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Common beans-snap, kidney, navy, pinto and lima- are some of the few native American vegetables reaching back to prehistoric times. Native Americans planted beans and corn (maize) together, and the two were staples of their diet. Corn furnished high energy and beans supplied protein. The combination gave us the dish "succotash."

Members of the bean family, like peas, consist of a long pod filled with seeds. Depending on the variety, we eat the pod and seeds or only the seeds.

Specialized breeding has made today's snap bean (also known as green, wax or yellow) a crisp, firm and virtually stringless pod which has become a consumer favorite. A good source of vitamin A, snap beans also provide vitamin C and iron. Just one-half cup serving of cooked snap beans is an excellent source of thiamine, necessary for energy production, appetite and nerve activity. Canning is an excellent method of preserving snap beans because few varieties freeze without becoming tough.

On the other hand, some beans, such as blackeye, kidney, garbanzo and lima beans, are used only for their seeds, because the pods are very tough or coarse. Lima beans come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but typically they are broad, flat seeds. The smallest or youngest seeds are usually the most tender. The small, light green colored beans are known as baby limas. Nearly colorless beans are referred to as white limas. Lima beans contain significant quantities of iron, calcium and vitamin C.

All varieties of beans-whether canned, fresh, or frozen-are excellent sources of dietary fiber, necessary for efficient digestion.

A while back, the National Garden Bureau compiled some interesting information about beans. The bean group includes snap beans, limas (called "butter beans" down South), and all the beans grown for dried seeds -- kidney, pinto, great northern, navy, and the like. There are also relatives in different bean species -- scarlet runner, asparagus bean, winged bean; black-eye, crowder, and purple hull pea (they're really beans); garden soybean; fava or broad bean; and garbanzo bean. Beans are a warand purple hull pea (they're really beans); garden soybean; fava or broad bean; and garbanzo bean. Beans are a warap beans "string" beans? You still hear this term, especially where they grow 'Kentucky Wonder,' the old-fashioned climber with strings like shoelaces. However, you seldom see real, string beans anymore. The bean breeders bred the strings out of them, so most varieties are now called snap beans. They also bred out most of the fiber, so you can eat fully-mature pods and not have to pick them at the half-grown stage. Buy snap beans that are resistant to plant diseases and set pods in warm weather.

Lima and Butter Beans - The difference between butter beans and lima beans is based on the size of the pods and seeds. The small-seeded, butter beans tolerate more heat, but it takes forever to shell a mess of butter beans!

In cooler areas, some of the runner types of the large-seeded, lima beans have pods 5 inches long, with half a dozen big, flat seeds per pod. Some of the bush types have small, fat seeds in nearly round pods. These are called "potato limas." Lima and butter beans with speckled seeds have a stronger taste than the white- or green-seeded varieties.

Southern Peas - Southern peas are not at all like green peas; they are more like beans. They are a warm-weather crop that likes heat and humidity.

Black-eyed peas are Southern peas. So are crowder pea, purple hull, knuckle-hull, cream pea, lady pea, silver skin, clay pea, and dozens of other local favorites. You can snap and eat the young pods or shell and eat the seeds green or dry. Livestock will eat the plants and pods. At one time, Southern peas were called cowpeas for that very reason.

Developed from wild cabbage native to coastal Europe, broccoli spread through the near East to the Orient at an early date. The tree-like vegetable was improved in Italy, and introduced to America by Italian immigrants who grew it in the eastern United States. Today, over 95 percent of U.S. production of broccoli takes place in California.

The name broccoli, derived from the Latin word brachium meaning arm or branch, accurately describes the edible portion of this vegetable, which resembles a miniature tree. Broccoli has a thick green stalk with gray-green leaves and a flowering dark green or purplish-green head, which is harvested before the flower buds open. The firm, compact clusters of small flower buds are called florets.

A very popular casserole ingredient, broccoli adds a lot of taste but very few calories to meals. At only 13 calories per 1/2 cup serving, broccoli is also an excellent source of vitamin C, providing almost one-third (30%) of the U.S. recommended daily allowance.

A close relative to the wild cabbage, the particular time and place of the origin of cauliflower in its present form is unknown. However, it is suspected that a primitive form of either broccoli or cauliflower originated somewhere in Asia Minor, and was further developed in Italy. Later, it was taken to northern Europe and the British Isles, where it is now highly favored.

The growing of cauliflower requires considerable labor and prime weather conditions, as it is highly susceptible to extreme temperatures. About 78 percent of the U.S. crop is grown in the generally favorable climate in California. The largest producer worldwide is China, but substantial quantities of cauliflower are also grown in India, France and Italy.

Cauliflower has a white head made up of small, tightly compacted white flowers on thick stems. It is produced by natural blanching as the large, green leaves wrap around the developing head to block out sunlight. In some cases, growers will tie the leaves shut around the head to ensure that it will be protected from sunlight.

