Whole Food Cooking is a column by our Resident Vegetarian-at-Large, Amy Chaplin. Each month, Amy will show us a different way to love fruits and vegetables just a little bit more. This article originally appeared in Food52.
I am a big fan of food prepared simply—and a bowl of steamed vegetables is my ideal simple meal. It requires minimal prep and can come together quickly at any time of year using the vegetables you have on hand. No need to heat the oven, peel onions or carrots or anything else, or wait for a pot of water to boil. You don’t even need to be good with a knife. And, the best part is that steamed veggies serve as a canvas that you can dress up in limitless ways depending on your mood.
Steaming is the most frequently used method of cooking in my kitchen and for three seasons of the year, I’m reaching for the steamer almost daily. I fill it with a couple of inches of water and place it over a high flame while I raid the fridge for vegetables.