peeling away our skins...

[lorilei]

it's time for another revealing survey, and I'd like to thank Gail for this one. You inspired me with your talk of naked chilies!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

I've come to find that people have definite opinions about peeling veggies. Some do it. Some don't.

I am of the school which peels almost nothing. I don't peel apples for pies, potatoes for mashed potatoes, or carrots for boiling... unless I know someone I've invited for dinner has a strong preference against mine. (Truthfully, few people notice) I believe in the nutrients inside the skins...

Where do you stand?
Do you like your veggies Naked? Or clothed?

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 07-13-2000).]

[Peggy]

I must confess... I am a "peeler" unless the recipe tells me not to. My daughter likes her mashed potatoes lily white, though my husband would probably prefer some peels left on. I do peel apples for pie and carrots before I steam them. Guilty feelings are consuming me because you are right about the nutrients in the skins!! Hmmmmm... I will have to see everyone elses responses and maybe reevaluate!

Peggy

[Gail]

Are you taking advantage of my chili naiveté?
Hmmm... I must admit you came up with a very catchy title while doing it!!

Okay. We KNOW about how I'm handling chilis-- until making my Tandoori Chicken today, that is... And my answer to the rest of the question is an unqualified IT DEPENDS. Some things I serve with skins, others not. Depends on the recipe or lack thereof. Depends on my mood. No definite rules or habits with anything other than aforementioned chilis.

...well, I do always peel bananas, plantains and pineapples... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif


[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 07-12-2000).]

[Shelly]

I am like you, lorilei. I don't peel unless I think it will really make a big difference in the recipe. I do peel potatoes if they've started to turn green, but only the green parts. I read somewhere that the green stuff is carcinogenic. My salsa recipe calls for Anaheim chilies to be roasted and skinned and then chopped, so I do skin those. Otherwise, my veggies are not naked!

[Deanna]

Hoo-boy...this is a real dilemma. I do believe in the nutrient value of the skins...however...I was born in '56 and I learned to cook by peeling potatoes and carrots. Don't really think I peel anything else, except onions, oh, and eggs, but they don't count because they aren't veggies.

I'm learning not to peel my potatoes; I leave the skins on for fried potatoes (don't tell anybody I still do that) and baked potatoes, of course.

What other veggie besides carrots and potatoes is there to peel? Oh cucumbers. I peel them sometimes. Okay, most of the time, because they are always waxed at the grocery. Apples...if using in a recipe that calls for peeling, yes, if using for a recipe such as the old family "Waldorf Salad," then no. You should always peel oranges because the skin is hard to eat and somewhat bitter too.

I'm getting goofy. My celebration wine (Stonehedge Merlot) is going straight to my head.

Anybody watching "Survivor Tonite?" Ooops, sorry, that's totally off subject...

[Anne]

I peel store bought veges and fruits that are not organically grown, and don't peel home grown or other organically grown veges/fruits - ps I'm not including bannanas and coconuts here.

[Gail]

Originally posted by lorilei:
Do you like your veggies Naked? Or clothed?

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 07-12-2000).]

As a relic of the 'sixties, I feel it my duty to ask-- we are talking about the vegetables, as opposed to the cook, aren't we? (No graphics, this time, Mamasue!)


[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 07-12-2000).]

[Mary Ann]

I only peel potatoes if I'm going to mash them, and cucumbers if they're waxy. Other than that, I just give them a good scrubbin' with the vegetable brush.

And the two things I hate to peel (if called for in a recipe)--peaches and tomatoes. I know the tricks to make it easier, but I still hate it http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif

[Deanna]

Anne: In my opinion (after having studied the issue) peeling NONORGANIC veggies and fruits doesn't really rid the toxins you are trying to avoid. Many pesticides are systemic...therefore the whole food contains the toxin, not just the peel.

And, to further complicate the issue...20/20 (I think it was...maybe Dateline) did a segment last week on Organic produce that totally blew me away. Apparently there are bacteria on organic produce that can cause (and have caused) severe illness! What exactly are we supposed to do in order to eat the healthiest food available???

I'll see if I can find a link for those who missed the news program.

[nanadee]

No peeling around here....just wash & toss in the pot. I use to peel everything. Seems like my vegies have more flavor since I have stopped peeling them.

[lindrusso]

I'm a peeler (or is it a nudist??). Often it's for aesthetic reasons as well as just a personal preference. For instance, I've been known to peel a yellow squash or a zucchini because the skin got bumped around at the market and just didn't look "nice".

I didn't used to peel cucumbers, but I decided I would actually EAT them if they didn't have the yucky, waxy skin on (now I even seed them, but that's another story...)

I do, however, leave the skins on potatoes when they are the red, new potatoes or when I'm making home fried potatoes (Lyonnaise potatoes - mmmm, mmmmm!).

What I really HATE to peel is tomatoes, so I guess that's one thing I usually don't peel even though it is nice not to have those little flecks of skin that separate and float around in the dish.

[lorilei]

Gail - Yes, I'm talking about the veggies being naked, and not the chefs -- although I believe clothing IS optional if you're cooking at home. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

Deanna - I too saw that special on 20/20 about the "dangers" of organic veggies. I'm not sure how much I buy into all of that, but it's good to be aware.

IMO, organic vegetables are probably better than others -- in flavor definitely, and possibly with regard to "health". But, they've proven that even organic produce gets pesticide residue through groundwater and passed along through the air from nearby chemically-treated crops. So, you're probably never completely "safe" with organics.

[ElinorC]

I'm definitely a peeler. I like lily-white mashed potatoes, skinless apples in my pies, no waxed skins on my cucumbers, etc. I usually 'scrape' carrots instead of peeling and I don't peel cucumbers that haven't been waxed. I don't like to peel tomatoes ( the water method is messy and creates more dirty dishes) but I do if I'm making a sauce. I don't like the skin pieces in the sauce. Yukky!

[Gail]

Originally posted by lorilei:
... organic vegetables are probably better than others -- in flavor definitely, and possibly with regard to "health"...

Amen. And because of that, I don't know that 20/20 's little report is going to have that much impact on those of us buying organic.

I love all these "helpful" reports. If we listen to them all, basically everything is carcinogenic, so we might as well all just give up!

[lorilei]

Denise - interesting point -- and one of those things that I think we have all misunderstood to some degree in our lifetimes.

It's not really that the skins themselves have so many nutrients, but the vegetables readily lose their nutrients to the air and to heat once those skins are peeled -- so the idea is to keep them intact to preserve the nutrients inside.

[Denise]

I have heard recently that the majority of nutrients are not in the skins of veggies! Seems like I read it in a magazine somewhere.
However I almost never peel veggies (except apples for applesauce) just because I'm too lazy!