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Carrots |
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A plant of the parsley family with feathery
green leaves and an orange root that can be eaten raw or cooked. The
most commonly found carrots generally have a long, narrow, cylindrical
cone shape root, but they are also found in other varieties that may
be thick and short in shape, or that are purple, yellow, or white in
color. The carrot has a sweet flavor and is one of the most popular
versatile root vegetables. Carrots may range in length from 2 inches
to 2 or 3 feet but are generally 8 to 9 inches in length when harvested
to sell as fresh market carrots. More mature carrots are used for processing.
Carrots are high in sugar and fiber and are an excellent source of
carotene, which gives the carrots their bright orange color. Carrots
are also a good source of other nutrients, such as potassium, calcium,
magnesium, vitamin A, and folic acid. |
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Beans |
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A
generic name given to various plants in the legume family. There
are three stages of bean development, based on the maturity of
the bean that determines how the bean is used. The first stage
is when the bean is immature and the bean (or seed) and the pod
are both very young and tender. This is |
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the
stage when the bean and pod are both eaten, either raw or cooked,
and they are referred to as fresh, baby or snap beans. During the
second stage, the bean begins |
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to mature.
The pod is tough but the bean can be removed from the pod, just
like peas, cooked for a short period of time and eaten. Beans
at this stage are referred to as fresh-shelled beans. The third
stage is the point at which the pod and bean have dried on
the stalk and the bean moves freely within |
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the
enclosed
pod. The bean is then taken out of the pod that is to be discarded,
and the bean can then be stored for future use in a variety of
food dishes. At this stage the bean is referred to as a shelled,
dry shelled, or dried bean. Many beans are also available as
a canned or frozen product |
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Cabbage |
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A vegetable consisting of layers of thick
leaves that grow around each other from the stem. The leaves of
some varieties form dense, solid heads and others have leaves that
grow more loosely around each other. Some varieties have smooth leaves
and some have crinkled leaves. Their outer leaves are generally darker
green than the inner leaves. Some varieties are dark purplish red
and |
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| some are white. Among the varieties,
savoy with green leaves, Napa, which has pale green to white leaves,
red cabbage, and bok choy (Chinese cabbage) with white stems and dark
green leaves. Cabbage is a good source of nutrients and contains a
fair amount of soluble and insoluble fiber. When cooked, cabbage gives
off a very pungent odor. |
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Cauliflower |
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A vegetable that consists of undeveloped
white florets attached to a single stem that form a compact, cabbage-like
head, called a curd. The curd is generally 6 to 7 inches in diameter.
The white head is surrounded by long green leaves that are attached
to the stem. These leaves protect the cauliflower from the sunlight,
preventing chlorophyll from developing in the cauliflower. Because
the head is protected by the leaves, the head stays white. The
older varieties of cauliflower had to have the leaves tied up around
the curd to protect it but now varieties have been developed where
the leaves grow up and around the curd to protect it without tying.
Cauliflower is closely related to broccoli but has a denser, more
compact head, and it is most often white. It has a creamy, sweet,
slightly nutty flavor and even though the florets are the most
common part of the cauliflower that is eaten, the stem and leaves
are also edible. |
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Garlic |
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A bulbous plant consisting of single
head containing smaller bulbs or cloves individually wrapped
in papery skins, which are all wrapped tightly together with
another layer of dry papery skin, forming the bulb head. Garlic,
like onions, leeks and scallions, are part of the allium family.
Garlic, one of the most important and widely used seasonings
for food dishes, is available fresh or dried. However, dried
garlic is the most commonly used type of garlic and can be
found in a white, pink or purple variety. When it is used in
a raw form, it is pungent and slightly bitter, but it becomes
very mild and sweet when sauteed
or baked. |
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Greens |
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A generic name given to several types
of leafy vegetables such as spinach, mustard greens, escarole,
dandelion, and turnip greens that are often used in salads. Each
type has a unique flavor and can be eaten alone or mixed with other
types for a blend of flavors. The different tastes and textures
of various greens adds diversity to a salad. They have a higher
nutritional content than lettuce and most often the darker the
leaves are, the higher the nutritional content. Also referred to
as "salad greens". |
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Mushrooms |
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The mushroom is just one of a very large,
diverse group of organisms called fungi. It is similar to a plant but
lacks chlorophyll, so they cannot produce food for themselves through
photosynthesis. The mushroom is a decomposer that absorbs nutrients
from materials such as compost, leaves, decaying wood, and soil. There
are many types of mushrooms, varying in size, shape and color, with
surfaces that range from smooth and silky to pitted and honeycombed.
The most common and readily available are the cultivated white mushrooms, |
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which have a mild flavor and can be
used in many types of dishes. Wild mushrooms, such as chanterelle,
morel, shiitake, portobello and oyster, will provide a more intense
and exotic flavor. Generally, mushrooms contain 90 percent water
and have few calories. The fat and carbohydrate content is minimal
and they do not contain any cholesterol. They are rich in protein
and contain vitamins such as B, C and D, while a few contain vitamin
A. Be aware that some of the vitamin values are destroyed during
the cooking process. |
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Onions |
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Onions
are vegetablesthat belong to the lily family of plants.It
is grown for itsedible bulb,which most often serves toflavor
avariety of foods Onions are categorized as being either
green or dry onions.Green onions are small onions that are
harvested before the bulb has matured and the tops are
still |
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green. Dry onions, also known as mature
onions, are harvested when their shoot has died and layers of papery
thin skin cover a firm juicy flesh. There are two types of dry
onions, fresh (Spring/Summer), which are also referred to as sweet
onions and storage (Fall/Winter) onions. There are a wide variety
of shapes and sizes, ranging from small round pearl onions to the
larger spherical-shaped Spanish onions. Sweet onions have higher
water content and are served either raw or cooked. Storage onions
contain high sulfur content and less moisture, so they can be kept
in storage for longer periods of time. The storage onion is used
in cooking, providing a sharper and more flavorful taste than sweet
onions. |
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Peas |
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| Varieties of small round legumes that
are typically classified as fresh, field or pod peas. The fresh
pea is a small, round green vegetable, which is grown in a pod
and is generally harvested in the early summer. The fresh pea is
grown to be removed from the pod and eaten raw or cooked. Field
peas, unlike fresh peas, are grown to be dried and then split or
used whole for use in purees,
soups and food dishes requiring thickening. Pod peas, such as the
snow or sugar snap pea are grown to be eaten with both the pod
and the pea together, either raw as a fresh pea or cooked. |
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Potatoes |
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The most popular tuber vegetable in
the world. It is available in hundreds of varieties, which vary
in size, shape, taste, color, and starch content. Potatoes contain
20% indigestible starch, which makes it necessary to cook them
in some manner before consuming. Potatoes can be cooked using most
any cooking method desired. They are also converted into commercial products, such as potato
chips, |
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instant mashed potatoes, canned new
potatoes and many frozen products including French fries, hash
browns, and stuffed baked potatoes. |
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Tomatoes |
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In the plant family, the tomato is classified
as a fruit (berry), but when eaten it resembles a vegetable. Raw
or cooked tomatoes have a sweet, acidic flavor and a juicy flesh.
Available in different sizes, shapes and colors, tomatoes can be
large and round like, oval shaped as are Roma or plum tomatoes,
pear shaped like pear tomatoes, or small and bite size, such as
cherry and grape tomatoes. Tomatoes are available in a range of
colors, such as green, yellow, red, and purple. |
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