This versatile vegetable can be cooked either whole or separated into florets. Served raw, it provides a great addition to salads and vegetable trays. Cauliflower can also be boiled, steamed, sauteed, stir-fried or battered and deep-fried for different dishes. One serving of cauliflower provides 40 percent of the U.S. recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.

The purple carrot, common in Europe, had its beginnings in Afghanistan around 600 A.D. The orange carrot probably began in Iran and was well-established in Europe by the 15th Century. Early explorers brought it to North America in the 1500's, and it became an important food for the colonists. Native Americans took a liking to carrots and soon made them a part of their diet.

Paintings of vegetables show that carrots were well-developed in size and quality 400 years ago. Carrots were first valued as medicines: seeds or roots were consumed to treat stomach problems, employed in poultices for surface ulcers, abscesses and wounds, and used to relieve bladder, liver and kidney ailments and aid in childbirth. Before carrots became popular as human food, their foliage adorned women's hats and sleeves, and their oil was rubbed into fur pelts for moth protection.

Ancient writers promoted carrots for health, although they did not know that vitamin A (carotene) was the beneficial factor. Carrots' high vitamin A levels contribute to better night vision. In fact, few foods surpass carrots in economically providing this vitamin. A half-cup serving of canned carrots, for example, supplies several times the U.S. recommended daily allowance of vitamin A. Carrots also rank highly in potassium content, and contain vitamins C, B1, B2 and niacin as well. An added bonus is their low calorie count-only 35 in a half-cup serving.

Okra was first cultivated in Africa, but some wild species have also been found in India, suggesting that the vegetable was distributed throughout the Old World. Some believe that okra was taken from Africa to Spain by the invading Moors of the 8th century. It was only after the discovery of the Americas by Columbus, that the vegetable was introduced to this area. Today, almost all of the crop is grown in the southern United States, where the climate is most favorable.

Okra is a green, edible, seed-filled pod. It is sometimes called "gumbo," the name given to soups and stews in which it is an important ingredient. Okra can be served steamed or boiled as a vegetable dish, or in soups and stews, in which it has a thickening effect.

Okra is low in calories (25 calories in a 1/2 cup), and is a good source of calcium, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C and fiber. It also supplies from 4-7g of protein per 100 calories. However, large quantities (10.5 oz or 300g) need to be consumed in order to get these amounts of protein and calories. Being filling, but not fattening, it is a good food for hearty eaters.

The onion is probably our oldest domesticated vegetable, because no close wild relative can be found today. It probably originated in the Middle East. Onions are believed to have been the main energy food of the Egyptians while building the pyramids. Raw onions are high in vitamin A, plus vitamin K needed for blood clotting.

In ancient India and the Middle East, peas were harvested and dried for storage and later use. Fresh "garden peas" as we know them weren't common until the 16th Century in England and France. The Austrian monk Gregor Mendel used peas 150 years ago to establish the modern science of genetics.

A serving of peas contains vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium, plus iron, magnesium and fiber. Special "no-salt added" packs also contain only 3 mg sodium per one-half cup serving. Wisconsin and Minnesota produce more than one-half the nation's supply of peas.

In addition to being nutritious, peas are a versatile vegetable that can be served in many ways. From delightful 7-layer salads to snappy side dishes to hearty soups, peas are a flavorful, economical choice.

Sweet corn is a product of the last 100 years of U.S. plant breeding, but its ancestry goes back to maize grown by Native Americans 7,000 years ago. Native American tribes did some very good selection of maize centuries before the white man took over its development.

Fresh corn-on-the-cob is a favorite summertime treat. Canned sweet corn is available in two styles: whole kernel or cream style. For the whole kernel style, kernels of corn are cut from the ear and packed in a brine solution of water, sugar and salt. "No-salt added" sweet corn is also available at a similar cost. New "crisp and sweet" varieties are naturally sweeter, requiring less salt and sugar with no loss of flavor. Cream style corn utilizes a slit and grind method. Some kernels are slit to reveal the tender inside while others are ground into fine particles. Ground kernels enhance the color, consistency and flavor. The corn is combined with sugar and salt, plus a small amount of cornstarch to ensure smoothness.

Sweet corn provides many of the nutrients health-conscious consumers are looking for: substantial quantities of fiber and vitamin C but very little fat. Three-fifths of a cup of cooked corn supplies about the same amount of B vitamins as two slices of enriched bread.

Squashes and their relative, the pumpkin, are gifts of the Native Americans. Explorers brought them back to Europe as early as the 16th Century.

Squash comes in many different shapes and colors, yet there are basically only two kinds: summer and winter. Summer varieties, such as zucchini, have thin skins and are entirely edible. The seeds and thick, hard shells of winter squashes like the acorn, are usually not eaten. Summer squash is low in calories, but contains a good supply of vitamins A, C and niacin. Winter squash is higher in calories, but also higher in nutrients.

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