Quick Skillet-Cooked Veggies
Veggies are not only utterly delicious and nourishing, they also contribute color and beauty to a meal. One of our favorite and quickest ways to prepare veggies is to cook them in a covered skillet/fry pan within a small amount of water, less than an inch in depth. Essentially, we're steaming them but without a steamer basket. The extra bonus is that the cooking water is flavorful and nutritious, something we always use as a beverage accompaniment to our meal.
One of our favorite combinations is broccoli, carrots, and peas, and yet any variety of vegetables, highlighting their spectrum of colors, will taste great.
- 1–2 stalks of broccoli
- 1 large carrot
- 1/2–3/4 cups frozen peas
Start preparing the broccoli by trimming off the tough outer skin of the base of the stalks. Then cut the stalks vertically in quarters, leaving the stalk and the flowering broccoli tops attached. Slice the carrot on the diagonal, about 1/2 inch thick.
Put about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of a skillet. Cover, bring to a boil, and then add the broccoli and carrots. Cover the skillet again and reduce heat to low for about 5 minutes. Add frozen peas, bring to a boil once again, and reduce heat to simmer for about 3 minutes more, or until peas have thawed and the broccoli and carrots retain their vibrant colors.
Remove from heat and serve. Remember to enjoy the cooking water, too!