Macronutrients
Vitamins
Minerals
Fatty Acids
Omega-3, 6 and 9
Good Sources
Nutrient Tables
Food Dictionary
Food Pictures

Food Dictionary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T V W Y Z

= Picture
<NI> = Nutritional Information

A

Acerola: a very sweet, small, red fruit that grows on the tropical acerola shrub. It resembles a cherry, but is not related to it. On the inside, it is sectioned the same way as an orange and contains 2 or 3 hard seeds . Also known as West Indian cherry.<NI> .
Acerola juice: the juice from the acerola fruits. It is extremely high in natural vitamin C and a popular drink in Brazil. <NI>.
Acorn: the fruit of the oak tree. It is a smooth, thin-walled, edible nut in a woody, cup-shaped base. The dark-colored acorns of red oaks are bitter tasting and potentially irritating. It is better to eat the light-colored acorns of white oaks, that have a nice, nutty flavor. <NI> .
Acorn flour: flour made from ground acorns. It's high in fat and can spoil or get moldy very easily. It must be carefully stored. It's used in Korea to make noodles called dotori guksu. <NI>.
Acorn squash: a winter squash with a dark green skin and sweet, yellow-orange flesh. There are also orange and yellow varieties. <NI> .
Adzuki bean: a small, reddish-brown bean that grows on vines. Adzuki beans can be eaten fresh or dried or ground into flour. There are also white, black and gray varieties. Also known as aduki or azuki bean. <NI> .
Agar: a white, tasteless, dried extract from various seaweeds. It forms a gel with water and is used as a gelatin substitute in foods. Also known as agar-agar. <NI>.
Alfalfa: one of the world's most important forage plants. It is native to Europe. The seeds are often sprouted. <NI> .
All-purpose flour: a combination of hard and soft wheat is milled to create a flour with a medium protein content, which makes it suitable for baking cakes, cookies, biscuits and more. You can find this flour both bleached and unbleached. Bleached means that it was treated with bleaching chemicals to make it whiter. <NI>.
Allspice: a spice. The small, brown, unripe berry of the West Indian pimento tree. It is available as whole berries or ground. It is named allspice, because it tastes like a blend of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. It is also known as Jamaican pepper. <NI> .
Almond: the fruit of the small almond tree. There are two varieties of almond trees. The almond trees with white flowers produce sweet almonds, while the almond trees with pink flowers produce bitter almonds. Almonds are also made into almond butter, almond oil and almond extract. <NI> .
Almond butter: a spread that is made from soaked and ground almonds. It can be used the same way as peanut butter. <NI>.
Almond milk: a drink made from ground almonds. It is sold in stores and can also be made at home by combining ground almonds with water in a blender. Vanilla flavoring and sweeteners are common additions. Almond milk is sometimes fortified with vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, vitamin D2 and calcium. It can also be found in different flavors, including vanilla, carob and chocolate. It can be used as a beverage, poured over breakfast cereal or used in a wide variety of recipes.
Almond oil: a nut oil extracted from almonds, which can be used for high heat cooking or as an ingredient in salad dressings, sauces and desserts. <NI>.
Amaranth: a tall, red, purplish or green plant with edible leaves. It produces thousands of tiny, golden-colored, edible seeds (grains). The seeds can be made into amaranth flour. <NI> .
Amaranth leaves: the very broad, edible leaves of the amaranth plant. <NI>.
Anise seed: a spice. The tiny, brown, oval fruit of the Mediterranean anise plant. It has a sweet licorice flavor. All above-ground parts of the anise plant are edible. The oil of the anise plant is also used. <NI> .
Apple: a fruit with a yellow, red or green skin and sweet to tart whitish flesh. Cultivated throughout the world for at least 3,000 years. There are thousands of varieties. <NI> .
Apple juice: a fruit juice made from apples. <NI>.
Apple cider: fresh and unfiltered apple juice. In Europe apple cider is made from fermented apple juice, while in North America it is usually unfermented.
Apple cider vinegar: a vinegar made from apple cider. It is usually sold unfiltered. Also known as cider vinegar.
Apple butter: similar to applesauce, but with a high cider to apple ratio, of 8 liters to 1 kilogram. <NI>.
Applesauce: also known as apple sauce. A purée made of apples. Apples are cooked down with water, apple cider or apple juice to the desired level. The more acidic the apple, the finer the purée will be. Sometimes the peels are left on the apple. Spices, flavorings, lemon juice or sweeteners are sometimes added. <NI>.
Apricot: a yellow-orange fruit. Relative of the peach. Grown in China since 2,000 BC. <NI> .
Apricot kernel oil: an oil made from the dried kernels found inside the shells of apricot pits. It has a mild flavor and can be used for high heat cooking. <NI>.
Apricot nectar: a nectar made from apricots. <NI>.
Arrowhead: a starchy, round, yellowish or brownish root vegetable that grows on the aquatic arrowhead plant. The plant has arrow-shaped leaves and grows in ponds, swamps and rice-fields. <NI>.
Arrowroot: a white, starchy, tasteless powder obtained from the root of the tropical arrowroot plant. Arrowroot is used as a thickening agent for sauces, stews, gravies or desserts. <NI>.
Artichoke: the large, green, flower bud of a Mediterranean, thistle-like plant. The base of the leaves and the heart of the artichoke are edible. <NI> .
Arugula: a bitter, aromatic green leaf vegetable with a spicy, peppery flavor. Originated in the Mediterranean. Also known as rocket. <NI> .
Asian pear: also known as Korean pear, Japanese pear, Taiwan pear and sand pear. It's a fruit of the pear species. It is native to China, Japan and Korea. It is also known as apple pear, since the shape and texture are reminiscent of an apple. However, it is not a cross between apples and pears. <NI> .
Asparagus: the green or white, edible young shoots of the asparagus plant. The asparagus plant is a member of the lily family. White asparagus are grown underground to prevent them from becoming green. There is also a purple variety called Viola. <NI> .
Avocado: a fruit with yellow-green flesh that grows in tropical and subtropical climates. Skin color ranges from green to dark purple. <NI> .
Avocado oil: an oil with a light flavor made from avocados. Refined avocado oil has the highest smoke point of all plant oils, which makes it very suitable for high heat cooking. <NI>.

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B

Babassu oil: also known as cusi oil. It's a clear light yellow vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the babassu palm, which grows in South America. It is very similar to coconut oil and can be used in the same way. <NI>.
Baked beans: a recipe that consists of beans baked or stewed in a sauce. <NI>.
Baking powder: a chemical leavening agent. It is used to increase the volume and improve the texture of baked goods like cookies, muffins or cakes. It usually contains baking soda, one or more acids (like cream of tartar) and a starch (cornstarch or potato starch). When baking powder is mixed with a liquid and heated, it releases carbon dioxide. This creates bubbles in the batter or dough and causes it to rise. Double-acting baking powder will first release some gas when combined with a liquid and then more gas when exposed to heat.
Baking soda: also known as bicarbonate of soda or sodium bicarbonate. When combined with an acid, it creates carbon dioxide bubbles, which helps to give rise to doughs and batters. It is the main ingredient of baking powder. Since it reacts with water, baking soda should be thoroughly mixed with dry ingredients before adding liquids.
Balsamic vinegar: a dark colored, slightly sweet tasting, aromatic vinegar made from the concentrated juice of white trebbiano grapes. The grape juice is boiled down, fermented and allowed to age in wooden barrels for a few years. It is produced in Modena, Italy. <NI>.
Bamboo shoots: tender shoots from the base of bamboo plants. The bamboo plant is native to Asia. There are winter and spring shoots. Spring shoots are larger and tougher than winter shoots. <NI> .
Banana: a sweet, yellow fruit (technically a berry). The skin is deep-green, which turns to yellow or red. It is the worlds most popular fruit. <NI> .
Barley: a small, round grain with a nutty flavor and chewy texture. The outer, tough hulls are inedible and removed. The remaining grain is called whole barley. If the grain is polished even more to also remove the outer bran layer, the result is called pearl barley. Pearl barley is less chewy, cooks faster, but is also less nutritious. Whole barley that is toasted and cracked is called barley grits. Barley is also ground into barley flour. Sprouted barley is made into barley malt and barley malt syrup. Barley was one of the earliest cultivated grains. <NI> .
Barley flour: barley grains that have been ground into flour. It has a very low gluten content. <NI>.
Barley malt: malt. Also known as barley malt flour. <NI>.
Barley malt syrup: a dark brown, thick sweetener with a strong flavor made from barley malt.
Basil: a low-growing annual herb with bright green leaves that is member of the mint family. It has a sweet taste and a strong, pungent, sweet smell. Basil comes in fresh and dried forms and is very popular in Mediterranean cooking. <NI> .
Bay leaf: a spice. The green, aromatic leaf of the laurel tree. There are several varieties of bay leaves: Mediterranean bay leaf, California bay leaf and Indian bay leaf. Bay leaves can be used fresh or dried. <NI> .
Bean curd: tofu.
Beans: produced in pods and members of plants called legumes. Beans are usually kidney-shaped or oval, while peas are round and lentils have a flat disk-like shape. There are many different varieties of beans, including garbanzo, navy, lima and black.
Bean sprouts: mung bean sprouts.
Beechnut: a small, sweet, triangular nut enclosed in a bur, growing on the beech tree. Beech trees have smooth grey bark and rounded spreading crowns. <NI> .
Beets: a root vegetable with edible green leaves and edible round, reddish-purple root portions. There are also white and golden-yellow varieties. Beets have the highest sugar content of all vegetables and are used to make beet sugar. <NI> .
Bell pepper: a pepper with a mild, sweet taste that is shaped like a bell. It has very juicy flesh that makes up the thick wall and comes in green, yellow, red, orange, purple and brown varieties. Young bell peppers are green in color and change to another color when mature. The Spanish name for bell pepper is pimiento. <NI> .
Besan: chickpea flour.
Black beans: small, shiny, black beans. They have a sweet flavor and a mealy texture. <NI> .
Blackberry: a tart, juicy, purplish-black edible berry that grows on bramble bushes. It's the largest of the wild berries. <NI> .
Blackberry juice: the juice from blackberries. <NI>.
Black-eyed peas: small, pale-colored beans with a black spot. Also known as black-eyed beans, field peas or cowpeas. They are one of the most important food crops in the semi-arid tropics covering Asia, Africa, Southern Europe and Central and South America. They can be cultivated in drier regions and in poor soils where other food legumes don't grow well. <NI> .
Black pepper: see pepper. .
Blackstrap molasses: see molasses.
Blueberry: a sweet, juicy dark-blue berry of the blueberry plant. They are native to North America. Smaller blueberry species are known as "lowbush blueberries" or "wild blueberries". Larger species are known as "highbush blueberries". <NI> .
Bok choi: pak choi.
Borage: an annual herb originating in Syria. Also known as starflower. Used as either a fresh vegetable (in salads for instance) or a dried herb. The seed oil of this plant is cultivated for culinary and medicinal use. Borage is known for having the highest known plant-based source of gamma-linolenic acid. <NI> .
Boysenberry: a dark red, almost black fruit, which tastes like a raspberry. It is a cross among a blackberry, a red raspberry and a loganberry. <NI> .
Brazil nut: a large nut with a hard shell and a white kernel. It grows on the large South American tree Bertholletia. Brazil nuts grow packed together in a capsule the size of a coconut. One capsule contains 8 to 24 brazil nuts. <NI> .
Bread flour: a flour made from harder wheat, which gives it a higher protein content and makes it very suitable for baking yeast breads. The high-protein content helps to create a better texture and a higher rising bread. Similar results can be obtained by adding about a tablespoon of wheat gluten to regular wheat flour. <NI>.
Breadfruit: a fruit native to the Pacific islands with a texture like bread. It has a bumpy, green skin, dark yellow flesh and dark brown seeds. <NI> .
Breadfruit seeds: the edible, dark brown seeds of the breadfruit. <NI> .
Breadnut fruit: the large, oval, fleshy, green to green-yellow fruit of the breadnut tree, which can be found throughout the tropics. Its pulp is yellow-whitish when ripe and has a sweet aroma and taste. The breadnut is closely related to the breadfruit.
Breadnut tree seeds: the edible, light brown seeds of the breadnut tree, which are enclosed in the breadnut fruits. One breadnut fruit contains numerous large seeds, ranging from 12 to 150 each. Because the seeds take up 30-50% of the fruit, breadnut tree fruits have little pulp. <NI> .
Brewer's yeast: it can mean: (1) live yeast used in brewing, (2) yeast obtained as a by-product of brewing, which has been killed and dried and is used as nutritional yeast. Brewer's yeast is usually more bitter than nutritional yeast. Sometimes the term Brewer's yeast is used to refer to any nutritional yeast.
Broadbeans: fava beans.
Broccoli: a plant with dense clusters of tightly closed, deep green, edible flower buds that grow from thick edible stalks. There are also white and purple varieties. It's a member of the cabbage family. <NI> .
Broccoli raab: a vegetable with dark green, slightly bitter, pungent, leafy shoots and clustered flower buds that resemble small heads of broccoli. Broccoli raab is however not closely related to broccoli. It is also known as rapini and very popular in Chinese and Italian cuisine. <NI>.
Brown rice: rice that has been milled to remove only the outer husks. <NI> .
Brown rice syrup: see rice syrup.
Brown sugar: white sugar combined with molasses, which gives it a soft texture. You can find two different types of brown sugar: light and dark.
Brussels sprout: a vegetable that is a member of the cabbage family. Brussels sprouts are small cabbage-like heads that grow along a stalk. They resemble miniature cabbages. <NI> .
Buckwheat: the small, triangular seeds of the buckwheat plant, which has clusters of small pinkish, white flowers. Buckwheat is often regarded as a grain, even though it's not a true grass. The buckwheat seeds have hard outer shells, which are removed, and soft insides. The seeds can be ground up into buckwheat flour. Roasted buckwheat groats are known as kasha. Even though the buckwheat seeds are edible, the green parts of the plant are toxic. <NI> .
Buckwheat flour: buckwheat grains that have been ground up into flour. It is darker than wheat flour and contains no gluten. <NI>.
Bulgur: made from wheat berries that are cooked, have their bran removed, are dried and crushed. Bulgur is the main ingredient of a dish called tabouli, which is usually made by combining bulgur, tomato, lemon juice, parsley and mint. Bulgur is not the same as cracked wheat. <NI> .
Burdock: a root vegetable native to Europe and Asia. It is often considered a nuisance weed. It is mainly cultivated for the brown, edible roots that can extend 2 or 3 feet into the soil. The roots are very crispy and have a sweet flavor. Burdock root has large, green, wavy leaves with flowers sprouting from the stalks that can rise up to 6 feet tall. The flower stalks start growing the second year and are best eaten before the flowers appear. Burdock root is called Gobo in Japan. <NI> .
Bush beans: immature beans.
Butternut: the oily, egg-shaped, nut of the butternut tree, which is a North American walnut tree. Also called white walnut. Butternuts grow in bunches of 2 to 6 in light green, oval husks that are covered with sticky hairs. <NI> .
Butternut squash: a large, pear-shaped, smooth, yellow squash with sweet, orange flesh. <NI> .
Button mushroom: edible mushrooms with white, firm caps and white stems. They are one of the most widely cultivated mushrooms in the world. Also known as white mushrooms or common mushrooms. <NI> .

