So You Think You Can Steam Vegetables?

There are two things steamed vegetables need to contend with. First, there’s the misconception that they’re banal and tasteless. Second, not everyone knows how to properly steam vegetables thus perpetuating the humdrum reputation. I learned with the So You Think You Can Hard Boil Egg post's popularity that it’s dangerous to assume aptitude when it comes to cooking. Since we’re often alone, when cooking, it’s easy to do things in an inefficient or incorrect way for years. Every time I take a cooking class I realize this. So if you’re ending up with tasteless mush, you may be over steaming or under seasoning. Don't jump ship, the benefits of steaming vegetables are higher nutrient retention than many other cooking methods and a very versatile product.

Equipment

I steam my vegetables in an All Clad steamer basket with a perforated bottom and lid.

realize that the lid isn't shown,  my lid is steel clear would be better

You can also use a bamboo steamer, here the vegetables are stacked. It's sort of the cooking equivalent of apartment living. I would suggest lining these baskets with parchment to avoid sticking.

Another option is the collapsible basket, they key here is to make sure the vegetables are above the water level and that the basket can be easily removed from the pot.

And you can steam in a pan with very little water, I do this with asparagus.

Despite my appliance addiction (Vitamix, juicer, Nespresso) I don’t see the need for a stand-alone steamed and while it’s also possible to microwave steam but I haven’t experimented with that method

Liquid

Fill the pot with one to two inches of water. You don’t want the water to evaporate while steaming and burn your pot (good to check if steaming longer-cooking veggies). I start with filtered tap water. It's fun to experiment adding herbs such as thyme, rosemary to the water or throw in a chunk of peeled ginger, pickle juice, wine, citrus and citrus zest though not necessarily all at once. Let the water come to a boil at medium high heat before starting to steam the vegetables.

  

Vegetables

Fill the steamer with vegetables, you can stack even in a single basket but don’t over pack it.   Spring vegetables are so good right now you don’t need to sauté or roast them, steaming is perfect

Artichokes take 30 minutes or a few more.  Wash, slice off the top half-inch and use a kitchen scissors to snip any sharp points on the outer leaves.

Carrots, again I  am not a fan of baby carrots  12 minutes

Broccoli 5 to 7 minutes, for some reason cauliflower a drop longer

Sweet potatoes 7 minutes

String beans and sugar snap peas are pretty quick and take less than 5 minutes

Steam greens kale takes 5 to 7 minutes, softer greens like spinach are done in a few minutes.

If steaming more than 1 vegetable add carrots or artichokes or the ones that take longer first and quicker cookers later.

Vegetables are cooked when they are fork tender. Sprinkle vegetables with Himalayan salt  and if you’re eating right away toss with coconut oil, a sliver of pastured butter or chili oil. Otherwise, store extra vegetables and use in omelets, grain dishes, salads, purees or soups. Firmer vegetables like broccoli and snap peas are great for a snack.  With so many foods out there that are processed or  “too exciting”, sometimes basic, unadulterated ingredients are best. It's sort of the food equivalent of the white button down shirt. Even if you haven't worn a white button down in a while, it's always good to own one.
Do you steam vegetables at home? What method do you use? What are your favorite vegetables to steam? Ever tried an artichoke? Delicious.

Carrots and Beets, Have One and Skip the Other.

It’s no secret that I love to juice. I understand green juices aren’t for everyone and  there’s so many things to juice that aren't green. A recent study showed beet juice to be an excellent exercise aid. Cyclists who swigged beet juice (2 cups) before workouts were able to cycle 16% longer.  Beets are high in nitrates which increase nitric oxide relaxing blood vessels and improving blood flow. Another study in Hypertension, based on this same effect, showed beet juice lowered blood pressure.  If you’re thinking nitrates sound familiar, you’re right. Added, inorganic nitrites (hotdogs, cured meats) can react with compounds in protein called amines and produce carcinogenic compounds. Naturally occurring nitrites in beets and also radishes do not react in the manner and are in fact good for your heart and exercise. Beet juice is intense, I like to juice beets, cucumber, celery and ginger.

And now for the “bad”, not to worry I’m not one of those people who think carrots have too much sugar and therefore should be expelled from the vegetable bin, puleez. I do have a carrot issue and that’s with these

These don’t exist in nature. Baby carrots have greens attached to their tops, they’re not these uniform nubs which are actually “baby-cut” carrots. They’re large carrots that have been peeled, cut and washed in a chlorine solution (of course claimed to be safe) and then packaged. If it’s been a while peel an “adult” carrot, cut it up and do a taste test. You’ll never eat babies again.
Have to tried beet juice? Any foods you swear by for energy? And adult or baby-cut carrots, what do you prefer?

Cooking Homework: Orphaned Appliances and Unread Books

Nobody puts Breville in the corner.

In October, I introduced the concept of cooking homework. It was a selfishly motivated endeavor to immerse myself in slow cookery but many of you seemed enthusiastic about it. The concept was to give yourself an assignment in the kitchen and then report back with progress. Timing may not be everything but my timing stunk and I checked back with all of you in November right as holiday hell festivities were getting started. Nobody, except me, had done their homework.

