A vegetable is a plant or the edible part of a vegetable plant (plants used in human food). So far, the definition offers nothing we don't already know. However, vegetables are not just the plants we can grow in our garden. The term "vegetables" now also extends to certain algae and edible fungi. Some time ago, the latter did not yet fall into the category of vegetables.
What part of the plant is a vegetable?
When it is not the whole plant, the edible part of the plant can be :
The root: carrot, beet, radish
The tuber: the potato and the Jerusalem artichoke
The bulb: the onion, the shallot
The (pseudo-) stem: leek
The young shoot: the asparagus
The fruit: tomato, cucumber, avocado, eggplant, pickle, zucchini, olive, pea...
The flower: cauliflower, artichoke, broccoli, caper...
Seeds: peas, beans and beans
Leaves: lettuce, spinach, chicory, celery, etc.
Categories of vegetables
The different vegetables can be divided into several categories. Depending on their characteristics, they will be placed in one or the other group.
First there are dried vegetables with a low water content. Only their seeds are consumed and these vegetables are represented by legumes: bean, bean, lentil, chickpea, soybean.
On the other hand we have fresh vegetables (or green vegetables). These include leafy vegetables, stems, flowers, roots, bulbs and tubers.
Fruit or vegetable: what are the differences?
Is the tomato really a fruit or a vegetable? Everyone has asked themselves this question at one point. So what about it?
According to the definition, a fruit is the edible part of flowering plants. This part is the one that contains the seeds necessary for the reproduction of the flower.
A vegetable, on the other hand, is the part of a vegetable plant that is eaten, whether it is the fruit, the seed or the flower.
A fruit can therefore be considered a vegetable, but not all vegetables are fruits. This is the case for tomatoes, zucchini, eggplants and others that are "technically" fruits.
What are vegetables other than aerial vegetables?
This strange and uncommon name is actually a term for vegetables that come from a part of the plant above the earth. Stem vegetables, leaf vegetables, flower vegetables, fruit vegetables are all part of the category of aerial vegetables, the others being from the earth.
Easy recipe for a good nettle soup
Stinging nettles are often just seen as weeds. However, they have several virtues for our health. They help to relieve joint pain such as rheumatism and arthritis. They also have useful anti-inflammatory properties.
There are not that many easy ways to consume nettles, but soup is one of them. Here is a recipe that will allow you to enjoy the benefits of nettles by eating a delicious soup.
Cut the onion into small pieces and fry it for 3 minutes in the stewpot. Then add the minced garlic.
Add the nettle leaves to the stewpot. If they are fresh, rinse and then dry them before adding them to the onions. Stir the stinging nettles for 5 minutes to melt them and once they are cooked, remove them from the heat.
Peel and cut the potato into small pieces.
In a pot of salted water, cook the diced potatoes.
Once the potatoes are cooked, add them to the stewpot.
In another pot, heat the chicken broth with water and once it is boiling, mix it with the nettles, stirring gently.
Let it rest for a few minutes and then mix it all together. Add salt and pepper.
Your soup is now ready to be served hot. You can add a cloud of fresh cream if you wish.