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C

Cabbage: an edible plant that comes in flat, conical or round shapes with heads that are either compact or loose and leaves that are curly or flat. Colors vary from white to purplish red. There are many different varieties, including common cabbage (also known as drumhead), red cabbage, savoy cabbage, napa cabbage and Chinese cabbage. <NI> and <NI> .
Canola oil: an oil obtained from rapeseeds. It has a mild flavor and is suitable for high heat cooking and as a base for salad dressings. <NI>.
Cake flour: a wheat flour milled from soft wheat. It has a low protein content compared to other flours. Less gluten forms when you make a batter, which produces a baked product with a very light texture. This makes it very suitable for baking cakes. <NI>.
Capers: a spice. The pickled, immature, small, green flower buds of a Mediterranean shrub. Pickling is done by soaking and storing a food in a solution of vinegar and salt. They have a mild, peppery taste.
Carambola: a yellow to green, sweet to tangy fruit native to Sri Lanka and popular throughout Southeast Asia. It is also known as starfruit, because of the five-pointed star shape when you cut the fruit across. <NI> .
Cardoon: also known as cardone, cardoni, carduni, cardi or artichoke thistle. It's a thistle-like plant, native to the Mediterranean and a natural variant of the globe artichoke. The flower buds can be eaten, but it's most common to eat the stems, which are usually braised in broth. <NI> .
Carissa: also known as natal-plum. It's a plum-shaped berry, red to dark-purple-black. It contains 16 flat brown seeds. The flavor is comparable with that of a cranberry. <NI> .
Carob flour or powder: a flour with a starchy, beanlike flavor. It is milled from the dried pod of the flowering evergreen tree Ceratonia siliqua, commonly known as the Carob tree. Carob flour can be used as a substitute for cocoa powder. <NI>.
Carrot: a root vegetable with green, edible foliage and an orange, edible root. There are many varieties of carrots that can be classified into two main groups: Asiatic types and European types. The Asiatic types are larger, darker and sweeter. The European types are smoother and thinner. <NI> .
Carrot juice: a sweet juice made of carrots. <NI>.
Caraway seeds: aromatic, small, crescent-shaped seeds with a nutty, anise flavor that come from the caraway plant, which is an herb in the parsley family. Caraway seeds are used as a spice, usually whole. <NI> .
Cardamom: a spice with a sweet, strong, ginger-like flavor from the ginger family. It are small, round, black seeds that grow inside small, green pods. Cardamom can be found whole or ground. Cardamom is one of the most expensive spices in the world, because each seed pod has to be removed from the plant by hand and then dried. Cardamom is native to India, where it is also known as elaichi. <NI> .
Cashew: a sweet, buttery, kidney-shaped nut that grows on the tropical cashew tree. The cashew grows at the end of the cashew apple, which is a pseudofruit or false fruit that ripens into a yellow or red, edible structure with acidic, juicy pulp. At the end of each cashew apple grows one cashew, which is considered the true fruit of the cashew tree. The thick, green-brown shells of cashews contain a toxic substance called urushiol that can irritate the skin. Before cashews are sold for consumption, their shells have to be carefully removed to make sure that the toxic resin in the shell layer doesn't enter the cashew nut. Almost all removal methods involve steaming the shells open at a high temperature and boiling the cashews in oil. Even cashews marked as 'raw' are usually processed in this way. Cashews are also made into cashew butter. <NI> .
Cashew butter: a very flavorful spread made from cashews. It can be used as a sandwich spread or to make soups, sauces and dips. <NI>.
Cassava: also known as yuca or manioc. A woody shrub native to South America. It's cultivated for its edible root, which is the third-largest source of carbohydrates for meals in the world. The leaves are also edible and a good source of protein. Nigeria is the world's largest producer of cassava. <NI> .
Cauliflower: a member of the cabbage family that is closely related to broccoli. Cauliflower has densely packed, undeveloped, white flower buds that are edible. The white, edible head of the plant is called the curd. <NI> .
Cayenne pepper: red pepper.
Celeriac: a type of celery, also known as celery root, knob celery or turnip-rooted celery. It's grown as a root vegetable and can be eaten both raw and cooked. It's mostly the bulb that's eaten. The hollow stalks are sometimes used as drinking straws. <NI> .
Celery: a green shoot vegetable that grows in bunches of aromatic leaf stalks. Both the stalks and the leaves are edible. <NI> .
Celery flakes: celery stalk which has been dehydrated and cut. They are used as a spice to flavor dishes like soups, stocks, stews or casseroles. They taste stronger then the fresh vegetable, so smaller amounts (about 1/3 the amount of fresh) should be used. They need to be re-hydrated before use. <NI>.
Celery seeds: a spice. Tiny, greenish brown seeds from a wild celery plant, which is a member of the parsley family and related to the celery plant. Celery seeds have a strong, celery-like flavor and aroma and can be found whole or ground. <NI> .
Cereal: cereal can have several meanings. 1. cereal crop 2. the edible seeds of a cereal crop 3. a breakfast food prepared from grain.
Cereal crop: grasses cultivated for their edible seeds. Cereal crops include: wheat, rice, maize, millet, sorghum, rye, oats, barley, teff, wild rice and spelt.
Cereal grass: Cereal crop.
Chanterelle: on orange or yellow, funnel-shaped, edible mushroom. Some chanterelle species have a fruity odor, others a more woody and some are even slightly spicy. The golden chanterelle is the most flavorful and popular one. <NI> .
Chard: a leafy green vegetable with either a white, yellow or red stem and veins. It is a type of beet that lacks a swollen, fleshy root. The large leaves and stalks are edible. Also known as Swiss chard. <NI> .
Cherimoya: a fruit, native to the Andean-highland valleys of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador and Peru. It's oval with a smooth or slightly tuberculated skin. The flesh is soft, white and creamy with large dark brown non-edible seeds, that are easily removed. When ripe, the skin is green or brownish and feels similar to an avocado. Mark Twain has called the cherimoya "the most delicious fruit known to men". The Cherimoya belongs to the same family as the custard apple and also resembles it. That's why it's commonly mistaken for a custard apple and often called the cherimoya custard apple. <NI> .
Cherry: both a tree and a fruit. There are both sweet and sour types of cherries. It's a red fruit with a hard pit. <NI> .
Chervil: an aromatic herb with small leaves of the parsley family. Chervil has a delicate flavor reminiscent of both parsley and anise. Also known as garden chervil or French parsley. <NI> .
Chestnut: the fruit of the large chestnut tree. Chestnuts are shiny, brownish-red fruits with wrinkly, cream-colored kernels that grow in green, prickly burs. The hard, brown skins are inedible and need to be removed. Chestnuts can be eaten raw, but are usually roasted. There are over 100 varieties of chestnut trees that belong to the family of beech trees, including the European, Chinese, Japanese and American chestnut trees. These are the true chestnut trees that produce edible chestnuts. European chestnuts are also known as sweet chestnuts. The horse chestnut is a variety that produces inedible chestnuts, also called conkers. They contain the toxic substance aesculin, a poisonous glycoside which breaks down blood proteins. The horse chestnut does not belong to the family of beech trees and is not a true chestnut. Horse chestnuts have a thick skin with short, stumpy spines at intervals around it, while edible chestnuts are densely covered with longer, fine, sharp spikes. <NI> and <NI> .
Chia seeds: commonly known as chia. The edible seeds of a flowering plant in the mint family, native to Mexico and Guatemala. They can be eaten raw as whole seeds or ground up and mixed into foods and drinks.
Chickpeas: round, beige beans with a nut-like flavor and a firm texture. It's the main ingredient in the Middle Eastern dishes hummus and falafel. Also known as garbanzo beans. <NI> .
Chickpea flour: also known as garbanzo flour, gram flour or besan. It is made from ground chickpeas. It's commonly used in Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani cuisines. It can also be used as an egg-replacer. <NI>.
Chicory: a plant with bright blue flowers. Various varieties are cultivated for its leaves and roots. The leaves are mostly used in salads and the roots are used as a substitute or additive for coffee. In The U.S., "Chicory" is also used as the name for curly endive. These two species are often confused. <NI> .
Chile pepper: a spice. The fruit of the plant Capsicum bearing very hot, long peppers. There are different colors of chile peppers, including red, green, yellow and orange. Also known as chili or chilli pepper. <NI> .
Chili powder: a spice mix of dried, ground chile peppers, cumin, garlic and oregano. Sometimes other spices are added. Chili powder can be made at home or bought. <NI> .
Chinese cabbage: pak choi.
Chocolate: a combination of cocoa powder, cocoa butter and other ingredients that can include other fats, sugar, milk or soy milk and various flavorings. Unsweetened baking chocolate (bitter chocolate) contains primarily cocoa powder and cocoa butter in varying proportions. White chocolate contains cocoa butter, but no cocoa powder.
Chrysanthemum: known as edible chrysanthemum, garland chrysanthemum or chrysanthemum greens. It's a leaf vegetable rich in vitamins and minerals, native to the Mediterranean and East Asia. <NI> .
Cider vinegar: apple cider vinegar. <NI>.
Cilantro: an herb. The fresh leaves of the coriander plant. Also known as Chinese Parsley. <NI> .
Cinnamon: a sweet-spicy, aromatic spice that comes from the thick, dark brown bark of a small evergreen tree. <NI> .
Citrus peel: the skin of a citrus fruit like lemon, orange or lime. The peel contains both the outer, colored layer of the fruit (the zest) and the white, bitter pith underneath it. Sometimes citrus peel is used interchangeably with zest.
Clementine: a variety of the mandarin orange. They are sweet, very easy to peel and almost always seedless. They are also known as seedless tangerines. <NI> .
Cloud ear fungus: an edible gray-brown fungus, often used in Asian cooking. It is also known as black fungus, black Chinese fungus (or mushroom), wood ear fungus, wood fungus, ear fungus or tree ear fungus. It is usually sold dried and needs to be soaked before use. It has very little flavor, but is enjoyed for its crunchy texture and potential medical properties. It is found to be effective in reducing blood pressure and possibly LDL cholesterol levels. To get these medical benefits, some people drink the water in which cloud ear fungus has been slow-cooked for at least an hour. <NI> .
Cloves: a small, brown, nail-shaped spice with a strong, pungent and sweet flavor and a pleasant aroma. A clove is the dried, unopened flower bud of the clove tree, which is native to Indonesia. <NI> .
Cocoa butter: also known as theobroma oil or theobroma cacao. It's a pale-yellow, edible vegetable fat extracted from the cocoa bean. <NI>.
Cocoa liquor: also known as chocolate liquor. Pure chocolate in liquid form. It's the melted combination of cocoa powder and cocoa butter in roughly equal proportion.
Cocoa powder: also known as cocoa solids, cocoa or cacao. It is made from roasted, ground-up chocolate beans. It has a high concentration of the psychoactive chemicals caffeine and theobromine. Dutch-processed cocoa powder has been treated with an alkali to neutralize the acidity. It is known as either "Dutch-processed cocoa" or "cocoa processed with alkali". It was invented by a Dutch chocolatier in the 19th century. It' is darker brown in color, smoother and less bitter then regular cocoa powder. <NI>.
Coconut: a large, hard-shelled, oval nut that grows on the tall coconut palm. It has a brown, fibrous husk lined by thick, edible, white coconut meat. The inside contains a drinkable fluid called coconut water. <NI> .
Coconut cream: a white liquid obtained from compressing fresh coconut meat. It is very similar to coconut milk, but contains less water. It has a thicker, more paste-like consistency. <NI>.
Coconut milk: a white liquid made by simmering grated coconut meat in water and straining it. <NI>.
Coconut oil: an oil pressed from the meat of a coconut. It has a light color and solidifies at room temperature. <NI>.
Coconut water: the drinkable fluid found inside the coconut. <NI>,
Collards: a variety of cabbage that doesn't form a head, but grows as large, dark green, oval leaves on long stalks. It is also known as tree-cabbage or non-heading cabbage. Also known as collard greens. <NI> .
Condiment: a substance used to enhance the flavor of food. This can include a relish, sauce or a mixture of spices. Ketchup and prepared mustard are very popular condiments.
Confectioners' sugar: powdered sugar.
Coriander: a plant with thin, rounded, feathered, green leaves and small, pink or whitish flowers that belongs to the parsley family. The leaves of the coriander plant are used as an herb and also known as cilantro or Chinese parsley. The dried seeds of the coriander plant are used as a spice. Usually the word coriander refers to the dried seeds. <NI> .
Corn: a tall annual cereal grass with kernels on large ears. The ears grows close to the stem, covered by several layers of green leaves. One ear is covered with rows of two to four hundred grains. Young corn can be eaten raw. As the plant matures, the cob toughens. Corn comes in different varieties, which are used for different purposes, including sweet corn, flint corn, dent corn, flour corn and popcorn. Corn also comes in different colors and patterns, including yellow, white, red, blue, black, striped, spotted and speckled. Corn is also known as maize. <NI> and <NI>, and .
Corn bran: the outer most layer of the corn kernel. <NI>.
Corn flour: a yellow flour made made of dried and ground corn, which has a finer texture than cornmeal. <NI>.
Corn flour, Masa: also known as masa harina. It's made from dried corn, which is treated with a solution of lime and water. This helps to loosen the hulls from the kernels. The soaked corn is then washed and ground into a dough, called masa. Masa corn flour is made by drying the masa dough into a powdered form. This flour is used when making tortillas or tamales. <NI>.
Cornmeal: yellow, white or blue, dried and ground corn. The most commonly available cornmeal is degermed cornmeal, which has the thin outer skins of the corn kernels removed before it is ground. Whole-grain cornmeal is made with the skins still attached. Cornmeal is used to make polenta, muffins and cornbread. Also known as Indian meal. <NI>.
Corn oil: oil extracted from the germ of the corn kernel. It has almost no flavor or odor and a high smoke point, which makes corn oil very popular for baking. It is also used as a salad oil and in the production of margarine. <NI>.
Corn pasta: pasta made from corn flour. <NI>.
Corn syrup: a sweet syrup extracted from corn.
Cottonseed flour: made from cottonseed meal which has been treated to remove as much of the hulls as possible. After that it is finely ground into flour. <NI>.
Cottonseed meal: made from whole cottonseed by extracting the oil. Cottonseed meal will contain different amounts of fat, depending on what processing method is used to extract the oil from the seeds. <NI>.
Cottonseed oil: oil extracted from the seeds of the cotton plant. <NI>.
Courgette: zucchini.
Couscous: a type of pasta, not a grain, made from semolina. The semolina is moistened with water to form small pellets. These pellets are the couscous grains. Couscous grains can vary in size from really small to almost pea sized. It is prepared by steaming. Couscous is a North African dish and the national dish of Morocco. <NI>.
Cowpeas: black-eyed peas. The immature pods and beans are edible and known as cowpea beans.
Cowpea beans: the edible, immature cowpea beans. <NI> .
Crabapple: a small, red apple with a hard and very sour flesh that grows on wild apple trees with clusters of white, pink or reddish flowers. Varieties with yellow crabapples exist as well. Crabapples are also known as crab apples or wild apples. <NI> .
Cracked wheat: made from crushed wheat berries.
Cream of coconut: coconut cream that has been sweetened for use in desserts and beverages. Unsweetened versions also exist. Coconut cream and cream of coconut are often used interchangeably.
Creamed coconut: a compressed block of coconut flesh which has been slightly dehydrated and is sold as a big lump.
Cranberry: a bright red, tart berry native to North America. <NI> .
Cranberry beans: beans that are beige with red streaks. They have a creamy texture and a nut-like flavor. They are also known as shell beans. <NI> .
Cranberry juice: a very tart tasting juice made of cranberries. <NI>.
Crimini mushrooms: light tan to brown, edible mushrooms with firm caps. They are similar to button mushrooms, but with a darker color and a more dense structure. Also known as brown or Italian mushrooms. <NI> .
Cucumber: a long, cylindrical, cool, crisp, green-skinned fruit with edible seeds that is made up of about 96% water. The length ranges from 3 inches to 2 feet. It is part of the melon family. It grows on the cucumber plant which has large leaves that grow over the fruit. <NI> .
Cumin: a spice. It is the oval-shaped seed from the cumin plant, which is a member of the parsley family. Cumin seeds have a bitter, nutty flavor and strong, warm aroma. It is one of the major ingredients in curry powders. Cumin is the second most popular spice in the world, right behind black pepper. <NI> .
Currant: a tiny berry from the gooseberry family. There are black, red and white varieties. <NI> and <NI> .
Curry powder: a mixture of spices that can vary greatly in composition. Curry powder can be sweet, spicy or savory, depending on the mix of spices used. Most curry powders include coriander, turmeric, cumin, mustard, fenugreek, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, red pepper and cloves. <NI> .
Custard-apple: a soft, sweet, heart-shaped tropical fruit, which turns yellowish-brown when ripe. Also known as bullock's-heart, bull's-heart or pawpaw. <NI> .

