It is tough, tough, tough to get some people to eat more vegetables. I think many of us, even if we ourselves are good about eating our veggies knows of someone who would rather die than eat a primarily vegetarian or even vegan dish. It probably didn't take much time to figure out that I am not squeamish about eating animal products, but there is certainly a growing popularity in vegetarian, vegan, or simply reduced meat diets. Indeed it would be a difficult argument to make that at the very least, people in the United States especially could stand to cut some of the meat from their diet and add in some of more of the leafy (and not so leafy) greens (and reds, oranges, purples, yellows, blues, whites...). What is even more liberating to know is, you don't have to resort to processed "health food" section staples, which may be just as high in added fats and preservatives as regular processed foods to make your healthy vegetable dishes taste like something other than raw vegetable and water, which can be pleasant and welcome but not so in all applications.
The trouble is that many vegetable dishes just lack the certain oomph! of flavor that meat dishes easily provide. It isn't difficult to prepare most meats to have striking, comforting, satisfying flavors. There is no shame in admitting that the savory flavors of meat are a pleasure to eat, and there isn't shame in admitting that many people just don't know how to prepare many types of vegetables to taste like anything but water. I know when I began cooking for friends who were vegetarian, and when I wanted to incorporate more vegetables into my diet I ran into this wall. It turned out I just was afraid of preparing vegetables because I didn't understand how to really make their flavors shine! Turns out, it isn't too difficult, making vegetables taste awesome and retain their nutrients isn't too hard, and it certainly isn't scary!
When we think of common flavors, we tend to narrow down to sweet, salty, sour and bitter. There is, however, a fifth "taste", what the Japanese have dubbed "umami", which roughly translates to "savory" or even "yummy". Umami is typically associated to meats, and is often an indicator of the presence of protein in a food, so we are actually evolved to notice it and to appreciate it. The flavor compounds that comprise what is widely accepted to enhance the "umami" of a dish are called glutamates. This may ring a bell because you may have heard of a little processed-food "demon" monosodium-glutamate or MSG. Often added to processed foods, especially flavored chips, MSG drastically enhances the natural savory flavors of foods and well... makes them taste better. This umami flavor is key to really bulking up the flavor, the satisfactory response and the heartiness of vegetables, be they served alone or combined together to form a rich, flavorful, meatless entree.
Never fear, however! You don't need to head out to the store and grab a bottle of Accent and pour it all over your vegetables to make them taste better. No, there are far more natural means of doing so, and using some of these items in your favorite foods, meatless or even with meat can help bulk up flavor without adding excess fat or salt to the dish.
If you want a more comprehensive list, head here, but otherwise I am going to give you some of my favorite, and easiest additions to foods, and how to best use them to punch up the flavors of vegetable (or meat) dishes.
I happen to really enjoy vegetables and I don't need too many tricks to convince myself to eat them, but I have managed to get picky vegetable eaters, like my grandfather, to consume whole meals of vegetable-only or meat-minimal foods by adding in some of these compounds. Not only that, I mentioned several times that these compounds can be used to enhance the flavors of meat; perhaps less flavorful or lower quality cuts of meat can use a nice sprucing up with some of these simple-to-find, easy-to-use ingredients.
What I appreciate about them is they lower the need for added salt and fat, which are commonly used in restaurants to bulk up flavor and, in turn, a sense of satisfaction from the customer.
For you, the reader, the notion of preparing vegetables, or even just cooking in general may not be scary, but for many I wager it may be at the very least daunting or we would likely see more people cooking at home! Yes, Virginia, you can make delicious, savory, home-cooked meals (including vegetables) without having fancy culinary school education. There is so much more to learn to really develop your kitchen arsenal, but if you learned just one helpful trick then that may help de-mystify cooking and make the whole process more enjoyable, and less frightening.
Please, enjoy life, enjoy love, enjoy food!
Eat fearlessly.
The trouble is that many vegetable dishes just lack the certain oomph! of flavor that meat dishes easily provide. It isn't difficult to prepare most meats to have striking, comforting, satisfying flavors. There is no shame in admitting that the savory flavors of meat are a pleasure to eat, and there isn't shame in admitting that many people just don't know how to prepare many types of vegetables to taste like anything but water. I know when I began cooking for friends who were vegetarian, and when I wanted to incorporate more vegetables into my diet I ran into this wall. It turned out I just was afraid of preparing vegetables because I didn't understand how to really make their flavors shine! Turns out, it isn't too difficult, making vegetables taste awesome and retain their nutrients isn't too hard, and it certainly isn't scary!
