Preparing Fruits, Vegetables,

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Preparing Fruits, Vegetables, Legumes
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What counts as a serving?

• three-fourths cup (6oz.) 100 percent fruit or
  vegetable juice
• one medium fruit (e.g. apple, banana, peach)
• one-half cup cut up fruit
• one-half cup raw or cooked vegetables
• one-fourth cup dried fruit (e.g. raisins,
  apricots, dates)
• one cup raw, leafy vegetables
• one-half cup dry, cooked or canned peas or beans

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Nutritional Value

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Vitamin A C
• Fiber
• Low in calories
• Legumes
• Fiber
• Iron
• Calcium
• Protein

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Storing and Washing Fruits Veggies

• Store in the crisper and use soon.
• Wash well with cold water, but do not soak unless
  very dirty.
• Especially wash leafy vegetables and fruits like
  strawberries that tend to retain grit from the
  ground they were grown in.
• Wash as close to cooking or eating time as
  possible to retain nutrients.

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Cutting Methods

• Dice To dice, cut into 1/2-inch or narrower
  strips cut across strips to dice.
• Slice Cut into flat pieces of the same size.

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Cutting Methods

• Chop Cut into pieces or irregular sizes.
• Julienne Cut into long, thin slices. Stack the
  slices, and cut into matchlike sticks.

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Cutting Methods

• Shape and size of the cut determines the length
  of cooking time.
• Larger pieces (greater surface area)
• longer time needed to cook
• Smaller pieces (smaller surface area)
• heat will penetrate more quickly and cook
  faster

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Cooking Techniques for Fruits and Vegetables

• Dry-heat
• Moist-heat
• Combination heat
• Microwave

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Dry-Heat

• Baking in an enclosed space with confined heat,
  as in an oven.
• Grilling cooking over direct heat or fire.
• Sauteing cooking quickly in a small amount of
  very hot fat or oil.
• Pan-frying food is partially submerged in very
  hot oil or fat.
• Deep-frying food is entirely submerged in hot
  fat or oil.

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Moist-Heat

• Boiling foods are cooked in hot liquids.
• Steaming food is suspended over simmering or
  boiling liquid, either a vegetable steamer or
  colander is used to hold the foods.
• Poaching cooking gently in liquid, just below
  boiling. The liquid shivers with no visible
  bubbling.

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Combination Heat

• Combines dry-heat and moist-heat
• Braising and Stewing a cooking method where meat
  or vegetables are first browned in butter and/or
  oil, then cooked in a covered pot in a small
  about of cooking liquid at low heat for a long
  period of time.

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Microwave

• Faster than most other methods
• Excellent way to retain nutrients and color in
  vegetables

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Fruit and Veggie Tips

• Eat fruits and vegetables raw, if possible
• Take cut up fruits and veggies to work or school
  to snack on all day.

• Leave the skin on certain fruits and vegetables
  such as carrots, potatoes, peppers, apples, and
  pears. The skin is an important source of fiber
  and nutrients.

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Cooking Techniques for Legumes

• Step 1 Wash and sort
• Step 2 Soak
• Step 3 Cook
• Quick Soak Method

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Adding Legumes to Your Diet

• Add chickpeas or kidney beans to your favorite
  salad.
• Serve casseroles made with lima beans or
  black-eyed peas.
• Eat plain with herbs and spices.

• Add any variety of beans to soup.
• Serve legumes with rice, noodles, or bread.
• Add legumes to meat dishes to stretch your food
  dollar.

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In Conclusion

• Try preparing fruits and vegetables in new ways.
• Use new cutting methods with fruits and
  vegetables.
• Add legumes into your diet.
• Increase your intake of fruits, vegetables, and
  legumes!!