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D

Dandelion: a green plant with long leaves and yellow flowers. The flower heads change into white, globular seed heads. Generally considered a weed. Dandelion leaves are edible, but taste very bitter. Their taste is best in early spring, before the flowers appear or in late fall. <NI> .
Date: the brown, oval shaped, intensely sweet fruit of the date palm. Dates have been cultivated for over 5,000 years. <NI> .
Delicata squash: a yellow squash with green stripes and yellow flesh. It tastes like a cross between butternut squash and sweet potatoes. Also known as sweet potato squash. .
Dent corn: a variety of corn with very firm kernels. It is low in sugar and high in starch and mostly used for animal feed or as an ingredient in corn chips, cereals, syrups, alcoholic drinks or soft drinks. Also known as field corn.
Dill: a sweet, aromatic herb with fine, feathery leaves, blue-green fronds and yellow flowers. Also known as dill weed. It is native to southern Europe and western Asia. The seeds of the dill plant are used as a spice. <NI> .
Dill pickle: a pickle flavored with dill.
Dishcloth gourd: also known as towel gourd. It's an edible gourd. The fruit is very fibrous. When separated from the rind and seeds, it can be used as a sponge or towel. It's also known as Egyptian bath sponge.<NI> .
Distilled vinegar: any type of vinegar can be distilled to produce a colorless solution of about 5%-8% acetic acid in water. This is also known as distilled spirit, "virgin" vinegar or white vinegar. <NI>.
Dock: also known as curly dock, sour dock, narrow dock or narrow-leaved dock. It's native to Europe and Western Asia. Young leaves can be consumed in small quantities in salads or boiled in several changes of water to remove most of the oxalic acid in the leaves. Mature leaves are very bitter. <NI> .
Durian: a large, oval shaped fruit from southeast Asia. It has yellow, creamy flesh, 6 large yellow-brown seeds and an awful odor. <NI> .
Durum wheat: a variety of wheat with hard dark-colored kernels. It is the hardest of all wheats. It is high in gluten and used to make bread and pasta. <NI> .

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E

Edamame: the Japanese name for whole soybeans which are picked while they are still green. They have a sweet taste and are sold in the pod or shelled. .
Eggnog: a dairy-based beverage, traditionally made with milk or cream, beaten eggs and liquor. It's a very popular drink during the Holiday season. Various vegan versions can now be found on the market, mostly soy (soy nog) or rice based. You can also find recipes to make your own vegan "nog" online.
Eggplant: a large, edible, egg-shaped vegetable with a shiny skin. It is related to the tomato and pepper. It comes in many varieties that vary in color from purple to red and from yellow to white. It has tender, sweet, yellowish white, spongy flesh with small, brownish, edible seeds. It is a member of the nightshade family and originated in India. Eggplant is also known as aubergine. <NI> .
Elderberry: the purple-black fruit of the elder shrub or tree. Native to Europe. <NI> .
Endive: a, bitter-tasting salad green that is related to chicory. It comes in three varieties: Belgian endive, curly endive and escarole. Belgian endive is grown without light to produce white leaves with pale yellow tips. Curly endive has prickly, dark green leaves. Escarole is the least bitter of the three. <NI> .
Enoki: an edible mushroom. The cultivated variety of enoki comes in clumps of long, thin, white stems topped with small, white caps. The wild form has dark brown, shiny caps and shorter stems. Enoki mushrooms have a crunchy texture and a mild, fruity flavor. They can be eaten raw. Also known as enokitake, golden needle mushroom, winter mushroom and velvet foot. <NI> .

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F

Falafel: a Middle Eastern dish that consists of deep-fried balls made out of spiced, ground chickpeas. The chickpeas are not cooked, but soaked and sometimes skinned before they are ground up. Sometimes fava beans are used instead of chickpeas.
Fava beans: a tan colored, flat bean that resembles a large lima bean. It comes in a very large pod. Fava beans have tough skins that can be removed by blanching before cooking. Also known as broad beans, faba beans, horse beans or field beans. <NI> .
Feijoa: a green, oval fruit with a slightly tart taste. Also known as pineapple guava. <NI> .
Fennel: a vegetable with pale green stalks, a pale green and white bulb and black seeds. It has a light, anise like flavor. The leaves, bulb and seeds are all edible. Fennel is used as both a vegetable and herb. It is a part of the parsley family and originated mainly from India and Egypt. <NI> .
Fennel seeds: the seeds of the fennel plant. They are used as a spice.
Fenugreek: a plant native to western Asia and southern Europe. The young leaves of the fenugreek plant are used as an herb and the very hard seed pods are ground and used as a spice. Fenugreek has a bitter, dominant flavor and aroma and is mostly used in curry powders and stews. <NI> .
Fiddlehead fern: also known as fiddleheads or fiddlehead greens. They are the furled, edible fronds of a young fern. They are harvested before the fronds have opened. Every fern plant produces seven tops that turn into fronds. It's recommended to only harvest about three tops per plant, since over-picking will kill it. <NI> .
Fig: a sweet, pear-shaped, yellowish or purple fruit which originated in Africa, Asia and southern Europe and grows from about 700 varieties of fig trees. <NI> .
Filbert: hazelnut.
Fireweed: also known as Great Willow-herb or Rosebay Willowherb. It's native throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The shoots can be eaten when young and tender. When the plant matures, it becomes more tough and bitter. However, mature stems can be peeled and eaten. Firewood leaves can be used as a substitute for tea and the nectar is sometimes used to make candies or syrups. <NI> .
Flaxseed: the seed of the flax plant also known as linseed. When ground up, flaxseeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. Ground flaxseeds can be mixed in drinks or sprinkled on breakfast cereals or other foods. It can also be mixed into baked goods, like breads or muffins, by either simply mixing it in or by using it as an egg-replacer. For use as an egg-replacer, you can mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds with 3 tablespoons of water (or other liquid). This should be stirred or blended until it's thick and gelatinous. This will replace one egg in you recipe. Do note that heat and light damages omega-3 fatty acids. If you're consuming flaxseeds for the omega-3 benefits, it's best to consume ground flaxseeds raw and to keep them stored in a cool, dark place. <NI> .
Flaxseed oil: a yellowish oil derived from the dried ripe seeds of the flax plant. Like flaxseed, it is a great source of omega-3. <NI>.
Flint corn: a variety of corn with very hard kernels and multicolored ears. Flint corn can be ground into cornmeal, made into hominy or polenta or used for decoration.
Flour: the finely ground grain of a cereal, like wheat, corn, rice, barley, oat or rye. If the cereal is not specified, the word flour refers to wheat flour.
Flour corn: a variety of corn with starchy kernels, which are softer than the kernels of most other varieties. It is mainly used for the production of corn flour.
French bean: a very small, thin, green string bean, which can be eaten with the pod. Also known as haricot vert. <NI> .
Fruit: the part of the plant, tree or bush that contains the seeds. Also known as the mature, ripened ovary of the plant. Fruits include apples, peaches, oranges and grapes. Tomatoes, beans and zucchini are technically also fruits even though they are usually considered as vegetables.
Fruit juice: the liquid naturally contained in fruits. Note: clarifying agents used for some fruit juices can be derived from an animal source (like gelatin, eggs, fish or animal milk).
Fruit preserves: a preparation of fruit which is often canned or sealed for long-term storage. Jam, jelly and marmalade are examples of fruit preserves. What type of fruit deserve it is, depends on the preparation method and the other ingredients added.
Fuyu: fermented tofu.

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G

Garbanzo beans: chickpeas.
Garbanzo flour: chickpea flour.
Garden cress: a fast-growing, edible plant related to watercress and mustard. It has a peppery, tangy flavor and aroma. It is also known as garden pepper cress, pepper grass or pepperwort. It has either white or reddish flowers. <NI> .
Garlic: a white bulb with a flaky outer layer of skin made up of sections of cloves. The garlic plant has long, narrow, green leaves is closely related to the onion. Garlic is a very important spice with a strong flavor and smell. <NI> .
Gherkin: a small variety of cucumber, often used for pickling. Gherkin is also the name of the pickle made from such a cucumber. Originally, the term "gherkin" was used for pickles made from the West Indian or Burr Gherkin cucumbers. However, the term "gherkin" is now used for any small cucumber pickled in a vinegar brine.
Ginger: the spicy-sweet, pale yellow, pungent root of the tropical ginger plant, which is a very popular spice. <NI> .
Ginkgo nut: a small, sweet, green nut obtained from the center of the inedible fruit of the ginko tree. The ginko tree, also known as maidenhair tree, is over 150 million years old and one of the oldest variety of trees on earth. <NI> .
Gooseberry: a large berry with both sweet and tart varieties. Originated in Europe. Gooseberries are a summer fruit with a season which only last a few weeks. <NI> .
Gourd: a plant of the Cucurbitaceae family. The term "gourd" is also used for the plants' fruits, which includes squashes (including pumpkins), cucumbers and melons. The most common use of the term "gourd" refers to the hard-rinded fruits of the plants of the genera Lagenaria and Cucurbita. These inedible fruits are often used for ornament, instruments, utensils and vessels. Edible varieties of gourds also include the dishcloth gourd and the white-flowered gourd.
Grain: grain has the same meaning as the first two definitions of cereal: 1. cereal crop 2. the edible seeds of a cereal crop.
Gram flour: chickpea flour.
Grape: a juicy, purple- or green-skinned edible berry that grows in clusters from vines. Comes in both sweet and tart varieties. Grapes are eaten out-of-hand and used to make juices, raisins and wine. <NI> .
Grape juice: a juice made of grapes. Grape juice is very sweet and sometimes used as an ingredient in fruit nectars to enhance their sweetness. <NI>.
Grape leaves: The large, green leaves of the grapevine. They are often used to wrap foods. <NI>.
Grapefruit: a large round citrus fruit that grows in grape-like clusters from the sub-tropical Grapefruit tree. It comes in white and red varieties. <NI> .
Grapefruit juice: the juice extracted from grapefruits. <NI>.
Grapeseed oil: oil extracted from the seeds of grapes. <NI>.
Great northern beans: kidney shaped, white beans with thin skins and a mild flavor. <NI> .
Green beans: immature beans, also known as French beans. They include the unripe fruits of any kind of bean, including the yardlong bean, the hyacinth bean and the winged bean. Pods can be either green, golden, purple, red or streaked. The edible pods are usually called string beans or snap beans. <NI> .
Groats: the hulled and crushed grains of various cereals, like oats, wheat or buckwheat.
Groundcherry: native to warm temperate and subtropical regions throughout the world. It's a small orange fruit, the size of a small tomato. It's enclosed in a large papery husk. <NI> .
Guava: a small, green-yellow or pink-red, sweet, aromatic, tropical fruit that grows from the guava tree. Originated in the warm regions of the Americas. <NI> .

