vegetable meme

I have been tagged (or should I say, I got myself tagged?)by Paz of the Cooking Adventures of.. with a meme to share!

The Vegetable Meme

1. Do you like vegetables?
Yes, especially when they're cooked. I wish I could eat more of them raw, though.

2. Do you have a favorite vegetable?
Yes! Zucchini. But I also like asparagus, mushrooms and chinese broccoli, among many others.

3. Is there any vegetable that you think (or know) most people don’t like, but that you find great?
Yeah- okra!
Why?
I don't know a lot of people who like okra. I, myself, in the past, couldn't even stand the feel of it. Oh, it's slimy! But now I think it's great. It's an interesting food.

4. Is there any vegetable that you think (or know) most people find great, but that you don’t love that much? What experience did you have with it?
Lettuces and other greens in salad- I would buy greens to make salad, but would always end up wasting most of it, so I rarely buy them now. I just never learned to like them, especially the texture when chewed! I eat them to be "normal"- but that's it! lol

5. Which kinds of vegetable are unusual to you?
I couldn't think of any right now. Unusual is good, I think. But there are still veggies that intimidate me, like leeks and artichokes. I guess I just need to watch someone else prep them.

6. Name a couple of vegetables that you cook or eat.
I always have zucchini and bell peppers. I can eat them cooked or raw.
I also love asparagus and different kinds of mushroom, even dried.

7. Which vegetables do you want to know more and bring into you kitchen more frequently?
Kale, different cabbages and many others. I'm also looking into sprouting.

8. Some thoughts about vegetables.
I could talk about vegetables all day long. They are good for us! They're supposed to be our friends! Oh, they are so lovely to look at and to eat (well, most of them)! I also think they can save lives.
One thing- organic is the way to go. If that's not possible, make sure the produce are washed thoroughly. I get really obsessive about cleaning my veggies if they're not organic!
I would compare conventional veggies to this: a friend who has a cold or some other "virus". You love that person, but won't necessarily be wanting to be all over them when they have the "bug", right?

9. Name a great cookbook on vegetables.
Honestly, I haven't found that ideal cookbook that would let me do what I have in mind- the one that would not make me work hard in the kitchen, that would make me feel good and not have any guilt, and yet come up with something that's delicious. But then again, I used the word "ideal".
Talking about great, my new favorite cookbook is Dreena Burton's Vive Le Vegan! , and I can always depend on the McDougalls' Quick and Easy Cookbook.

* Now, I tag you, (yes you!) to participate in this meme. Go for it!