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VEGETABLES

It is necessary to eat a wide variety of vegetables, they are now recognized as having all the ingredients necessary to build and maintain healthy bodies. They are interesting to buy, agreeable to prepare, and easy to cook,

Vegetables, should be chosen personally, as early in the day as possible. Green vegetables should be crisp and un-withered, root vegetables firm, unbroken and unwrinkled. Buy vegetables in their proper season and resist attempts to persuade you to purchase them when they are unnaturally early and forced ;

The natives of the Caucasus region in western Soviet Union are often cited as an example for life, unusually high numbers of people in this region live healthy and active lives well past 100 years of age . Hard work has provided them with physical exercise and a meaningful contribution to the community. The Caucasian do not over eat, and their diet has an extremely high intake of natural vitamins from fresh vegetables.

Follow the advice of modern food experts a diet of vegetables and salads is known to keep the system clear of poisons, in a way that no medicine can .

SEASONAL TABLE FOR VEGETABLES

Most vegetables contain protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fibre along with vitamin C and the B' vitamins ( thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin are the most generally known ). It is important to note that vegetables are not sources of vitamins D or B12 that cooking for long periods will decrease the nutritional value of the vitamins in the food .

Vegetables		Natural Vitamin or Nutrients		Season
Artichokes ( Jerusalem )		folate - potassium - magnesium - phosphorus - sodium - beta-carotene - Vitamin B3 - Vitamin C - Vitamin K		October to early June
Cooking instuctions	-	to cook - Steam for 40 - 50 minutes until tender - or - Bake part boil then bake for 30 - 45 minutes - or - Boil about 30 minutes in boiling water
Asparagus		Vitamin B6 - Vitamin C - Vitamin E - Vitamin K - asparagines - folate -		Late April to July
Cooking instuctions	-	Steam or Boil in water for 20 - 25 minutes
Beans ( Broad )		water - protein - carbohydrate - kcal - Fe - carotene - nicotinic acid - Vitamin C		Mid-June to August
Cooking instuctions	-	cook about 20 minutes in boiling water
Beans ( Dwarf )				June to September
Beans ( Runner )		water - protein - carbohydrate - kcal - Fe - carotene - nicotinic acid - Vitamin C		July to October
Cooking instuctions	-	cook about 10 - 15 minutes in boiling water
Beetroots		water - protein - fat trace - carbohydrate - kcal - Fe - Ca - carotene - Vitamin B1 - Vitamin B2 - Vitamin B6 - nicotinic acid - Vitamin C - folate		Late June to April
Cooking instuctions	-	boil in water - 1½ - 2½ hours - until soft
Broccoli		protein - fat trace - carbohydrate - carotene - Vitamin E - thiamine - riboflavin - niacin - Vitamin B6 - folate - folate -  ( lacks fibre )		Mid December to- June
Cooking instuctions	-	cook quickly to warm - aprox 15 minutes
Broccoli (Sprouting)		calcium - magnesium - phosphorus - iron - zinc - Vitamin C - Vitamin E - Vitamin B3 - Vitamin B5 - Vitamin C		March to May
Cooking instuctions	-	cook in boiling water for 15 minutes
Brussels Sprouts		Vitamin A - Vitamin B3 - Vitamin B6 - Vitamin C - Vitamin E - folic acid - iron - calcium - Vitamin C - folate		September to March
Cooking instuctions	-	cook quickly in boiling water to warm through 10 - 15 minutes
Cabbages.		protein - fat - Ca - Fe - kcal - Vitamin A - Vitamin B1 - Vitamin B6 -  Vitamin B2 - Vitamin E - nicotinic acid - folate		All the year round
Cooking instuctions	-	cook in boiling water for 10 - 15 minutes
Cabbages ( Red )		calcium - magnesium - potassium - folic acid - Vitamin C - Vitamin E - Vitamin K - folate -		October to December
Cooking instuctions	-	grate and add to salads - or - can be cooked and pickled
Carrots		beta-carotene - calcium - magnesium - potassium - phosphorus - fibre - folate - Vitamin E -		All the year round
Cooking instuctions	-	eat raw or cook in boiling water for 15 - 20 minutes until soft
Cauliflowers		calcium - magnesium - folic acid - potassium - boron - beta-carotene - Vitamin B6 - Vitamin C - Vitamin E - zinc carotenes -		All the year round
Cooking instuctions	-	cook whole in boiling water 20 - 30 minutes - or cook a Sprig quickly for 10 - 15 minutes - can be served raw in salads
Celery		Vitamin A - Vitamin B3 - Vitamin B6 - Vitamin C - Vitamin E - magnesium - manganese - potassium - folate		September to May
Cooking instuctions	-	eat raw or cook in boiling water for half an hour ( ½ ) to 1 hour
Cucumbers		Vitamin A - Vitamin B - Vitamin B6 - Vitamin C - Vitamin E - iodine -  manganese - potassium - sulphur - beta-carotene - folate		All the year round
Cooking instuctions	-	eat raw
Curly Kale		Vitamin C - folate - iron - calcium -		November to March
Endive		protein - carotene - Vitamin C		September to February
Cooking instuctions	-	Shred and serve in salads or boil and stew for 20 - 30 minutes
Leeks		Vitamin B6 - Vitamin C - Vitamin E - Vitamin K - beta-carotene - folate		August to June
Cooking instuctions	-	cook for about 30 minutes in boiling water
Lettuce		protein - fat - kcal - Ca - Fe - carotene - Vitamin B - Vitamin B2 - nicotinic acid - Vitamin C		Late April to October
Cooking instuctions	-	serve in salads or cook like cabbage