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H

Hazelnut: a hard-shelled nut with an oval or round kernel and a thin, dark-brown skin that grows on the hazel tree. Also known as filbert or cobnut. <NI> .
Hazelnut oil: a strongly flavored oil pressed from hazelnuts. <NI>.
Heart of palm: the edible, cream-colored, crunchy core of the stem of about twenty different varieties of palm trees. A palm has one heart, which is the growing tip from which new stems and leaves emerge. When this is chopped out, the tree will usually die. The Peach palm however, does not die when its heart is harvested, and will continue to sprout new stems. <NI>.
Herb: a plant without a woody stems (which means that it's not a tree or shrub) that is grown for flavoring or medicinal purposes. Herbs consist of fresh leaves and stems or crumbled or powdered dried leaves.
Hickory nut: a small, dark brown, aromatic, flavorful, hard-shelled nut, related to the pecan, that grows on the North American hickory tree. Edible hickory nuts grow on the shellbark or shagbark varieties of hickory trees. The hickory nut grows in a green cover that splits off in the fall. <NI> .
High fructose corn syrup: a modified form of corn syrup that has a higher amount of fructose. It is made by treating corn syrup with an enzyme that converts glucose into the sweeter tasting fructose.
Hijiki: a dark, brown seaweed which turns black when dried. It is commonly found on a rocky coastline.
Hominy: dried corn kernels from which the hull and germ have been removed. Ground hominy is called grits. <NI>.
Horned melon: also known as African horned cucumber or melon, jelly melon, hedged gourd, English tomato, melano, blowfish fruit or kiwano. It's an oval fruit with horn-like spines. When ripe, it has an yellow-orange skin and green jelly-like flesh. The texture is similar to a cucumber and it tastes tart. It is native to Africa, but now grown in other parts of the world as well. <NI> .
Horseradish: a long, hot, pungent, white root. Fresh horseradish is grated or ground and used as a spice. Prepared horseradish is combined with vinegar, sold in jars and used as a condiment. The red variety of prepared horseradish is colored with beet juice. <NI>.
Horseradish Tree: the very nutritious vegetable tree Moringa oleifera, also known as drumstick tree. This tree is sometimes called "Horseradish tree" since the shredded edible roots can be used as a substitute for the condiment horseradish. The Moringa oleifera is a slender, tall-growing tree and one of the most useful trees in the world. The immature green pods called "drumsticks" are the most valued part of the tree. They are commonly consumed in India and can be prepared like green beans. The seeds of the pods can be eaten like peas or roasted like nuts. The leaves can be used like spinach or dried and crushed into a powder and used in soups and sauces. The flowers are also edible when cooked. <NI> .
Hot sauce: also known as chili sauce or pepper sauce. A sauce made from chili peppers and other ingredients. The peppers are infused in liquids like, vinegar, water, oil alcohol or fruits and vegetable pulp. <NI>.
Hummus: a popular Middle Eastern spread usually made of mashed chickpeas, sesame butter, lemon juice and garlic.
Hyacinth beans: a bean that grows on vines throughout the tropics, especially in Africa. The vines grow beautiful purple flowers and scarlet colored seed pods. All parts of the vines are edible, including the flowers and leaves. The tuber and beans can be poisonous and must be well cooked before they are eaten. <NI> .
Hydrolyzed soy protein: a soy protein that is broken down into amino acids by a chemical process called hydrolysis.

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I

Immature beans: also known as string beans, green beans or French beans. They are the immature pods and beans of any kind of bean. There are two varieties of string beans: snap beans and pole beans. Snap beans - also known as bush beans - are able to stand erect without support. They grow on bushy plants and usually produce beans all at once and then stop. Pole beans grow best when they have something to climb on (like a trellis, wall or tree). These beans usually produce beans over a long harvest period. When string beans continue to mature, the beans inside will grow, the pods will bulge and become tough and inedible. Immature beans are technically legumes, but are often considered vegetables, since the beans inside are immature and very small. Most of the immature beans consist of the edible pods.
Irish moss: dark purple edible seaweed that grows attached to rocks along the Atlantic coast of Europe and North America. Like agar, it is used as a gelling agent. Also known as carrageen. <NI>.
Instant oats: oat groats that have been cut into several pieces, precooked, dried and rolled into thinner flakes.

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J

Jackfruit: a very large, bland, sweet, yellowish fruit related to the fig and the breadfruit. It grows from the Jackfruit tree and is the national fruit of Bangladesh. <NI> .
Jalapeño: a small, green, moderately hot chile pepper. .
Jam: a type of fruit preserve that contains both fruit juice and pieces of the fruit's (or vegetable's) flesh. Jams are often made from the pulp and juice of one particular fruit and not a combination of fruits. Jam is usually made by heating the fruit with water and sugar to activate the pectin in the fruit. The mixture is then put into containers. Some popular jams are strawberry, apricot and blackberry jam. <NI>.
Java plum: also known as jambul, jamun, black plum or Portuguese plum. It is native to India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. They resemble large berries. They are oblong and start out green. They turn pink to crimson black when ripe. Some varieties are white colored. They have a sweet-sour taste. <NI> .
Jelly: a type of fruit preserve that is made from sweetened fruit (or vegetable) juice. It is set using naturally occurring pectin. Additional pectin is sometimes added if the fruit doesn't supply enough, for example with grapes. Jelly is made in a very similar way as jam, with the additional removal of the fruit pulp after the initial heating. Jelly looks very clear and shiny.
Jicama: yam bean.
Jujube: a small, dark red fruit with one seed in the center. Flavor resembles that of a prune. Also known as Chinese date or tsao. Originated in China. <NI> .

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K

Kale: a green leafy vegetable closely related to collard greens. It is a member of the cabbage family. It grows in loose bunches and comes in both crinkly and smooth leaved varieties. Both the leaves and stems are edible. <NI> .
Kamut: the name Kamut is the registered trademark and brand name used to sell the grain khorasan wheat. The word "kamut" comes from the ancient hieroglyphic language meaning "wheat". The company Kamut International Ltd. uses the Kamut trademark to protect and preserve the ancient khorasan grain variety. Khorasan sold under the kamut brand must meet several specific qualifications to ensure the quality and purity. These qualifications include that it has to be the ancient khorasan variety of wheat, it has to be grown as a certified organic grain, the protein range has to be between 12 and 18% and it has to contain between 400 and 1000 ppb of selenium. <NI> .
Kasha: roasted buckwheat groats.
Kelp: large, dark brown to grayish-black seaweed belonging to the brown algae. It grows in the form of long stalks with leaflike blades. <NI>.
Ketchup: also known as catsup. It's a condiment that consists of a thick, smooth, spicy sauce made from ripe tomatoes. Other ingredients can include onions, vinegar, sugar (or other sweetener) and salt. Many different varieties exist. <NI>.
Khorasan wheat: an ancient and organic type of wheat grain with a very high protein content. The grains are about twice as large as modern-day wheat grains and known for their nutty flavor. Khorasan wheat is produced and distributed by the company Kamut International Ltd. and is sold in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. It can be found in products like breads, breakfast cereals, pastas, cookies and crackers.
Kidney beans: large, flavorful, kidney-shaped beans with a soft texture. There are many varieties, including, dark reddish-brown, brown, black and white. <NI> .
Kidney bean sprouts: sprouted kidney beans. It is generally recommended that you eat them cooked. If you do eat them raw, they should not be eaten in large quantities. <NI>.
Kiwifruit: a fuzzy, brown, oval-shaped fruit with a tart-sweet green or golden flesh that grows in temperate climates. It has rows of tiny, black, edible seeds. Also known as Chinese Gooseberry and often referred to as kiwi. <NI> .
Kohlrabi: a vegetable with a pale green, bulbous stem and darker green leaves. Both the bulb and leaves are edible. It is a member of the cabbage family. It is also called cabbage turnip, because it has cabbage-like leaves and a turnip-like bulb. <NI> .
Kumquat: a small, soft, bright orange or yellow fruit, with a thick sweet skin. The orange flesh is usually tart with the exception of the Meiwa kumquat which has sweet flesh. It grows from the kumquat tree, which is native to Asia. <NI> .

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L

Lambsquarters: a plant that grows in a treelike shape with wide branches. It usually grows to about three feet tall and is generally considered a weed. Its small, edible leaves were very popular in Europe until spinach was introduced from Asia in the 16th century. Lambsquarters and spinach taste very similar, but spinach has bigger leaves and shorter stems. <NI> .
Laver: an edible, dark purple, sweet tasting seaweed. <NI>.
Lecithin: yellow-brownish fatty substances occurring in animal and plant tissues and in egg yolk. Lecithin is used as a food supplement and for medical purposes. It's also used in cooking as an emulsifier and to prevent sticking (like in non-stick cooking spray).
Leek: a vegetable with a long, narrow white bulb and long, dark green leaves. It has a rich, mild, onion flavor. It is a member of the onion and garlic family. Both the bulb and leaves are edible. <NI> .
Legume: a type of dry fruit whose pods split into two halves with the seeds attached to one edge. This is true for members of the bean or pea family.
Lemon: an oval-shaped, yellow, sour citrus fruit that grows from the lemon tree. <NI> .
Lemon juice: the very sour tasting juice of the lemon fruit. It is mostly used as an ingredient in cooking or mixing. <NI>.
Lemon peel: the citrus peel of the lemon. <NI>.
Lentils: lens-shaped pulses that grow on an annual, bushlike plant. They have an earthy, nutty flavor and come in many varieties that range in color from red-orange to green, brown or black. They cook quicker than most beans and don't require soaking. They grown two to a pod and are dried after harvesting. <NI> .
Lentil sprouts: lentils that have been sprouted and are eaten as a vegetable. Brown, green and red lentils are all suitable for sprouting. Red lentils are often sold in the split "dahl" form. For sprouting, you will need the whole red lentils. Lentil sprouts have a spicy flavor and are very popular. <NI> .
Lettuce: a leafy vegetable that comes in hundreds of varieties that can be loosely categorized into four groups: crisphead, butterhead, leaf and romaine or cos. Crisphead lettuces have a tight, firm head of crisp, light-green leaves. Butterhead lettuces have smaller, softer heads of loosely folded, green or brownish outer leaves and butter colored inner leaves. Leaf lettuces don't form a head and come in colors that range from light green to red. Romaine or cos lettuces form cylindrical heads of tightly folded green outer leaves and greenish white inner leaves. <NI> .
Lima beans: flat, greenish white, kidney-shaped beans. They have a mild flavor and a soft texture. Also known as butter beans. The immature pods of lima beans are also edible. <NI> .
Lime: a small, green citrus fruit that resembles a lemon. It has a stronger sour taste but is less fragrant than the lemon. It grows from the lime tree. <NI> .
Lime juice: the sour tasting juice from limes. <NI>.
Litchi: a fruit with a thin shell and creamy, white, juicy, sweet flesh. It grows from the tropical litchi tree which is native to southern China. Also known as lychee, lichi or litchi nut. <NI> .
Loganberry: a red, juicy berry with a sweet, tart flavor. It was discovered by Californian judge J.H. Logan in the late 1800s. There is still controversy over the origin of the loganberry, which might be a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry. <NI> .
Longans: a small, round fruit with a brown inedible shell, a big black seed and soft, edible, white, juicy flesh. It grows on the longan tree, which is native to southeast Asia. <NI> .
Loquat: a small, fuzzy, pear-shaped, yellowish-orange fruit with juicy, sweetly tart flesh. It is native to both China and Japan. <NI> .
Lotus seeds: the small, nutlike seeds of the lotus plant. The lotus plant is an aquatic plant with a sweet, edible root and stem. The young leaves and flowers are also edible. The seeds grow in round chambers in the large, brown, flat-topped receptacle of the lotus flower. Each chamber contains one, hard-shelled seed. The shells are very bitter, but the insides are sweet and flavorful. <NI> .
Lotus root: the edible underwater stems of the aquatic lotus plant. Commonly consumed in Eastern Asia. <NI> .

