WOMEN IN THE HOME

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22135, 3 July 1937, Page 9

WOMEN IN THE HOME

%USE OP VEGETABLES

own scientifically **»» d U° ods: thev ar * not «^Jsj? B ' and only the root 111 a PP f «iable amounts » u * wat£ ate & wnUe all contain cc <*ine: tSL which ls increased in ev or- becanoF « howWamiiMth!!,■ th ? mineral salts and J* u ako ft- te, Btres sed too strongly, "Pen jffjnfluence which cooking ab 'y well w? 56 s «bstances. It is probed Xfel* 3l mineral salts but iUton!* n«essary for health. 5* «rtKff nt obt ained depends alfthpSiSLi 0n the cooking. As ^ ents a ? e e a si ly 2M«3?lo« ****, there is an SB? bSt^fi* 0 * 1 everv method ■gEy** with care this may be SftifßSS 118 ' do not over-cook s?Sißrt5 d T 1 0 - notle avethem to ftftS ™L tt mucb bet ter to &• PoSffleTaS £ nn,n S water, to in their wrub rat her than Ji**dSfi *L vea good results $&*S £? t^ 3 ' * only a quarter aßKxs s i? ut in th * dish - SwmEL!* «PeciaUy good for the W*>*3r »nS *>}**** wiU take 2?* JKf 1 ? be well puffed &#&£& *at time and can be iSP** W»- as l erole - Carrots will 2fe to *R but we v ery good

Nobody wants to eat soggy, tasteless vegetables, in which condition they are practically valueless and indigestible. There are many ways in which they can be made attractive Added to cream soups they give flavour and variety; combined with thick sauces and with protein foods such as cheese and eggs, appetising savouries may be made which can replace to some extent the need for meat. Whenever possible, the liquid left after boiling vegetables should be used ether in sauce or in soup. The conservative method for green vegetables has much to commend it and is acceptable to many who like a rather decided tastt. In this, the cabbage is cut into small pieces, cooked in a small quantity of boil'ng water to which a little fat ha? been added, and boiled quickly with the lid off for about 10 minutes, a little salt, pepper, and sugar being added when nearly cooked- Some people prefer to use a larger amount of boiling salted water; in this case the loss of vitamins and mineral substances has to be made up from other sources.

Root and Leaf Varieties

In choosing vegetables for a meal one must select from the different classes It 3s not wise to rely on two root vegetables as they supplement the starch in the diet, which is probably well provided for already. The kumera or sweet potato contains the highest proportion of carbohydrate; then comes the ordinary potato, then carrots, parsnips, onions, and turnips They also provide some mineral salts and vitamins, but it is the leafy kinds wh chare more important in this respect. It is true that the potato contains a small amount of vitamin C, and as potatoes are taken so frequently, their use gives a small daliy amount of this substance. Tomatoes are particularly rich in it, and therefore

bottled tomatoes provide a means of acquiring it in winter. Recent work with vitamins has brought forward an interesting fact abount vitamin A, which occurs in animal tissues. It has been found, however, that certain vegetables contain a substance known technically as carotene, which is changed by the action of an enzyme in the liver to vitamin A. Because of this, the brightly coloured vegetables become more important. Carrots contain this substance, so do kumeras, swedes, and green asparagus. It has also been found that the outer leaves of lettuce contain more than the inner white ones, so, especially when lettuce is young, the outer leaves should be used. The vitamins known as Bl and 82. both of which are soluble in water, and therefore readily lost, are found in leafy vegetables, such as spinach and lettuce, rather less of B2 than of Bl occurring. Other good sources of the latter are carrots and broccoli.

Mineral Salts The mineral salts required by the body for its various needs all occur in small amounts in different kinds. It would be difficult to secure enough of any mineral from vegetables alone, because of the bulk which would have to be taken, but without them the loss would be irremediable. It may be interesting -to recall how these salts are distributed. Calcium is found in milk, and such vegetables as carrots, cauliflower, celery, beans, lettuce, spinach, and parsnips. Phosphorus, necessary for all growth, occurs in spinach, cauliflower, parsnips, swede, pumpkin, celery, asparagus. Iron which the body needs for blood cells is found in spinach, lettuce, asparagus, cabbage, celery, silver beet, cauliflower, and tomatoes. Eggs, of course, are a very good source of iron

also. lodine, while occurring mostly in sea foods, milk, and eggs, is found in small amounts in the leafy vege tables, and in a lesser degree in the root, the amount depending somewhat upon the soil in which they are grown. It is partly to conserve the iodine that root vegetables should for preference be baked and boiled in their skins.

In the light of this knowledge, the home garden takes on a new significance, and whoever looks after i* should be regarded as the family benefactor. People who forgo the pleasure of a garden also forgo in some measure a free health insurance. No bought vegetables are as good as those freshly gathered On average incomes it must be difficult to afford to purchase sufficient supplies, especially of spinach, for the family. Some Recipes

Vegetable Souffle—Mashed potatoes and mashed parsnips, half a pound each; beat them free from lumps, add one ounce of butter or dripping, pepper and salt to season, milk or cream to moisten, and the beaten yolk of one egg. Beat all together until quite light, then fold in the stiffly beaten egg white. Bake in a greased pie-dish until puffed and lightly browned, and serve at once. Other vegetables may replace the parsnips, and grated cheese used.

Vegetables en Casserole—Six potatoes, one turnip, one cup tomatoes, one onion, quarter of a cup of rice, one Cup of peas if available, four cups of stock, with pepper and allspice to season. Wash, peel, and slice vegetables, and wash the rice. Put the ingredient"in lavers in a casserole, add the stock, cover with the lid, and bake slowly about three hours. Other vegetables may be used. Creamed Celery—Prepare a good white sauce, and add cooked celery,

and allow to heat for a few minutes. Grated cheese may be added, and the mixture turned into a dish, covered with breadcrumbs, and browned in the oven.