# Steamed Veggies??



## texasgirl (Jul 16, 2005)

How healthy are steamed vegatables?
Are some better than others?
I have a bamboo steamer that I want to use, but, not sure anymore what is good and what isn't.


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## GB (Jul 16, 2005)

Steamed veggies are very healthy. That is one of the healthiest ways to cook them. Anything you can put in the steamer can be steamed. I used my bamboo steamer all the time and love it. Try broccoli, cauliflower, string beans, brussel sprouts, and just about anything else you can think of.


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## pdswife (Jul 16, 2005)

I love steamed veggies.   
Like GB said.. they are very healthy and you can
steam anything!!  Enjoy!


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## Zereh (Jul 16, 2005)

I like steamed veggies as long as they're not turned to mush! I have to have mine crisp-tender.  I've done them pretty much all in there: sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, etc.

I also use one of those bamboo steamers. It's one of the best $7 investments I've ever made.  

I would still say that roasting veggies is my favorite though. =)


Z


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## pdswife (Jul 16, 2005)

I just have a metal steamer... are the bamboo ones better?
Do they cook differently?  Quicker? Tastier?

I'm with you Zereh, over done mushy veggies are not good.
I like mine still slightly crunchy.


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## kyles (Jul 16, 2005)

I love crunchy steamed veg. I like baby new potatoes in the steamer too, as well as older potatos cut into slices, my dh loves these too. I also love beans, carrots and broccoli.

The bamboo and metal would give a pretty similar result. I use a plastic electric one, my uncle gave it to me when my aunt passed away.


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## Andy M. (Jul 16, 2005)

I use my microwave for steaming veggies.  It's one cooking process that the microwave is actually good at.


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## luvs (Jul 16, 2005)

they're very healthy, tex. very low in calories, virtually fat-free, high in fiber and nutrients. 
things like potatoes, peas and corn are high in starch and my dieticians had always counted 1/2 cup of those as starches instead of vegetables but counted 1/3 c. as a vegetable.
just steam them lightly for the best color and flavor, just till they're bright in color. of course you have to steam some much longer, like carrots.
if you buy colorful veggies, they're more nutritious. the more colorful the veggies you choose are, the higher in nutritients.
lemon juice and garlic are nice flavor additions.


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## SuPerKitty (Jul 17, 2005)

*a great way to cook veggies....*

well..I think Bamboo steamers are much more natural than the stainless steel ones. 

Bamboos are used as medicinal ingredients in Asia. Some say if you cook rice in a bamboo stalk, the rice tastes sweeter than ever. Besides since the thermal conductivity is lower than other metal steamers, it can contain heat better which in turns reduces the cooking time. It means also less chance of vitamine loss in the cooking process. On top of it, if you cook dumblings in one of these bamboo steamers, you can prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the steamer. Usually in this case, with a stainless steamer, you have to use a cheese cloth in order not to break the thin wrappers and keep the 'guts' inside.  

I think quickly steamed veggies are the healthiest among all the cooked ones including the drowned ones which share their vitamine contents with water and the pan fried ones with additional calories on our collection. Of course we could just eat veggies raw but I've seen some bugs waving at me one day and ever since then, I try to give them a quick hot bless  before putting on the dinner table.

hmm..I hope I know what I am talking about... 

Anyway, why not use it~ when you have it~  
I loveee these bamboo steamers!

I saw one in a local chinese store here in town not long ago and I have been drooling all over on it! In fact, I was planning on adding it on my shopping list with the other cookware for tomorrow!


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## SierraCook (Jul 17, 2005)

GB said:
			
		

> Steamed veggies are very healthy. That is one of the healthiest ways to cook them. Anything you can put in the steamer can be steamed. I used my bamboo steamer all the time and love it. Try broccoli, cauliflower, string beans, brussel sprouts, and just about anything else you can think of.


 
I love my bamboo steamer, also, GB.  One of my favorite veggies to steam is asparagus.  But you can steam almost anything.  I have seen recipes for other things like fish, but I have never tried anything else, but veggies.


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## SuPerKitty (Jul 17, 2005)

SierraCook said:
			
		

> I love my bamboo steamer, also, GB. One of my favorite veggies to steam is asparagus. But you can steam almost anything. I have seen recipes for other things like fish, but I have never tried anything else, but veggies.


 
You can also use these steamers to make all sorts of rice cakes...


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## kitchenelf (Jul 17, 2005)

During a power outage one time I used my bamboo steamer to cook one of those skinny teriyaki pork tenderloins - OMG - it was heavenly!!!!!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jul 17, 2005)

Watch the raw veggies.  Some can poison until cooked, like lima beans.  And then there are other foods that require heat to denature toxins found in them, like beefsteak mushrooms, a member of the false-morale family.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## texasgirl (Jul 17, 2005)

Thanks everyone!! ya'll are great.


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## GB (Jul 18, 2005)

I have cooked chicken in mine before. I had a lime steamed chicken recipe. If was very tasty, but the chicken came out way to dry. I won't try that dish again, but I am sure I have learned some lessons and could get it to come out better if I wanted, I just don't care to bother LOL.

I like bamboo over metal for a few reasons although there are times I like metal better (I can't think of any at the moment, but I know there have been times). I like bamboo because it does not heat up like the metal. It truly is the steam that is cooking the food, not the steam and the hot metal. I also like the bamboo ones because you can fit a lot more food in. Just stack a bunch of bamboo levels on top of each other and let the steam rise and do the work. I also like that you can have fish in one level and veggies in another. You can't really do that with those metal baskets.


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## Constance (Jul 18, 2005)

I don't use my steamer much, but I like to braise my vegies in chicken broth, either in a pan, or in the nuke.


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## kitchenelf (Jul 18, 2005)

GB - there is a GREAT use for the metal ones - my son played with them like they were spaceships - give it to Rachel when she's old enough!!


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## GB (Jul 18, 2005)

Good idea elf! I also sometimes were mine on my head when "THEY" are trying to read my thoughts


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