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M

Macadamia: a small, brown nut that grows on the macadamia tree, which is native to Australia. Macadamia nuts have a creamy, white center and are very flavorful. They are also made into macadamia nut oil, a botanical alternative to mink oil. <NI> .
Macaroni: curved, elbow-shaped tubes of pasta. <NI>.
Mace: see nutmeg. <NI> .
Maitake: an edible mushroom that grows in clusters at the base of trees, particularly oaks. Also known as Hen-of-the-Woods, Ram's Head and Sheep's Head. "Maitake" comes from Japanese and means "dancing mushroom". It is widely eaten in Japan, although it has been alleged to cause allergic reactions. <NI> .
Maize: corn.
Malt: a grain (usually barley) that is sprouted, dried and ground into a slightly sweet powder.
Mamey sapote: pouteria sapota. Also known as mamey, mammee or mammy. It's the fruit from the mamey sapote tree, which is native to southern Mexico. The fruit is commonly eaten in many Latin American countries. The fruit has a brown, fuzzy, rough skin and pink, creamy flesh. It should not be confused with the mammy apple. <NI> .
Mammy apple: mammea americana. A fruit from a tree of the family Calophyllaceae. Also known as mammee, mammee apple, mamey, mamey apple, Santa Domingo apricot or South American apricot. This species is often confused with the mamey sapote, especially since they share the same nicknames. The mammy apple is a round berry with a brownish thick rind. Small fruits contain one large, brown seed, larger ones can have up to four. The flesh is orange or yellow. <NI> .
Mandarin orange: also known as mandarin or mandarine. A variety of the orange family, which includes the clementine and the tangerine. The mandarin orange can be easily peeled and split into segments.
Mango: a large, oval- or round-shaped, smooth-skinned, sweet and tart, juicy fruit which grows on the tropical mango tree. The skin is green and turns to yellow and red when it ripens. It is native to India and has a large, hairy seed. <NI> .
Mango nectar: a nectar made from mangoes. <NI>.
Maple sugar: a sugar made by evaporating the sap of certain maples, especially the sugar maple tree.
Maple syrup: a sweet, brown syrup made from the evaporated sap of the mature sugar maple tree. The sap is boiled down to become very concentrated and then skimmed of impurities. It contains 65% sucrose and is a very popular sweetener in the United States and Canada. <NI>.
Margarine: a generic term that is used for a wide range of butter substitutes. They are made from a variety of animal or vegetable fats. They are about 80% fat and 20% water and solids. Softer margarines are made with less hydrogenated, more liquid oils then the margarines sold in blocks.
Marjoram: an herb of the mint family with small, soft, oval, green leaves. Marjoram has a mild, sweet, oregano-like flavor. <NI> .
Marmalade: a type of fruit preserve made from fruit, sugar and water. Marmalade usually refers to a fruit preserve derived from a citrus fruit, most commonly oranges. Other fruits that are used for marmalade include lemons, limes, grapefruit and strawberries. British-style marmalade usually has a bitter taste, whereas the American-style is more sweet tasting. Marmalade is made with slices of chopped fruit peel that are simmered in fruit juice until soft. It is sometimes referred to as jam with fruit peel, even though peel-free marmalade does also exist. <NI>.
Marmite: a yeast extract spread, first produced in the United Kingdom. It is made from yeast extract, a by-product of beer brewing. It's a sticky, dark brown paste with a very powerful flavor. It is traditionally eaten as a savory spread on bread, toast or crackers. <NI>.|
Mayonnaise: also known as mayo. It's a thick sauce, often made with oil, egg yolk, vinegar or lemon juice and flavorings. There are many vegan varieties on the market. These don't contain eggs, have no cholesterol and are usually soy based. It is also possible to make vegan mayo yourself.
Melon: a family of fruits that have a thick, hard rind, sweet, juicy flesh and lots of seeds. Examples are cantaloupes, casabas and honeydews. It was first cultivated in Africa and Persia. <NI> .
Millet: small, round, yellow seeds of a hardy, annual grass that is very low in gluten. There are several varieties of millet, including pearl millet, finger millet and foxtail millet. Millet can be boiled or ground into flour. <NI> .
Millet flour: also known as Bajari in Western India, where they use it to make a flat bread called Roti. It's a flour made from ground up millet grains. <NI>.
Miso: a thick paste made from fermented soybeans and sea salt. Other grains (like barley, rice or millet) are sometimes added. Miso is aged from several months to several years. <NI> .
Molasses: a thick, sweet syrup with a slightly bitter taste. It is usually a byproduct of refining sugar cane or beet sugar into table sugar. The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet and the method of extraction. Blackstrap molasses is an unrefined, concentrated molasses, which has been made from the third boiling of the sugar syrup. It is a relatively healthy sweetener. <NI>.
Morel: an edible mushroom with a honeycomb-like appearance. People really enjoy their flavor and they are very sought-after. They are especially used in French cuisine. Morels should never be eaten raw, since they contain small amounts of toxins. Thorough cooking removes these. There are several poisonous mushrooms that look a lot like morels. False morels can be identified by carefully studying the cap. Their caps are often "wrinkled" or "brainy", rather then honeycomb-like. One other way to identify false morels is to look inside their stems. False morels contain a cotton-ball looking substance inside their stem, while true morels are hollow inside. <NI> .
Moth beans: very small, beige to reddish brown beans with a flavor similar to mung beans. Mainly grown and used in India. Also known as mat bean or Turkish gram. <NI> .
Mulberry: a sweet and bland berry that resembles a blackberry. It comes in white, red and black varieties. It grows on the mulberry tree. <NI> .
Mung beans: small, green beans with yellow insides. There are many varieties of mung beans, including yellow, gold and black. Larger varieties are often used sprouted. Dried mung beans can be ground into flour. Also known as green gram or golden gram. <NI> .
Mung bean sprouts: sprouted mung beans. Mung bean sprouts are germinated by leaving them watered with 4 hours of daytime light. The rest of the day they are left in a dark area. They are very popular sprouts and often referred to as "bean sprouts". In Indonesian and Dutch they are known as tauge. <NI> .
Muscadine grape: a variety of grapes also known as muscadines. They are dark purple to black when ripe. Some wild varieties stay green. Their skin is very tough. They are often eaten by biting a hole in the skin and sucking out the pulp. They are also used for making jelly, juice and wine. <NI> .
Mushroom: the above-ground, fruiting body of a fungus, usually stalked and with a cap. Some mushrooms are edible, others are poisonous. Some edible varieties are: button, chanterelle, cloud ear fungus, enoki, straw, crimini, maitake, morel, shiitake, oyster and portabella.
Mustard greens: the peppery tasting leaves of the mustard plant. The leaves have either a crumpled or flat texture. <NI> .
Mustard: a condiment made from ground up mustard seeds, also known as prepared mustard. White mustard seeds, which are yellow in color, are the most mild and are used to make yellow mustard. Brown mustard seeds, which are dark yellow in color, are used to make Dijon mustard. <NI>.
Mustard seeds: the seeds of the mustard plant. They are sold either whole or as a ground powder. There are about 40 different varieties of mustard plants with three main types that are used to make mustard seeds: black mustard, white mustard and brown mustard. Black mustard seeds have the strongest taste. Mixtures made from mustard seeds and other ingredients are referred to as prepared mustard. <NI> .

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N

Nance: a species in the acerola family also known as yellow cherry. It's a small, sweet, yellow fruit that is native to tropical America. It is also known as craboo, kraabu, savanna serrette and golden spoon. Nance fruit can be eaten raw or cooked as dessert. In Panama they make the popular dessert pesada de nance, which is prepared from nance fruit, flour and sugar. Nance fruit is also made in a candy called dulce de nance, which is prepared by cooking nance in sugar and water. <NI> .
Navy beans: white, oval-shaped beans. They are similar to Great Northern beans, but are smaller. <NI> .
Navy bean sprouts: sprouted navy beans. It is generally recommended that you eat them cooked. If you do eat them raw, they should not be eaten in large quantities. <NI>.
Nectar: undiluted fruit juice or a mixture of fruit juices.
Nectarine: a bright red and orange fruit that is closely related to the peach. Unlike the fuzzy peach, it has a smooth skin. It has juicy flesh that can be either yellow, red or white. It probably originated in China. <NI> .
Noodles: a type of pasta cut into thin flat strips.
Nopales: a vegetable made from the young segments of the prickly pear plant. These segments are carefully peeled to remove the spines. They are sometimes eaten before the spines develop. They are flat and can be either purple or green. Nopales are commonly eaten in their native Mexico. <NI> .
Nut: a dry one-seeded fruit with a hard shell.
Nutmeg: one of two spices derived from the fruits of the tropical nutmeg tree. The other spice is mace. Nutmeg is the hard, oval, brown seed of the tree. Mace is the dried red skin around the shell of the nutmeg. Nutmeg and mace both have a spicy, sweet and slightly bitter taste. Mace is a little bit sweeter and more pungent. Nutmeg is available ground or whole. Whole nutmegs can be grated. <NI> .
Nutmeg butter: a semi-solid, reddish brown butter expressed from nutmegs. It both tastes and smells like nutmeg. I can be used as a replacement for cocoa butter or mixed with other fats, like cottonseed or palm oil. <NI>.
Nutritional yeast: a deactivated yeast with a nutty, cheesy flavor, that is usually grown on a mixture of cane and beet molasses. It's a food supplement, available as a yellow powder or flakes, which is used as an ingredient in recipes or as a condiment. It is very popular as an ingredient in cheese substitutes. Nutritional yeast is low in fat and sodium and a good source of protein, fiber and B-complex vitamins. Some brands also contain vitamin B12.

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O

Oat bran: the outer layers of the oat kernel, which are very high in fiber. <NI>.
Oat flour: a fine flour ground from dried oats. It has a nut-like flavor and is often used in combination with wheat flour. <NI>.
Oat groats: oats that have been toasted and had their hard outer husks removed. This is the most common form of oats that is sold in stores.
Oatmeal: oatmeal can either mean ground oat groats or a porridge made from oats. The latter version is a very popular breakfast item in some parts of the world. There are different ways of preparing oatmeal. It can be made with regular rolled oats, quick oats or instant oats, either on the stove or in the microwave. It can be cooked with water or a liquid like soymilk, rice milk or almond milk. Raisins or sweeteners are optional additions. <NI>.
Oats: the grains of the oat plant. Oats is the fourth most important crop world-wide. <NI> .
Okra: a long, green, slightly fuzzy, edible pod that grows on the okra plant. It has gooey, pulpy, green flesh with edible, round, white seeds. Okra is used to thicken the liquid in which it is cooked. The pods can grow three to five inches in length and taste best when picked while they are tender and immature (2 to 3 inches long). Okra is also known as gumbo and ladies finger. <NI> .
Olive: a small, oily, green or black, oval fruit that grows on the olive tree. Eaten as a fruit or made into olive oil. <NI> .
Olive oil: oil produced from pressing of olives. This is done either manually or by machines. The flavor and color depends on the variety of the olives. Extra-virgin olive oil is regarded to have the highest quality and contains less than 0.8% acidity. Virgin olive oil is unrefined and has an acidity of less than 2%. Regular olive oil is a blend of virgin olive oil and refined virgin olive oil and has an acidity of less than 1%. <NI>.
Onion: a vegetable with a strong flavor and odor. It has an underground bulb and above ground leaves, which are both edible. There are two main types of onions: dry and green onions. Dry onions are mature onions with large underground bulbs that are made up of numerous layers of juicy leaves and are covered by several layers of dry, papery skin. They come in a wide variety of colors, including yellow, white and red. Green onions, also known as spring onions or scallions, are immature onions that are harvested before a large bulb has formed and while the tops are still green. Scallions are harvested younger than green onions and have no bulb, while green onions have a very small bulb. <NI> .
Onion powder: a white powder made from ground, dehydrated onions and used as a spice. <NI>.
Orange: a round, yellow to orange, juicy, citrus fruit of the orange tree. There are three major types of oranges: Sweet, Bitter and Loose-skinned. Oranges are used to make orange juice. <NI> .
Orange juice: a very popular fruit juice made from oranges. It is sold in different forms, including with or without pulp, fortified with calcium and/or vitamins and made from concentrate. Orange juice concentrate is made by taking the water out of the orange juice by vacuum and heat. Note: You can check whether the calcium in a particular brand of orange juice is non-dairy derived by contacting the company. You can also buy vegan calcium powders that you can add to orange juice yourself. The vitamin D added to some orange juices is usually the animal-derived D3 version. <NI>.
Orange peel: the citrus peel of an orange. <NI>.
Oregano: an herb. The leaves of the Mediterranean oregano plant that is the wild form of marjoram. Oregano is sometimes called wild marjoram. Oregano can be used both as fresh or dried leaves and is very popular in Italian cuisine. <NI> .
Oyster mushrooms: a wild, grayish, fan-shaped, edible mushroom with a smooth cap. <NI> .

