Ode To The Steam Basket

One of the most valuable lessons I've learned about food is that vegetables and fruits deserve to be the main course at every meal. In a culture that often relegates vegetables to a lowly side dish or omits them entirely, this main course mentality represents a pretty serious shift in perspective. But change is good, and these days I can barely imagine a meal any other way. Breakfast included!

Feeding my veggie habit means that the steam basket gets a lot of play in our kitchen. Steaming has a bad rap for blandifying foods, but done right (by not overcooking) it showcases the toothsome array of vegetable flavors and textures. It also happens to be the fastest way to cook many vegetables, and the one that preserves the most nutrients. Triple whammy!

If you don't own one already, you can buy one of those nifty little UFOs for about six dollars. Its sexy metal leaves are your ticket to taming the most formidable vegetables in the produce aisle.

Steaming staples at our house include broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, frozen peas, Brussels sprouts, green beans and asparagus. But there are loads more goodies out there; what are your favorites?