The Departments of Agriculture and of Health and Human Services recommend consuming nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Even if you are a veggie fanatic, this may seem like a tall order. No matter how fresh your green, yellow, red, purple or white produce is, seasoning it with salt and/or pepper can get a little boring. Luckily, myriad spices exist to enliven your vegetable main and side dishes. Whether sweet or savory, some selections are bound to appeal.

Instructions

1. Add red or white pepper. If black pepper is the default choice in your home, white or red pepper can spell dynamic change. Red and white peppercorns offer a different flavor profile, depending on variety. States Chow.com, "More expensive white pepper is less aromatic and hotter than black because it contains more piperine." Tiptoe to start: If you are used to adding 1 tsp. of black pepper to your peas, green beans or corn, for example, start with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of red or white, then add more as needed to suit your taste. Top off each serving with a drizzle of olive oil for another layer of flavor and you're good to go. Red and white pepper can also enliven stir-fried or stewed tomatoes and peppers. Sprinkle on a mild cheese, such as mozzarella, just before serving to balance the dish.

2. Add chili powder or chopped fresh chilies. The powder you may use to make beef and bean chili can also be used solo to season any vegetable. Try it on green beans, peas or tomatoes. Use it lightly to start, adding more powder if your tongue is truly spice-hardy. That goes double for fresh peppers, such as ancho, jalapeno or habanero peppers. A little goes a long way, so chop them finely and add to dishes sparingly until you and your family are certain of your comfort zone.

3. Add spices typically reserved for sweet foods, such as cinnamon, ginger or cloves. Try cinnamon in vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and other squashes. Finish the dish with a dab of butter or margarine. If you are mashing or pureeing your vegetables, 1 tbsp. of dairy cream can make the mixture smoother and perhaps more appealing to younger appetites. The spicy flavor of ginger and the deeper flavor and color of cloves can also enhance vegetable and potato dishes. Use ginger to perk up mixed-vegetable stir-fry dishes. Flavor up cabbage or beets with cloves. Try all three spices in combination on yams with a touch of butter and a dash of raw sugar, honey or molasses.

Source: eHow

Slicing and dicing vegetables like a chef is a lot easier than it looks. Use a sharp knife because dull knives are more apt to slip and cause injury. Also use a cutting board or a flat surface so the vegetable will be easier to cut. Curl your fingertips under and keep your thumb and little finger behind the other fingers. The knuckles on your other hand should rest on the side of the blade to keep it from slipping and cutting your fingers.

1. InstructionsSlice up peppers or celery quickly and artfully. Hold the vegetable vertically with your fingers. Cut longer celery or carrots in half before you slice in order to slice them lengthwise. Using a knife make cuts in a rocking motion, push the vegetable forward with your other hand for the next cut to keep the slices even. You should have long even slices perfect for dipping in sauce.

2. Chopping an onion, pepper or carrot can also be an easy feat. First peel back the skin if there is any, then cut off the root tops of the vegetable, and cut the vegetable in half so it is easier to cut. Place the vegetable on the cutting board so that the cut side is facing downward. Make parallel cuts, leaving 1/8 to 1/4 inch between the slices. Use your other hand to hold the cut slices together, then move the slices so you can chop them again horizontally. Use a knife to cut them into even smaller pieces. Make sure the knife is rocking instead of sawing the vegetable pieces.

3. Paring is another way to cut up vegetables. Paring, which is cutting vegetables at an angle, is used for making stir fry or vegetable platters. With a paring knife, cut a vegetable lengthwise and hold the pieces together. Place the knife on the vegetable so that it slants away from you at and angle and slice with a rocking motion. The pieces should have a slant shape to them.

4. Cubing and dicing are done similarly to chopping. Cut the vegetable lengthwise first, holding the slices together as you cut. Then cut the vegetables perpendicularly in uniform cubes. Try not to push the vegetables to the side as you cut so they will stay together. Dicing is making these cubes even smaller. Stack the slices and cut perpendicularly so that the slices will be smaller. Do so until you reached the desired size.

Source: eHow

Braised meat is cooked slowly in liquid for more than an hour until the meat is tender. Although steak is typically thought of as something to cook quickly, it can also be braised. Some types of steak, such as flank steak, flatiron steak, blade steak and top round, are especially tasty when braised. The meat gets very tender, almost to the point of falling apart. When braising a beef steak, season it and cook it in a flavorful broth for the best results.

Instructions

1. Combine olive oil, salt, pepper, herbs and seasonings of your choice in a large bowl and coat the steak in the marinade. Cover and allow the steak to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat.
2. Place the meat in the pot and cook for five to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until it is lightly browned on all sides. Remove the meat and place it in another container.
3. Chop onions, garlic and other vegetables of your choosing and saute them in the Dutch oven or heavy pot until they've softened.
4. Add 1/2 cup to 2 cups of red wine, depending on how much wine flavor you want in the meat. Bring to a boil for about five minutes, until the wine has reduced in volume.
5. Pour in about 2 cups of beef stock or broth and bring to a simmer.
6. Put the meat back into the pot and simmer lightly for 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how thick the steaks are. Keep the pot partially covered and stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.

Tips & Warnings

• For a tomato flavor, reduce the quantity of beef stock and add a can of pureed tomatoes in which to cook the meat.
• Rather than braising the beef on the stove, you can opt to braise it in the oven instead. After adding the meat back into the pot, transfer it to an oven preheated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 2 to 3 hours.
• Fine Cooking recommends making stuffed braised beef by putting a filling of cheese, bread crumbs and herbs on a large flank steak, rolling it, tying it and braising.

Source: eHow