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P

Pak choi: also known as Chinese cabbage, pak choy, bok choi or bok choy. Bok choy literally means "white vegetable" It's a vegetable with white stems and green leaves. Both the stems and leaves are edible. The stems are often cut into strips and cooked or stir-fried. <NI> .
Palm Hearts: Heart of palm.
Palm kernel oil: oil extracted from the kernel of the African palm. It has a yellow color and a mild flavor. It is one of the only plant oils that is very high in saturated fat. <NI>.
Palm oil: oil extracted from the pulp of the African palm. It has an orange-red color and a strong flavor. Like palm kernel oil, It is very high in saturated fat. <NI>.
Papaya: a large, golden yellow, pear-shaped, juicy, sweet-tart, semitropical fruit with orange flesh. It originates from southern Mexico and neighboring countries. <NI> .
Papaya nectar: a nectar made from either peeled or unpeeled papayas. <NI>.
Paprika: a mild, powdered spice made from dried, finely ground sweet peppers. <NI> .
Parsley: a curly or flat leafed, bright green herb with aromatic leaves. Parsley is available fresh or dried. <NI> .
Parsnip: a root vegetable related to the carrot. It has an edible, creamy-white root and feathery green leaves. It is native to Europe and was especially popular before the arrival of the potato. <NI> .
Passion fruit: the small, purplish-brown, round, tropical fruit of the passion flower. It has bright orange, very aromatic, tart flesh and small, black, edible seeds. It is native to tropical and subtropical America. The name was given by missionaries, because the parts of the flower seemed reminiscent of the torture (the Passion) of Christ prior to his crucifixion. <NI> .
Passion fruit juice: the flavorful, purple or yellow juice from passion fruits. <NI>.
Pasta: noodles made from a dough of flour and water. Non-vegan versions with eggs exist also. The general way of making pasta includes kneading the dough, folding it, rolling it to the desired thickness and then cutting it. Pasta can be made at home or bought in stores. Both fresh and dry versions exist. There are many different pasta varieties, including macaroni, spaghetti, angel hair, ziti and penne.
Peach: a sweet, juicy fruit with a fuzzy skin that grows on a peach tree. It has yellow or whitish flesh. It is cultivated in temperate regions. <NI> .
Peach nectar: a yellow-orange nectar made from peaches. <NI>.
Peanut: the underground pod of the peanut vine. Peanuts have wrinkled shells that contain 2 or 3 seeds. The brown seeds have very thin skins. Peanuts are also known as groundnuts. They are legumes however, and not nuts. Peanuts can be ground up into peanut butter. <NI> .
Peanut butter: a very popular nut butter made from ground up peanuts. There are smooth and chunky varieties. The chunky variety contains pieces of peanut. <NI>.
Peanut flour: made from crushed, fully or partly defatted peanuts. It can be used as a thickener for soups or to enhance the flavor of breads, pastries or other dishes. <NI>.
Peanut oil: an oil derived from peanuts. It can be heated to a high temperature, which makes it popular for deep-frying. <NI>.
Pear: a sweet fruit with a thin skin that grows on a pear tree. There are over 5,000 varieties of pears. They are native to the temperate regions of western Europe, north Africa and Asia. <NI> .
Pear nectar: a nectar made from pears. <NI>.
Peas: a small, edible, round, green bean that grows in pods on either a low-growing or vine plant. One pod contains several peas. Mature peas dry naturally in the field. Garden peas, also known as green peas or shell peas, are immature peas that are eaten fresh. Snow peas and sugar peas or snap peas are eaten pod and all. Snow peas are eaten before the pods inflate, whereas snap peas are eaten when the seeds have partly matured and the pod is round. Dried peas can be split and eaten as split peas. <NI> .
Pea sprouts: sprouted peas. They have a nice, sweet flavor and can be eaten both raw and cooked. Only whole peas can be sprouted, not split peas. <NI>.
Pecan: a smooth, dark brown, oval nut with a golden-brown kernel that grows in a husk on the pecan tree, which is a type of hickory tree. The outer husk will split off at maturity to release the thin-shelled, creamy tasting pecan. <NI> .
Pectin: a substance that is found in the primary cell walls and the non-woody parts of plants. Pectin is used as a gelling agent, thickener and stabilizer in food. Commercially, pectin is obtained mostly from dried citrus peels and apples as a by-product of juice production.
Pepita: a Spanish culinary term for the pumpkin seed. It usually refers to the roasted, hulled pumpkin seed, but can also be used for the unhulled whole seed. They are very popular in Mexican cuisine and are also served as snacks.
Pepper: a hot spice. Peppercorns are made from the berries of the plant piper nigrum that grow in grape-like clusters. Green peppercorns are the very unripe green berries. They are usually sold pickled in vinegar or brine, or freeze-dried. Black peppercorns are the fermented, dried, almost ripe, dark red berries. White peppercorns are the dried, ripened and peeled berries. Black and white peppercorns can be used whole, crushed or ground. Black pepper is made by grinding up black peppercorns. White pepper is made by grinding up white peppercorns. White pepper is slightly milder than black pepper. The word pepper usually refers to black pepper, which is the most popular spice in the world. <NI> .
Peppermint: a plant with small purple or white flowers and downy leaves. The leaves contain a pungent oil, which can be extracted and used to flavor food. The leaves are also used whole as an herb. <NI> .
Persimmon: an orange, smooth-skinned, plum-like, tropical fruit that is very tart when unripe and sweet when ripe. There are two major varieties: hachiya (Japanese persimmon) and Fuyu, which is smaller and milder. Also known as date-plum. Unlike other fruits, persimmons cannot get overripe. <NI> .
Pickle: also known as a pickled cucumber. It's a cucumber that has been left to ferment by soaking it in an acidic solution or through souring by lacto-fermentation. Spices are commonly added during the fermentation process, including garlic, horseradish, dill, mustards seeds, bay leaves and salt. The saltier the solution, the more sour the pickles will be. <NI>.
Pickle relish: a relish made with pickles and other ingredients. It can taste either sweet or savory. The sweet type is known as sweet pickle relish. <NI>.
Pigeon peas: a pea-like legume that grows in pointed pods that grow in clusters. Pigeon peas closely resemble garden peas. Both the pods and seeds are edible. The green pods are harvested before maturity to be used as a vegetable. Mature pods vary in color ranging from green to purple or dark brown. Pigeon pea seeds are usually harvested from mature green pods. Pigeon peas are an important crop of India and also known as red gram or arthar. <NI> .
Pineapple: a large, sweet, yellow-fleshed, juicy, tropical fruit with a thick, prickly peel. It has to be picked when ripe, because it won't ripen off the plant. The fruit was called pineapple because of its resemblance to a pine cone. It is native to Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. Hummingbirds are the natural pollinators. <NI> .
Pineapple juice: a sweet juice extracted from pineapples. It is both used as a beverage and as an ingredient in recipes. <NI>.
Pine nuts: small, sweet, oblong nuts that are the edible seeds of pine trees. Under each pine cone scale you will find two pine nuts. All pine trees produce edible pine nuts, but only about 20 species produce pine seeds that are large enough to be worth harvesting. Pine nuts are also known as Indian nut, pignolia or pignoli. <NI> .
Pink bean: a smooth, reddish brown, dried bean, that is very popular in the countries of the Caribbean. <NI> .
Pinto bean: a brown bean, with reddish brown streaks and a very smooth texture. When cooked, pinto beans get a uniform beige color. Pinto beans are often used to make refried beans. They originate from Mexico. The name pinto comes from the Spanish word for "painted". Also known as red Mexican beans. <NI> .
Pinto bean sprouts: sprouted pinto beans. It is generally recommended to eat these sprouts cooked. If eaten raw, they shouldn't be consumed in large quantities. <NI>.
Pinto beans, immature: the immature pods ands seeds of pinto beans. <NI> .
Pistachio: also known as pistachio. It's the seed of a fruit that grows on the Pistachio tree, a small tree, originally from Persia (Iran). The fruit has a hard beige shell and the seed has a mauvish skin and light green flesh. When the fruit ripens, the shell splits part way open with an audible pop. The splitting open is a trait that has been selected by humans. The pistachio is commonly thought of as a nut, even though botanically it's a seed. It can be considered a culinary nut. Pistachios have a distinctive taste and are very popular. They can be eaten raw or roasted and are also used in ice creams and other deserts. <NI> .
Plantain: a tropical fruit that is closely related to the banana. They are green when unripe, yellow when ripe and dark when very ripe. Plantains have more starch than bananas and are less sweet. They have a squash-like flavor and are usually eaten cooked. They are also known as the "cooking banana". They can be eaten raw, if they are allowed to ripen until the skin turns almost black. <NI> .
Plum: a sweet or tart, juicy, smooth-skinned, fruit with a single pit. There are hundreds of varieties with colors that include purple, red and yellow. Dried plums are known as prunes. <NI> .
Pod: the seed-case of a flowering plant.
Pole beans: immature beans.
Polenta: an Italian dish made with cooked yellow or white cornmeal. It can be eaten soft or allowed to cool, which hardens it. Hardened polenta slices can be baked, grilled or broiled.
Pomegranate: an orange-sized, brownish-red, sweet-tart, subtropical fruit with a hard skin. It has juicy, red pulp and contains hundreds of edible seeds. It has been cultivated around the Mediterranean for several millennia. <NI> .
Pomegranate juice: a juice made from the fruit pomegranate. It is used both as a fresh juice and in cooking, especially in Persian cuisine. <NI>.
Pomelo: pummelo.
Popcorn: a variety of dried corn with kernels that have a water content of about 14%. When popcorn is heated, the water creates steam which causes the kernels to pop open. Popcorn is a very popular snack food. <NI> .
Poppy seeds: the small, dried, gray seeds of the poppy plant, which has beautiful, red, white, pink or orange flowers. The seeds have a crunchy texture and a nutty flavor and are used as a spice. They are available whole or ground. <NI> .
Poppyseed oil: an oil extracted from poppy seeds, which contain 45-50% oil.
Portabella mushroom: it's the largest of all cultivated mushrooms. They are very large, edible, mature crimini mushrooms. They have large, brown, somewhat flat caps. As they mature, their caps become flatter and their surface darkens. <NI> .
Potato: a perennial plant of the nightshade family that is grown for its starchy tuber. It is cultivated in thousands of different varieties, including red, white and russet. Potatoes' skins come in the colors yellow, red, brown, pink and purple. Their flesh is either white or the same color as the skin. Potatoes are the world's most important non-cereal crop. It's best not to eat potatoes raw since they contain toxic compounds which are partly destroyed by cooking at high temperatures. One of those toxic compounds, solanine, is mostly present in potatoes that have sprouted or turned green by light exposure. Potato-source solanine poisoning is extremely rare however. <NI> .
Potato flour: made from ground up dehydrated potatoes that have been cooked, peeled and mashed. <NI>.
Powdered sugar: also known as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar. It's a very fine sugar, made by crushing granulated sugar into a powder. It is generally mixed with cornstarch, wheat flour or calcium phosphate to prevent clumping.
Prickly Pear: the fruit from the prickly pear is also known as cactus fruit, cactus fig, Indian fig or tuna. It has to be carefully peeled to remove the small spines on the outer skin. The fruit is often used to make candies, jelly or drinks. The stem segments are also edible and are called nopales. <NI> .
Prune: a dried plum. <NI>.
Prune juice: the bitter tasting juice made from prunes. <NI>.
Pummelo: a pale green, sweet, citrus fruit. It is the largest citrus fruit. It is native to southeastern Asia and Malaysia. Also known as pomelo or shaddock. <NI> .
Pumpkin: a large, round, pulpy, orange vegetable that grows on a vine and is a member of the squash family. <NI> .
Pumpkin seeds: the edible seeds of the pumpkin. They are often husked, roasted and sold as pepitas. <NI> .
Purslane: a plant with a fleshy, reddish green stem, small round leaves and yellow flowers. It has a mild, sweet-sour flavor and a chewy texture. Both the leaves and the stem are edible. Purslane is sometimes considered a weed. <NI> .

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Q

Quick-cooking rolled oats: oat groats that have been cut into several pieces, steamed and rolled into thinner flakes.
Quinces: a fruit that is native to warm-temperate southwest Asia. It is related to apples and pears. When ripe, it is bright yellow. Turkey is the world's largest producer of quinces. <NI> .
Quinoa: a small grain with a high protein content that is a member of the goosefoot family. Commercially sold quinoa usually has the bitter-tasting outer coating removed, which is done by soaking. Quinoa is often prepared by cooking it, during which the curly germ comes out of the seed. <NI> .

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R

Radicchio: a leaf chicory, also known as Italian chicory. It is grown as a leaf vegetable and usually has white-veined red leaves. It has a bitter and spicy taste, which mellows when grilled or roasted. It is popular in Italy, where they often grill it in olive oil or mix it in dishes like risotto. It can also be eaten raw in salads.<NI> .
Radish: a plant with a sharp-tasting, fleshy, edible root. There are varieties with red, white or black roots. The flavor of the radish can vary from mild to peppery, depending on the age and the variety. The seeds can also be sprouted and eaten. <NI> .
Raisin: a sun-dried or artificially dried grape. Raisins are very sweet, because of their high sugar content. <NI> .
Rapeseed: the seed of the rapeseed plant. Also known as rape. The seeds from the canola rapeseed plant, which has bright yellow flowers, is used to produce canola oil.
Rapini: broccoli raab.
Raspberry: a small, soft, tart, sweet aggregate berry. Varieties include golden, black and red. The red type is the most common. There is usually a crop in the summer and one in the autumn. The autumn raspberries are often smaller and juicier. <NI> .
Red pepper: a very hot spice. The red varieties of chile peppers. Red pepper can also be found in ground form or as red pepper flakes. Also known as cayenne or cayenne pepper. .
Red pepper flakes: coarsely ground flakes of dried red chile peppers. .
Red wine vinegar: a vinegar made from red wine. It usually has a lower acidity than that of white or cider vinegars. <NI>.
Refried beans: a recipe that consists of cooked red beans or pinto beans that are mashed, then fried. <NI>.
Relish: a condiment made from chopped, cooked and pickled vegetables or fruit. The most common relishes available in the United States are made from pickled cucumbers and are known as pickle relishes. Other ingredients can be added, including bell peppers, sweeteners, vinegar and spices. <NI>.
Rhubarb: a perennial plant with a long, edible, green or reddish, acidic leafstalk. Its leaves are poisonous and shouldn't be eaten. It is a member of the buckwheat family. <NI> .
Rice: a starchy cereal grass that is cultivated in warm climates. Before rice is marketed, it is milled to remove the outer hulls. The result is brown rice. Rice that is still covered by the outer hull is known as paddy. Rice fields are also called paddy fields or rice paddies. There are many different varieties of rice, including white, basmati, jasmine, short, medium and long grain. <NI> .
Rice bran: the outer bran layer of brown rice. <NI>.
Rice bran oil: also known as rice bran extract. It's the oil extracted from the germ and inner husk of rice. It is popular as a cooking oil in countries like China and Japan. <NI>.
Rice cake: there are many different types of rice cakes all over the world. The ones that are very popular in North America and other Western countries are puffed rice cakes. They are created by heating rice kernels under high pressure in the presence of steam. These puffed rice kernels are then bound together in different ways and formed into (often round) cakes. Sometimes other ingredients are added, including other grains or sesame seeds. They can be eaten plain or with a topping, including peanut butter or jelly. <NI> .
Rice drink: rice milk.
Rice flour: a fine, powdery flour made from rice. <NI>.
Rice noodles: a Chinese noodle made from rice flour. <NI>.
Rice milk: a drink processed from water and rice, usually brown rice. Vegetable oil and sweeteners are sometimes added. Rice milk is sometimes fortified with vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, vitamin D2 and calcium. It can also be found in different flavors, including vanilla, carob and chocolate. It can be used as a beverage, poured over breakfast cereal or used in a wide variety of recipes. Rice milk is also known and sold as rice drink. <NI>.
Rice syrup: a mild, thick, liquid sweetener made by culturing rice with enzymes to break down the starches. It is then strained and cooked to evaporate the water. Brown rice syrup is made with brown rice. It is relatively healthy and can be used as a substitute to sugar, honey, corn syrup or molasses.
Rice vinegar: a vinegar made from fermented rice or rice wine. There are white, black and red varieties. White rice vinegar has no color and a milder flavor. Black rice vinegar is made from glutinous rice, millet or sorghum and is very popular in southern China. Red rice vinegar is a bit darker than white rice vinegar and has a slightly stronger flavor.
Rolled oats: made by steaming oat groats and then flattening them. Also called regular rolled oats or old-fashioned oats.
Rose apple: also known as wax apple, love apple, java apple, royal apple, Jamaican apple, water apple, mountain apple and bell fruit. Rose apples are bell shaped edible berries. They come in different colors, including white, green, red, purple and black. When ripe, they are light pink, purple or red. One tree can yield as many as 700 fruits. They resemble apples from the outside, but are not related to them. Their flavor and texture is also very different from an apple. Really dark rose apples are nicknamed "black pearl" or "black diamond" and are very rare, as are the very pale green ones, which are nicknamed "pearl". <NI> .
Rosemary: a Mediterranean shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-shaped leaves, that belongs to the mint family. The fresh or dried leaves of the rosemary plant are used as an herb. <NI> .
Rutabaga: a yellow turnip. <NI> .
Rye: a cereal grass that is closely related to barley and wheat. It can grow in colder climates and on poorer soil than wheat. Rye can be ground up into rye flour. <NI> .
Rye bread: a type of bread made from rye grain. It can be either light or dark in color, depending on the type of flour used. It is usually denser then wheat bread and has a stronger flavor. Rye bread can be made from just rye flour, or from a combination of rye with other flours or seeds. <NI>.
Rye flour: rye grains that have been ground up into flour. It has a strong flavor and is heavier and darker than most flours. It contains less gluten than whole wheat flour. Rye flour is used to make pumpernickel, a dark brown rye bread with a coarse texture. <NI>.

