Perk up wilted green vegetables such as broccoli, green beans and snow peas by adding one or two teaspoons of baking soda to simmering water, suggests Mark Alan Mollentine, a chef who now runs the artisan sauce and seasoning business and website Chef Mark's Kitchen.
The greens will brighten up as the baking soda's alkaline content intensifies the plant's natural green chlorophyll. Unfortunately, baking soda can only restore color, he says. It doesn't revive nutrients. But the broccoli will look presentable enough for a potluck on your mother-in-law's table.
"One of the things that happens as produce ages is a loss of vitamins," Mollentine says. "Nothing improves that aspect."