Well it’s a new (or newish) year, we’re all back from "winter break" and a new semester is starting. I’ll admit, I have temporarily abandoned my slow cooker and retreated to my cooking comfort zone. Only last week did I do a little rut busting and experimented with some recipes from a beautiful new book "Home Cooking with Jean-Georges". The recipes are manageable but I have to laugh when I see accomplished chef’s concept of “simple recipes”.  Simple to me is fewer than 10 ingredients and does not involve butchering. I cooked Cumin and Citrus Roasted Carrots and the most delicious chicken breasts ever and really enjoyed it. So, your first homework assignment is to cook 1-2 recipes from a cookbook you haven’t used or haven’t used in a while. I’ll continue to cook Jean-Georges but also plan to make recipes from “Appetite For Reduction” from the author of Veganomicon and “Healthy Hedonist” from one of my favorite chef’s Myra Kornfeld.

After the cooking homework I clearly need some photo homework

Assignment #2 refers to the photo above.  I’m very fickle in the kitchen and with the arrival of the slow cooker and the Vitamix my beloved Breville juicer (in addition to being fickle I’m a bit of an appliance whore, there are worse things right?) has been orphaned. With Organic Avenue opening just a few blocks from my house, I haven’t exactly been juice-deprived.

Can you name the blogger at the register purchasing everything in sight?

 Their Green Coco juice awaits me after a run or barre class while my loyal juicer sits in the corner tucked behind Nespresso. It took some good old-fashioned guilt to get through to me. I was talking to a friend about kitchens and the items we use every day and she said, “well I keep my juicer out because I use it daily.” “You really make a juice every single day?” I had to clarify. “Every day she insisted”. I love the ideal of juicing again (maybe not daily) and also don’t really think anyone needs to spend $10 for greens in a pretty bottle.  Assignment #2 is to revisit a neglected appliance. Whether it’s the blender, waffle iron or even your oven, change things up and maybe you’ll like it.

Mark your calendars, assignments are due a month from today or Friday 3/2. Class will be in session by 6am but you can “hand in” your work any time that day.

What do you think you’ll do for each assignment? Any great cookbook discoveries or new appliances you’d like to mention? Are you more of a cookbook or appliance whore?

Did I mention the NY Giant's Toaster? It's my son's, I swear. Go Giants!

Healthy Overdose?

The following post was written for one of my favorite sites Blisstree,  please note that I also stole the carrot photo from their site. After you read this, cruise on over there because they are not afraid to get down and dirty when it comes to food and weight (and lots of other things).

 Most likely, a lot of you spend a chunk of your time worrying about food. This makes sense, given that each day seems to bring another food recall, growing concern over mercury levels in fish, and pesticides on produce. Without completely igniting a rash of food fears, what if I told you that some your basic run-of-the-mill foods also carried their own risks? In excess, foods such as carrots, green tea, and even bran can be problematic. I learned my lesson first-hand 15 years ago. I was a college student with aspirations to be healthy (okay, skinny), and limited culinary skills. My cooking repertoire amounted to brown rice, black beans, and scrambled eggs. I also ate carrots – a lot of carrots – because they required no cooking at all.

When I came home for Thanksgiving during my sophmore year, my mother thought I was jaundiced. Though a fair assumption for a college student in New Orleans, it wasn’t the Jägermeister or Jim Beam that proved to be the problem. It was the carrots. I had carotemia – mainly due to an excessive intake of carrots. Carrots contain significant amounts of carotenoids. When the amount of carotenoids a person ingests exceeds the body’s ability to use or store it, levels build up in the bloodstream, which causes the skin to turn orange or yellow. Way too much of a good thing.

Lately I started thinking: What other good things can we get too much of?

Some foods and supplements act as natural blood thinners. I always keep this in mind when clients are taking blood-thinning medications. (If your blood is too thin, it doesn’t clot. And if you bleed, you bleed a lot…Not good.) If you aren’t on blood-thinning meds, you still should bear in mind that certain foods can block Vitamin K (which helps with clotting), and thin your blood. Spices that are high in salicylates (such as curry powder and cayenne), fruits such as grapes and oranges, and even cider and honey may not be beneficial in huge quantities. Fish, specifically omega-3 fatty acids, can thin your blood if you ingest or supplement with more than 4,000 mg daily (or 4+ servings of salmon). Of course, all of these foods are healthy, and most of the blood-thinning is undetectable (and can be desirable), but if you’re a twice-daily salmon-eater, or consume pounds of grapes, it may be time to branch out.

Because I was investigating “overdosing” on seemingly healthy foods and nutrients, I was curious about fiber. It’s recommended that women get 25 grams daily and men get 30 grams. But believe it or not, too much fiber can actually cause constipation. Huge amounts of fiber can cause an intestinal blockage which can be serious enough to require surgery. So anything above 50 grams a day may be way too much.

When Blisstree asked me to weigh in on this subject, they asked me about avocados, which are rich in potassium. We need potassium, but it’s tricky because it affects the way our heart beats. For this reason, I never suggest that clients supplement with potassium, but instead get it from their diets. Too much potassium can lead to a dangerous condition called hyperkalemia, which can lead to heart palpitations. Because the RDI for potassium is 4.200 mg (or 4.79 avocados), I don’t suggest exceeding this amount in your diet – no matter how much you love guacamole.

As the saying goes, everything in moderation. Nutrients, like diets, are best when balanced. Too much of anything – even if the thing is natural and healthy – can be a problem. And now that I’ve freaked myself out a little, I could really use a shot of Jägermeister.
Have you ever had an overdose (healthy or otherwise)? Are there certain foods you eat too much of? Do you like Jagermeister? Please comment, otherwise I may hit the carrots again.