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Safflower oil: an oil made from safflower seeds. It has little flavor and is popular for use in salad dressings. It can also be used for high temperature cooking. <NI>.
Safflower seeds: the seeds of the safflower plant, which is a thistle-like annual plant with red, yellow or orange flowers and long sharp spines on the leaves. Each flower head contains 15 to 20 seeds. The edible seeds are also made into safflower oil. There are two types of safflower plants, one that produces safflower oil that is high in monounsaturated fatty acids and one that is high in polyunsaturated fatty acids. <NI> .
Safflower seed meal: a meal made from crushed safflower seeds to extract the oil. <NI>.
Saffron: the world's most expensive spice. It is made from the dried, yellow-orange stamens of the purple-flowered saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). Saffron is available as threads and as grains and is used to flavor food and give it a yellow color. Saffron is expensive, because each crocus has only three stigmas, which have to be picked by hand. <NI> .
Sage: a slightly bitter herb with soft, fuzzy, gray-green, oval leaves and purple, pink, white or red flowers. The sage bush is native to the Mediterranean and belongs to the mint family. Sage is available fresh or dried and is used to flavor food. <NI> .
Salsa: the word "salsa" comes from Spanish and means "sauce". It can refer to any type of sauce, but it usually refers to a spicy, tomato based sauce. Common additional ingredients are onions, garlic, chili peppers, lime juice and cilantro. It is often sold in mild, medium and spicy versions. <NI>.
Salt: a mineral with white or light gray crystals obtained from seawater or rock deposits. Unrefined salt (raw sea or rock salt) contains sodium chloride and other important trace minerals. Table salt, which is a refined salt, consists of almost only sodium chloride. Table salt is often enriched with iodide, which can help prevent iodine deficiency. Iodide is not present in unrefined salt. <NI> .
Sapodilla: a fruit native to southern Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. It is also known as chikoo, sapota, zapote, naseberry, dilly or sawo. It is grown in large quantities in India, Pakistan and Mexico. The sapodilla resembles a smooth-skinned potato and contains two to five large, black seeds. The flesh ranges from pale yellow to brown and is sweet. <NI> .
Sauerkraut: German for "sour cabbage". It is made by combining shredded cabbage, salt and sometimes other spices and allowing the mixture to ferment. This converts the sugars in the cabbage into lactic acid. Sauerkraut is thought of as a German invention, but was already eaten in China over 2,000 years ago. Chinese sauerkraut was made by fermenting the cabbage with rice wine. <NI> .
Savory: an herb with flavor that is similar to thyme and sage. Savory is a low-growing plant with white to pale pink flowers. There are both summer and winter types of savory plants, which are both closely related to the mint family. The word savory can also mean that a food has a piquant flavor, rather than a sweet one. <NI> .
Seaweed: a kind of algae that grows in the sea or on rocks below the high water mark. Seaweeds are classified into three groups: green algae, brown algae and red algae.
Seitan: a spongy, firm textured, high protein food made from wheat gluten and spices. Seitan can be made at home or bought ready-made at natural food stores. In Japan it's known as seitan, in China as kofu. It's also known as wheat meat or gluten.
Self-rising flour: wheat flour with an added chemical leavening agent - baking powder - and salt added. These added ingredients are evenly distributed in the flour, which helps in getting consistent baking results. The ratio of ingredients is usually: 1 cup (100g) flour, 1 tsp. (3g) baking powder and 1/2 tsp. (1g) salt. You can create your own self-rising flour by adding baking powder and salt to all-purpose flour. <NI>.
Semolina: coarsely ground durum wheat flour, obtained by sifting out the finer flour. The result are gritty, coarse wheat particles. Semolina can also be made by coarsely grounding other grains. If another grain than durum wheat is used, the name of the grain is usually mentioned, like corn semolina or rice semolina. <NI>.
Sesame butter: a paste made from ground sesame seeds. Also known as tahini. Sesame butter is often used as an ingredient in hummus. <NI>.
Sesame flour: made from finely ground sesame meal that has most of the hulls removed. <NI>.
Sesame meal: made from crushed sesame seeds to extract the oil. The oil content of the sesame meal depends on the crushing method used. <NI>.
Sesame oil: an oil pressed from sesame seeds. It comes in both light and dark varieties. The light variety is made from unroasted seeds and the dark variety is made from toasted seeds. The dark variety has the strongest flavor and is not very suitable for high temperature cooking. It is often used in small amounts for flavoring. <NI>.
Sesame seeds: tiny, oval, flat, black or white seeds that grow on the sesame plant. White sesame seeds have a nutty flavor, while black sesame seeds taste more bitter. Sesame seeds can be eaten raw, roasted or made into sesame oil or sesame butter. Sesame butter is often used as an ingredient in hummus. <NI> .
Shallot: a plant with a mild, onion-like flavor that is closely related to the onion and garlic. It has an edible bulb that consists of several brownish cloves that are attached at both the base and by loose skins, just like garlic cloves. There is also a pink skinned variety that is longer and thinner. <NI> .
Shiitake mushrooms: an edible mushroom that is typically cultivated on the shii tree, which is a relative of the oak tree. They have dark brown to blackish caps and inedible, tough stems. Also called Chinese black mushroom. <NI> and <NI> .
Shortening: a generic term for a fat that is solid at room temperature and is used to make crumbly pastry. Shortening is generally used as a term for hydrogenated vegetable oils. <NI>.
Snap beans: immature beans.
Sorghum: a cane-like grass that is an important cereal crop in tropical and subtropical regions, including Africa, Central America and South Asia. Sorghum is very drought and heat tolerant. It is the fifth most important cereal crop grown in the world. There are several varieties of sorghum. The sweet sorghum variety is used to produce sorghum syrups. Sorghum can also be ground up to make sorghum flour. <NI> .
Sorghum flour: also known as milo flour. It's a flour made from ground up, whole grain sorghum kernels. <NI>.
Shoyu soy sauce: soy sauce made with wheat as the grain. <NI> .
Soba noodles: thin, Japanese noodles made from buckwheat. Soba is the Japanese word for buckwheat. <NI>.
Somen: very thin, Japanese wheat noodles. Somen can be made from white or whole-wheat flour and are usually served cold. <NI>.
Soursop: a fruit that grows best in warmer climates. Other common names include guanábana, graviola, Brazilian pawpaw and mullaatha. Soursops are common fruits in countries like Mexico and Colombia. They are eaten fresh or made into drinks or desserts. They are usually picked from the tree when mature and left to ripen in a dark place. <NI> .
Soybeans: the edible seeds of the soybean plant. Also known as soya beans. They grow in green, edible pods and are a good source of protein. They can be eaten dried or boiled. Whole soybeans picked while they are still green are also referred to as edamame. Mature soybeans come in yellow, brown and black varieties. Soybeans are processed into many different soy products, including tofu, tempeh, tvp, soymilk, soy sauce, soy flour, soy oil, soy cheese, soy ice cream and soy yoghurt. <NI> .
Soybean lecithin: lecithin extracted from soybeans. <NI>.
Soy flour: a finely ground, yellow flour made of dehulled soybeans. Defatted soy flour is made from defatted soy flakes. Soy flour is higher in protein than other flours. <NI> .
Soy margarine: or soybean margarine. It's a margarine made from soy oil. <NI>.
Soy mayonnaise: a soy based mayonnaise. Usually made from soybeans, vegetable oils, vinegar, spices and other ingredients. There are many different vegan soy mayonnaises on the market. <NI>.
Soy meal: produced by cracking, heating and flaking dehulled soybeans. Defatted soy meal is made from defatted soy flakes. The flakes are coarsely ground into soy meal. Soy meal is often used as animal feed. Also known as soybean meal. <NI>.
Soymilk: the liquid extracted from soybeans after soaking, grinding, cooking and finely straining. It can be used as a beverage, poured over breakfast cereal or used in a wide variety of recipes. Soymilk can be made at home or bought in stores. Soymilk is sometimes fortified with vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, vitamin D2 and calcium. It can also be found in different flavors, including vanilla, carob and chocolate. Also known as soya milk or soy milk. <NI> .
Soy nog: a vegan, soy based version of the popular holiday drink eggnog. <NI> .
Soy oil: also known as soybean oil or soya oil. It is made from soybeans and one of the most used oils for food preparation and processing. It is often used as an ingredient in margarines, shortenings, salad dressings and baked goods. It is suitable for high temperature cooking. <NI>.
Soy nuts: made from mature soybeans that are soaked in water, drained and then baked or roasted. They can be eaten like nuts. <NI>.
Soy sauce: a salty, brown sauce made from fermented, boiled soybeans, roasted grain, water and (sea) salt. Alcohol is usually added as a preservative. There are several types of soy sauces, including shoyu, tamari, teriyaki and sweet soy sauce. Soy sauce is used a lot in Asian cuisines. <NI> .
Soy protein concentrate: made by removing some of the carbohydrates from dehulled and defatted soybeans. This is done either by acid washing or by water or alcohol extraction. Soy protein concentrates are available as granules and flour.
Soy protein isolate: made by removing most of the carbohydrates from defatted soy meal. It has a protein content of about 90%. Soy protein isolate is commonly added to soy protein powders, protein bars and other products.
Soy yogurt: also known as soya yogurt or yofu. It's a yogurt made with soymilk. <NI> .
Spaghetti: long, thin, round pasta. It's the most popular pasta dish in Italy and is usually made from durum wheat semolina. Spaghetti can also be found made from other types of flour. <NI>.
Spaghetti squash: a large, oval, yellowish squash with bright yellow flesh, which separates into spaghetti-like strands when it is cooked. <NI> .
Spearmint: an aromatic herb with clusters of small, purple flowers and green, serrated leaves. Spearmint leaves can be used whole, chopped or dried. Oil can also be extracted from the leaves. The aroma and flavor of spearmint are similar to those of peppermint, but less strong. <NI> .
Spice: the dried parts of a very aromatic, tropical plant. Spices are derived from the hard parts of plants (seeds, stems, roots and berries), while herbs are derived from the soft parts.
Spinach: a dark green leafy vegetable with edible leaves and stems. <NI> .
Spelt: a cereal grain with a mellow, nutty flavor that is native to southern Europe. It is easily digestible and can be tolerated by people with wheat allergies. <NI> .
Spirulina: a blue-green algae with a coil-like shape. It is cultivated around the world as a food source. <NI>.
Split peas: dried yellow or green peas that have been split along a natural seam. Split peas usually don't require presoaking before cooking. <NI> .
Sprouting: germinating seeds. This is usually done by first soaking the seeds. Depending on the type of seeds, this can take anywhere between 20 minutes and 12 hours. The seeds are then drained and put into some type of jar (you can buy special sprouting jars). These jars must allow water to drain from them, to make sure the seeds won't rot. Within about two days, the seeds will swell and start to germinate. They have to be rinsed 2 to 4 times a day (depending on the climate and type of seed), to give them moisture and to prevent them from souring. Between 3 to 5 days, they will be ready for consumption. They can be eaten either raw or cooked. Sprouted legumes, especially the larger ones like kidney beans, are supposedly safer to eat when cooked. If eaten raw, they shouldn't be eaten in large quantities.
Squash: a fruit that is eaten as a vegetable and belongs to the gourd family. It is generally divided into two categories: summer squash and winter squash. Summer squashes, like crookneck and zucchini, have thin, edible skins and soft seeds. They have a mild flavor and a high water content. Winter squashes, like acorn, butternut, delicata and spaghetti have hard, thick skins and seeds and deep yellow to orange flesh that is firmer than that of summer squash. <NI>.
Starflower: borage
Starfruit: carambola.
Strawberry: a juicy, fleshy, sweet, red berry. A member of the rose family. It is native to America. <NI> .
Straw mushrooms: small, tropical and subtropical, edible mushrooms with a mild flavor and crunchy texture. Their color ranges from pale tan when young to dark brown when mature. They are cultivated in Asia on rice straw stacks. Straw mushrooms are also known as paddy straw mushrooms. <NI> .
String beans: immature beans.
Sugar: a sweet crystalline substance obtained from various plants. It is used mainly as a sweetener in food and drinks. The most common sugars are cane sugar, obtained from sugarcane, and beet sugar, obtained from sugar beets. Note: beet sugar is always vegan, but some cane sugars are processed through boneblack (animal bone ash). This is mostly done in the United States.
Sugar-apple: a fruit that is also known as custard-apple, which is a different fruit in the same genus. Another name is sweetsop. It is native to the tropical Americas and grown in countries like India, Pakistan, El Salvador and Philippines. Sugar-apples have a scaly or lumpy skin and come in different sizes. The flesh is very sweet, white to light yellow and tastes like custard. <NI> .
Sundried tomato: a tomato that has been dried in the sun or in an oven. This shrivels up the tomato and intensifies its flavor. It is available packed in olive oil or dried. <NI>.
Sunflower oil: also known as sunflower seed oil. It is derived from sunflower seeds. Refined sunflower oil is suitable for high temperature cooking. Unrefined sunflower oil has more flavor, but has a lower smoke point and is not suitable for cooking at higher temperatures. <NI>.
Sunflower seeds: the seeds of sunflowers. Sunflowers are beautiful, tall, yellow flowers with large, seed-studded centers. The seeds are eaten dried, roasted or made into sunflower oil or sunflower seed butter. They have gray, black or black and white striped shells with grayish green or black centers. <NI> .
Sunflower seed flour: a flour made from finely ground, hulled sunflower seeds. <NI>.
Sunflower seed butter: a spread made from sunflower seeds. It can be used the same way as nut butters. <NI>.
Sweet corn: a variety of corn that has been specifically bred to increase the sugar content. There are varieties with white and yellow kernels. There is also a hybrid variety which has both white and yellow kernels. Even though sweet corn is a grain, it is commonly regarded and eaten as a vegetable. Also known as corn on the cob or sugar corn. <NI> .
Sweet pepper: a pepper with a sweet taste. The best-known member of the sweet peppers is the bell pepper.
Sweet potato: a large, edible, orange-fleshed, sweet-tasting, starchy root that belongs to the morning glory family. There are two main varieties: pale and dark-skinned. The pale sweet potatoes have a thin, light yellow skin and a pale yellow flesh. The dark-skinned sweet potatoes have a thicker, dark orange skin and bright orange flesh. The dark-skinned sweet potatoes are much sweeter than the pale skinned ones and are often confused with yams, which are not related to the sweet potato. Dark-skinned sweet potatoes are sometimes sold as "yams". <NI> .
Sweet potato leaves: the leaves of the sweet potato plant. There are many different varieties of sweet potato plants and most of their leaves are poisonous. The young leaves of the I. batatas sweet potato plant are edible and grown as a crop. They are widely consumed as a vegetable in several African countries (including Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Uganda). <NI>.
Sweet soy sauce: a dark soy sauce that has been thickened with starch and sugar. Also known as kecap or kecap manis.

