adult needs at least four to five servings of vegetables each day.

A sweet, slippery liquid, glycerin forms the backbone of fat and oil molecules. You can get food-grade glycerin, a byproduct of soap making, in bottles at drugstores, health-oriented grocery stores or the baking sections of supermarkets.

Blanching is the brief boiling or steaming of whole foods like fruits and vegetables to kill the enzymes that would otherwise cause unwanted changes to the food during preservation and storage. These changes include loss of color, flavor, texture and nutrient density.