Marrows		calcium - magnesium - potassium - folic acid - Vitamin B3 - Vitamin B5 - zinc		June to November
Cooking instuctions	-	cook for about 10 - 20 minutes in boiling water - or - steam for 20 - 30 minutes - or - stuff and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour
Mushrooms ( raw )		water - protein - fat trace - Fe - Vitamin B1 - Vitamin B2 -		All the year Round
Cooking instuctions	-	fry, or grill for 2 - 3 minutes each side - or - bake or stew for 30 minutes
Mustard and Cress		protein - carbohydrate - kcal - calcium - iron - carotene - Vitamin C - fibre		All the year Round
Onions		water - sugar - protein - kcal - Vitamin B6 - Vitamin C - Vitamin E - folate		All the year Round
Cooking instuctions	-	eat raw - or - boil for 1 hour or add to stews, or fry with meat
Onions ( Spring )		water - sugar - dietary fibre - protein - kcal - Ca - Fe - Vitamin C		March to September
Parsnips		calcium - magnesium - potassium - folic acid - phosphorus - Vitamin B6 - Vitamin B6 - Vitamin E -		August to May
Cooking instuctions	-	boil in water for 30 - 40 minutes - add to soups and stews or steam or bake for 1 hour with meat
Peas ( garden )		sugars - starch - dietary fibre - protein - carotene - thiamin - riboflavin - niacin - Vitamin C - kcal - Fe -		April to September
Cooking instuctions	-	shell and eat raw - or - cook in boiling water for 10 - 15 minutes
Potatoes ( New )		Vitamin B6 - Vitamin C - starch - fibre - potassium - folic acid - protein -Vitamin E - carbohydrate		May to July
		boil in water for 15 - 20 minutes until soft
Potatoes		Vitamin B6 - Vitamin C - starch - fibre - potassium - folic acid - protein -Vitamin E - carbohydrate		All the year Round
Cooking instuctions	-	boil in water for 20 - 30 minutes until soft - or - deep fry 10 - 15 minutes - or - roast or bake for 1 - 1½ hours
Radishes		Vitamin C - sulphur compounds		April to August
Cooking instuctions	-	eat raw serve in salads
Savoys		see cabbage		October to April
Cooking instuctions	-	cook in boiling water for 15 - 20 minutes
Scotch Kale		see curly kale		November to March
Seakale		see curly kale		December to April
Cooking instuctions	-	cook in boiling water for 30 minutes - 1 hour
Spinach		calcium - magnesium - potassium - folic acid - Vitamin B6 - Vitamin C - beta-carotene - iron		All the year Round
Cooking instuctions	-	boil for about 15 minutes until tender
Spring Greens		see cabbage
Cooking instuctions	-	cook in boiling water for 10 - 15 minutes		All the year Round
Swedes		Vitamin B6 - Vitamin C - water - sugars - dietary fibre - protein - kcal - folate		September to May
Cooking instuctions	-	cook in boiling water for 15 - 20 minutes - when old 45 minutes - 1 hour.
Tomatoes		calcium - magnesium - phosphorus - beta-carotene - folic acid - Vitamin B6 - Vitamin C - Vitamin E - lycopene - potassium -		March to December
Cooking instuctions	-	eat raw serve in salads - grill or fry for 5 - 10 minutes - or - bake for 15 - 20 minutes
Turnips		calcium - magnesium - potassium - folic acid - phosphorus - Vitamin B6 - Vitamin C - fibre - folate		July to April
Cooking instuctions	-	eat raw or cook in boiling water for 15 - 20 minutes ( when old 45 minutes - 1 hour) - can be added to soups and stews
Turnip-tops		see above		January to April
Cooking instuctions	-	cook in boiling water for 10 - 15 minutes
Watercress		calcium - magnesium - potassium - phosphorus - Vitamin C -  beta-carotene - magnesium - phenethyl isothiocyanate		February to June
Cooking instuctions	-	eat raw serve in salads

VEGETABLE COOKING

The old rules about vegetables was: put root vegetables in cold water and boil with the lid on, and put green vegetables in boiling water and cook with the lid off. Beyond that we were merely told to salt the water.

All vegetables should be carefully cooked to preserve their food value. Avoid soaking vegetables never soak for longer than 30 minutes in cold salted water.To immerse any vegetables wholly in water is not good, cook in as little water as possible green vegetables require only a quarter of a pint ( 142 ml.) of water to each pound ( 1 lb. = 457.6 grams ), they should be gently and thoroughly cooked in a dish or pan with a tight-fitting lid, salt need not be added. Root vegetables should have just enough water to cover them, they need much slower cooking than green ones,

Vegetables may be cooked either on the top of the stove, in a saucepan with a tightly fitting lid, or in the oven, in an earthenware or oven-proof glass casserole. Several different vegetables may be cooked in the same dish if the minimum of water is used, and no salt is added, each will preserve its own flavour and not transmit it to the others.

You can, for instance, arrange new potatoes, cut carrots, onions, green peas, and asparagus tips in five small heaps in a dish without any fear of them turning out with a general mixed flavour; each will be just as if you had devoted a separate dish to it. Vegetables cooked conservatively are much more easily digested eat them as nature intended, with their health-giving properties preserved and their flavours unimpaired. The old way simply meant that we threw all the " good " down the sink, and ate the flavourless refuse. The principle is conservative cook vegetables - so their own flavour and health-giving salts are " conserved " and not washed away in the water -

ADDING BUTTER OR CHEESE SAUCE

A lump of butter added to the small quantity of water makes vegetables even more delicious, and if you pour a cheese sauce over a dish of mixed vegetables, when dishing, and brown the whole thing under the grill for a few minutes, you will have a meal that contains every element required .

Cooking vegetables in this manner is, of course, a great economy, as much less meat is required and the vegetables themselves go further. At first, you may want to add a little salt and pepper at the table, but gradually your palate will grow more sensitive to the flavours of the vegetables themselves .