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T

Tahini: sesame butter.
Tamari: soy sauce that is made with only soybeans and no grains. Tamari is a by-product of making miso. <NI> .
Tamarind: a large, brown tropical seed pod with sweet and sour tasting brown pulp and juice. Originally from east Africa and also cultivated in tropical Asia and Latin America. Tamarind means "Indian Date". The spice Tamarind is made from the pressed pulp of the tamarind pods. <NI> .
Tamarind nectar: a beverage flavored by the pulp that is extracted from the pods of the tamarind. <NI>.
Tangerine: a small, thin-skinned, orange, citrus fruit that is a variety of the mandarin orange. Originated in China, but named after the African city of Tangiers. <NI> .
Tangerine juice: a juice made of tangerines with a sweet citrus flavor. <NI>.
Tapioca: a starchy substance extracted from the root of the cassava plant. It is available in flakes, pellets (called pearl tapioca), flour and starch. Tapioca flour is used as a thickening agent. Other forms of tapioca are mainly used to make pudding.
Tarragon: an aromatic herb with dark green, slender leaves and an anise-like flavor. It is a member of the daisy family. Tarragon is available fresh, dried and powdered. <NI> .
Taro: a tropical plant with a large, starchy, edible root and broad edible leaves. Taro is a traditional staple in many tropical areas of the world. <NI> .
Teff: eragrostis tef. Also known as taf, khak shir or lovegrass. It's an annual grass native to the northern Ethiopian Highlands of Northeast Africa. You can cook teff like you cook millet or quinoa. It cooks even faster, since teff has very small seed kernels. <NI> .
Tempeh: a fermented food made of cooked, dehulled, soybeans, mixed with a rhizopus culture and sometimes other ingredients like vegetables or grains. The culture will help keep the soybeans together in a cake form. Tempeh has a nutty flavor and a firm texture. You will regularly see gray or black patches of spores on the surface of tempeh. These patches are completely harmless and don't affect the flavor or quality. Tempeh is popular in Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia. <NI> .
Teriyaki soy sauce: soy sauce with added ingredients, like sugar, vinegar and spices.
Thyme: a grayish-green herb with small leaves and a light, minty flavor. There are many different varieties of thyme plants, most of which are evergreens. Common varieties include, English thyme, lemon thyme and caraway thyme. Thyme plants are native to Europe, North Africa and Asia. <NI> .
Tofu: a food made by curdling soymilk with a coagulant. The curds are then pressed into soft, white blocks. Tofu is sold in water-filled packs or aseptic cartons and is available in different textures, including soft, firm or extra-firm. Tofu does not have a lot of taste, but easily absorbs the flavors of other ingredients. It is also sold in many different pre-seasoned varieties. Tofu is also known as bean curd or soybean curd. <NI> .
Tofu, fermented: also known as fuyu, sufu, fermented bean curd, tofu cheese or preserved tofu. It's a form of processed, preserved tofu. It is usually made with soybeans, salt, rice wine and sesame oil or vinegar. It is used as a condiment in Asian cuisine and sold in jars. <NI> .
Tomatillo: a small, green or green-purple fruit that is part of the tomato family. It is native to Mexico and also called Mexican green tomato. Tomatillos are covered by a papery, inedible husk. They can ripen to yellow, but are used while still green and firm. <NI> .
Tomato: a mildly acid, brightly-colored (red, yellow or orange), pulpy fruit (technically a berry) from the nightshade family often considered to be a vegetable. It is native to Peru and Mexico. <NI> .
Tomato juice: juice extracted from tomatoes that have been cooked and had their skins and seeds removed. It has a very strong tomato taste. <NI>.
Triticale: a hybrid of rye and wheat. Triticale was first bred in laboratories during the late 19th century. Recently it has developed into a viable crop. The word 'triticale' comes from the Latin words triticum (wheat) and secale (rye). It can be ground up into triticale flour. <NI> .
Triticale flour: triticale grains that have been ground up into flour. It has a higher protein content than either rye or wheat. <NI>.
Tuber: a thickened root or underground stem that serves as a food store and has buds that from which new plants can grow.
Turbinado sugar: a natural brown sugar, made by partially refining sugar cane extract. Fully refining cane sugar removes all of the surface molasses, giving it a white color. Partially refining leaves some of the molasses, giving it a light brown color and a slight molasses flavor. Turbinado sugar does not have molasses added to it, unlike brown sugar. It is sometimes known as "raw" sugar, even though it has been partially refined and is not by definition "raw".
Turmeric: a yellow spice with a mellow flavor. It comes from the orange root of a plant that is related to ginger. Turmeric is used to both spice and color dishes. It's an important ingredient of curry powder and is widely used in Indian cooking, especially in curries. It is also commonly used to give a yellow color to some prepared mustards. <NI> .
Turnip: a root vegetable that belongs to the mustard family with an edible root and edible leaves. There are two main types of turnips: the white and the yellow. The yellow turnip is known as the rutabaga or the Swedish turnip and is believed to have originated in Europe as a cross between the white turnip and the cabbage. Depending on the region, the term "turnip" sometimes refers to only the white turnip, while "rutabaga" is used to describe the yellow turnip. The rutabaga is usually larger then the white turnip and is yellow-orange rather than white. <NI> .
Turnip greens: the tender leaves of young, white turnips. <NI> .
TVP (or TSP): Textured vegetable protein, also known as textured soy protein. TVP is made from defatted soy flour, which is a by-product of making soybean oil. It comes as small dry chunks or flakes. It needs to be rehydrated and flavored, then added to cooking. .

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V

Vanilla: a spice. The long, narrow seeds pods that grow on the vines of the tropical vanilla plant, which is a member of the orchid family. Ripe, brown vanilla beans are difficult to conserve. That's why vanilla beans are picked when they are unripe and still green. The green vanilla beans are first heated for a few minutes to stop their natural processes. After that they are stored in wooden boxes for 4 months, which gives them a deep brown color. Next they are dried, either in ovens or in the sun. Finally they are left to mature for another 8 months in wooden boxes. Vanilla has a warm, pleasant flavor and aroma and is used as whole beans, powder, vanilla extract or vanilla flavor. Vanilla is also produced synthetically, to create imitation extracts and flavorings.
Vanilla extract: a concentrated, vanilla-flavored, thick liquid produced by soaking vanilla beans in a solution of at alcohol and water to extract the flavor. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has decided that the solution needs to contain at least 35% alcohol to be able to call it vanilla extract..
Vanilla flavor: the same as vanilla extract, but without the use of alcohol. Vanilla flavor is usually made with a glycerin or propylene glycol solution.
Vegetable: an edible part of a plant other than the ovary (see fruit). This can include the roots, stems, leaves, bulbs or flowers of a plant. Examples of vegetables are carrots, broccoli, kale, spinach and onions.
Vinegar: a sour-tasting liquid obtained by fermentation beyond the alcohol stage. The word vinegar is derived from the French vin aigre, which means sour wine. Many different varieties of vinegar exist, including apple cider vinegar, wine vinegars, malt vinegar, rice vinegar and balsamic vinegar. Vinegar is used to flavor and preserve foods. Note: clarifying agents used for some vinegars can be derived from an animal source (like gelatin, eggs, fish or animal milk). <NI>.
Vital wheat gluten: wheat gluten.

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W

Wakame: a curly seaweed with long, deep-green fronds and a soft texture. It is a type of kelp. Wakame is a very serious weed and considered one of the 100 worst invasive species in the world. <NI>.
Walnut: wrinkled, two-lobed nuts that grow inside green pods on various species of walnut trees, including the most popular Persian walnut (also called common walnut or English walnut, even though it's not native to England) and the black walnut. The nuts of all the species of walnut trees are edible. <NI> .
Walnut oil: a flavorful oil obtained from pressed walnuts. It is very suitable for salad dressings and sauces. <NI>.
Watermelon: a large, green, fruit with sweet, moist, red or sometimes yellow flesh that grows on the vine-like watermelon plant. Watermelons are about 91% water. Their seeds are also edible. They originate from Africa. <NI> .
Watermelon seeds: the edible seeds of the watermelon. <NI > .
Wasabi: a root vegetable with brown-green skin, pale green flesh and a very sharp, pungent flavor. It is a member of the cabbage family and commonly known as Japanese horseradish. It is native to Japan where it grows naturally in mountain river valleys. <NI> .
Water chestnut: the kernel of a tuber that resembles a chestnut both in color and shape. The brown tubers grow on the floating water plant Chinese sedge, which is native to China. The insides of the tubers are white, crisp and juicy with a nut-like flavor. <NI> .
Watercress: a plant with small, dark green leaves that grows around fast running water. The leaves have a crisp, pungent flavor. Watercress is a member of the mustard family and native from Europe to Central Asia. It is one of the oldest known green vegetables consumed by human beings. <NI> .
Wheat: a light brown grain that grows on the wheat plant, which is a grass cultivated around the world. There are many varieties of wheat, including red wheat, white wheat, summer wheat and durum wheat. Wheat can be cooked whole, cracked as cereal or ground into wheat flour. It's the second-largest cereal crop behind corn. <NI> and <NI> .
Wheat berries: brown, round, whole wheat kernels that have not been milled, polished or heat treated.
Wheat bran: the outermost layer of the wheat berry. <NI> .
Wheat flour: a fine powder made from ground up wheat grains. It is high in gluten, which makes it very suitable to make yeast breads. <NI>.
Wheat germ: the embryo - "heart" - of the wheat berry. <NI>.
Wheat germ oil: oil extracted from the germ of the wheat kernel. It has a strong flavor and perishes easily. <NI>.
Wheat gluten: the natural protein derived from wheat. It is basically wheat flour with the starch removed. It can be added to yeast bread recipes to improve the texture and elasticity of the dough. Wheat gluten are also used to make seitan. Also known as vital wheat gluten. <NI>.
Wheat sprouts: wheat berries that have been sprouted. <NI>.
White-flowered gourd: also known as bottle gourd, opo squash or long melon. The rounder varieties are called calabash gourds. It's an edible gourd with a light green smooth skin and white flesh. The fruit grows on a vine and can be harvested young and used as a vegetable. When harvested mature, it can be dried and used as a bottle, utensil or pipe. <NI> .
White mushroom: button mushroom.
White pepper: pepper.
White rice: brown rice that has been processed to remove the germ and bran. <NI> and <NI> .
White vinegar: distilled vinegar.
Wild blackberry: blackberries that grow in the wild, also known as "black-caps". Native Americans ate them for thousands of years. They are usually smaller than commercially grown blackberries. Wild blackberries are often preferred over commercial ones, since you can pick them when they are perfectly ripe and completely fresh. .
Wild rice: the grain of a wild aquatic grass that grows in shallow water. Even though it is closely related to rice, wild rice is not a form of true rice. Wild rice is the only grain native to North America. <NI> .
Winged bean: a tropical bean with a green, purple or red pod. The pod has four wings and turns brown when fully ripe. Winged beans grow very quickly and are disease resistant. The shoots, roots, flowers, pods, leaves and seeds of the wing bean plant are all edible. They are mostly found in New Guinea and Southeast Asia. Also known as goa bean, asparagus pea or winged pea. <NI> .

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Y

Yam: an edible, starchy tuber that is not related to, but closely resembles a sweet potato. There are over 150 species of yams. Their skins vary in color from dark brown to light pink. Their sweet flesh ranges in color from white to bright orange in ripe yams. They are also known as the "true yam". <NI> .
Yam bean: a large, gray-brown root vegetable with slightly sweet, white, crunchy flesh. It tastes like a cross between a potato and a water chestnut. It can be eaten both cooked and raw. Also known as jicama or Mexican potato. <NI> .
Yardlong beans: green colored beans that grow as very long pods on long, twining vines. The edible pods can grow up to 3 feet long, but are best eaten when they are still immature (10-12 inches long). The seeds can be harvested from mature beans and eaten the same way as black-eyed peas. Yardlong beans are also known as asparagus beans or snake beans. <NI> .
Yellow bean: a snap bean with a yellow pod. Yellow bean varieties are also known as wax bean, Enola bean, peruano bean or canary bean. The immature pods and beans are also edible and are referred to as snap yellow beans. <NI> .

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Z

Zest: a food ingredient that is prepared by scraping or cutting the outer skin of citrus fruits like lemons, oranges and limes. Zesters, graters or vegetable peelers can be used to help remove the skin. The white portion of the peel is bitter and generally avoided. Zest is used to add flavor to foods.
Zucchini: a long, cylindrical, dark to light green summer squash with creamy white-green flesh. Zucchinis are best eaten when they are small. Zucchini is also known as courgette. The yellow flowers of the zucchini plant are also edible and very popular in Mexico. They need to be washed, have the stems clipped, the pistils removed and cooked. <NI> .

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