Produce Prep School: How to Break Down Fruits and Veggies

A crisp cabbage salad's on the menu, but you don't have a food processor . . . now what? Thankfully it's not a problem. All you need is a sharp knife and a cutting board to transform a head of cabbage into a pile of shreds.

Photo: Nicole Perry

Stuck in a salad rut? Add a new vegetable to the mix by shredding raw brussels sprouts into grassy green confetti.

Photo: Nicole Perry

Thorny and alien-like in appearance, artichokes have a reputation for being a challenging vegetable to cook. But that shouldn't stop you from enjoying their tender hearts and leaves; watch the video, conquer your fear, and enjoy.

Onions transform from sharp and crunchy to sweet, soft, and slumped after a prolonged trip to a skillet. Learn this crucial flavor-boosting technique, then add them to everything from burgers to pasta.

Photo: Nicole Perry

Wondering how restaurants transform a humble, craggy head of cauliflower into a thick, meaty steak? It's not magic; with a little knife work you can bring this trendy dish to your table.

Photo: Nicole Perry

At first glance spaghetti squash looks near-identical to its Winter squash cousins, but it holds a secret underneath its glossy skin: once cooked, it shreds up into noodle-like strands! Watch the video to see how its done — it's easy and requires no specialty equipment — and then dig in.

No need to sacrifice your favorite apron (or worse, dress) in the process of cracking open a pomegranate to get at the juicy arils nestled within. Instead, try this mess-free technique to extracting each and every ruby red seed.

Photo: Nicole Perry

Want to learn how to whittle asparagus stalks into elegant, willowy ribbons? All it takes is a few swipes of a vegetable peeler (and a little know-how). But first, try this trick to trimming away the stalks' dry, woody ends the fast and easy way.

Photo: Nicole Perry

Try to rid peaches of their velvety skin with a vegetable peeler, and you'll quickly learn that their tender, juicy flesh poses a major problem no matter how sharp the peeler's blade is. Instead, try this gentle method that won't mar the peach's flesh.

Photo: Andrew Armenante

Not quite sure how to break a head of cauliflower down into bite-size florets? Don't admit defeat; instead try our step-by-step instructions. Then, fire up the oven for a fast and easy side dish.

Photo: Nicole Perry