When we think of common flavors, we tend to narrow down to sweet, salty, sour and bitter. There is, however, a fifth "taste", what the Japanese have dubbed "umami", which roughly translates to "savory" or even "yummy". Umami is typically associated to meats, and is often an indicator of the presence of protein in a food, so we are actually evolved to notice it and to appreciate it. The flavor compounds that comprise what is widely accepted to enhance the "umami" of a dish are called glutamates. This may ring a bell because you may have heard of a little processed-food "demon" monosodium-glutamate or MSG. Often added to processed foods, especially flavored chips, MSG drastically enhances the natural savory flavors of foods and well... makes them taste better. This umami flavor is key to really bulking up the flavor, the satisfactory response and the heartiness of vegetables, be they served alone or combined together to form a rich, flavorful, meatless entree.
Never fear, however! You don't need to head out to the store and grab a bottle of Accent and pour it all over your vegetables to make them taste better. No, there are far more natural means of doing so, and using some of these items in your favorite foods, meatless or even with meat can help bulk up flavor without adding excess fat or salt to the dish.
If you want a more comprehensive list, head here, but otherwise I am going to give you some of my favorite, and easiest additions to foods, and how to best use them to punch up the flavors of vegetable (or meat) dishes.
- Tomato paste- Just a teaspoon or so added into a stir-fried batch of vegetables, when heated on a medium low heat with minimal oil and a clove of minced garlic until it deepens to a dark reddish-brown, followed up by a quick deglaze can really deepen and intensify the natural flavors in veggies like green beans, broccoli and carrots. To deglaze a pan, use roughly half a cup of a stock, broth, or wine and stir the darkened tomato paste with the vegetables and simmer until a glazed sauce coats the veggies. Very little fat is used and the flavor will be greatly enhanced.
- Soy Sauce- You can use low-sodium soy sauce if it is of concern, but this little kitchen-staple can be used to intensify the effects of most any of the other listed "umami" components. A couple of table spoons added to most any dish, be it a soup, stew, stir fry or even to steaming water can give your foods a flavor punch without a terrible hike in sodium, and very little to no fat.
- Cabbage- Best used in a wilted reduction, cabbage contains flavor components that, at first, can be sulfurous and unpleasant but given time and patience can develop a sweet, savory, and very mature flavor to most stocks and stews. The cabbage can also add a pleasant texture and many valuable nutrients.
- Carrots- Carrots can be treated similarly to cabbage, but also can lend savory flavor to stir fried food if they are first blanched.
- Mushrooms, shiitake, cremini, porcini and portabello- The three most easily found, affordable and flavor-packed mushrooms can each be used in different ways. Typically shiitake and porcini mushrooms are found in stores dried and sold in one ounce packs. These can be rinsed off, chopped up or even ground in a spice grinder to become powdered bombs of flavor. Grind up an ounce of either and add a teaspoon or so to a soup, or most any dish and find that there isn't a distinct "mushroom" flavor, but the natural flavors of the food are just enhanced. As for portabello and cremini mushrooms, these can be found fresh and are known for their "meaty" flavor and texture. They can be cooked whole and used as meat replacements or sliced then and sauteed lightly before being added to sauces, salads, soups or stews to lend their meaty flavor and texture.
- Aged cheese, such as parmesan- The most commonly used and classic umami compound outside of Japanese kombu, parmesan or regianno cheeses are aged and have deeply complex flavor compounds. Grate a little into basically any dish and, like the above components you will find the flavor has developed with almost a mature, smokiness.
I happen to really enjoy vegetables and I don't need too many tricks to convince myself to eat them, but I have managed to get picky vegetable eaters, like my grandfather, to consume whole meals of vegetable-only or meat-minimal foods by adding in some of these compounds. Not only that, I mentioned several times that these compounds can be used to enhance the flavors of meat; perhaps less flavorful or lower quality cuts of meat can use a nice sprucing up with some of these simple-to-find, easy-to-use ingredients.
What I appreciate about them is they lower the need for added salt and fat, which are commonly used in restaurants to bulk up flavor and, in turn, a sense of satisfaction from the customer.
For you, the reader, the notion of preparing vegetables, or even just cooking in general may not be scary, but for many I wager it may be at the very least daunting or we would likely see more people cooking at home! Yes, Virginia, you can make delicious, savory, home-cooked meals (including vegetables) without having fancy culinary school education. There is so much more to learn to really develop your kitchen arsenal, but if you learned just one helpful trick then that may help de-mystify cooking and make the whole process more enjoyable, and less frightening.
Please, enjoy life, enjoy love, enjoy food!
Eat fearlessly.
Resources:
BBC: The rise of the part-time vegans
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-25644903
Umami: Why the fifth taste is so important
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/apr/09/umami-fifth-taste
The Importance of Umami
http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/links/the-importance-of-umami/
BBC: The rise of the part-time vegans
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-25644903
Umami: Why the fifth taste is so important
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/apr/09/umami-fifth-taste
The Importance of Umami
http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/links/the-importance-of-umami/