Three of my favorite veggies seem to get a bad rap from a lot of people and I suspect part of the reason they don't like broccoli, cauliflower or eggplant is that they've only had them improperly cooked.

Let's start with broccoli: Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Mount Sinai Medical Center were able to isolate a chemical called sulforophane that is found in abundance in broccoli.

It is thought to detoxify cancer-causing agents in the human body. Broccoli ranks high in calcium, vitamins A and C and some of the B vitamin group and comes in with good marks for fiber content, potassium and iron. About 1/2 cup of raw broccoli has about 12 calories and 1 cup cooked about 40 calories. Select a head of broccoli that is dark green in color and has tightly closed florets. Store in the fridge in a plastic bag for up to five days and wash just before using.

Broccoli takes just a few minutes to cook whether you steam it or stir fry it and maybe just a few minutes longer if you oven roast it. It must be crisp-tender — anything more than that will change not only the texture but also the flavor. Do not overcook!

BROCCOLI CASSEROLE WITH PARMESAN CRUMBS

FOR THE TOPPING:

2 slices sandwich bread, torn in pieces
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

FOR THE BROCCOLI FILLING:

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1-3/4 cups whole milk
1 bunch broccoli (about 1-1/2 lbs.), cut into small florets and stalks thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

To prepare the topping: Combine bread, Parmesan and butter in work bowl of food processor; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

To prepare the filling: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes or until soft. Sprinkle in flour, whisking to incorporate. Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly. Add broccoli, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool slightly; add nutmeg and cheese.

Transfer mixture to a 2-quart casserole; sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 350 F oven 15 minutes. Remove foil; bake 15 minutes longer or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Yield: 4 servings.

Cauliflower is in the same cruciferous family as broccoli and also contains those important anti-cancer chemicals. One cup of cooked cauliflower has just 25 calories, has good amounts of vitamins C, B-6 and potassium and is also high in fiber. Choose heads that are creamy white in color with tightly packed florets and avoid those with a grayish brown tinge as they are past their prime. Store in the fridge in a plastic bag for 5-7 days and wash just before using. Again, do not overcook cauliflower!

Steaming it for about 4 minutes will yield a crisp-tender texture and keep the sweet flavor. Overcooking it turns it to a mealy, mushy, mess with a sulphurous odor.

PENNE AND CAULIFLOWER WITH DIJON BREADCRUMBS

8 oz. penne pasta, uncooked
5 cups small cauliflower florets
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1-1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless country-style bread (easy to do in food processor)
3/4 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus a bit more for serving
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cauliflower and cook 3-4 minutes or just until it is crisp-tender and pasta is al dente. Drain; reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta and cauliflower to pot; cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Whisk in Dijon until incorporated into the butter and add breadcrumbs. Cook 7-8 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown and crisp. Transfer breadcrumbs to a medium bowl and set aside.

Add the 3/4 cup grated Parmesan, cream, lemon peel, and 1/2 cup cooking liquid to pasta/cauliflower mixture set over medium heat. Cook, 2-3 minutes, stirring gently until sauce thickens slightly and coats the pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer pasta to wide shallow serving bowl and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Pass additional Parmesan, if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

The third "ugly duckling veggie" I want to talk about is eggplant.

For many people, this gorgeous vegetable's only claim to fame is Eggplant Parmesan, (one of Peter's favorite dishes) but eggplant is actually a very versatile vegetable and can be used in many dishes. Eggplant is a member of the nightshade family, which also includes potatoes and tomatoes. Nutritionally eggplants have a little bit of everything, but not a significant amount of anything! (How's that for a quantitative analysis?) It is low in calories (about 21 in 1 cup of cubed eggplant) and high in fiber and carbs.

Choose eggplants that feel heavy for their size with shiny, wrinkle free skin and a bright green cap and stem. (Eggplant come in a variety of colors — purple/white stripe, white and the most common is a solid deep purple.) Look at the blossom end and if it is indented, it is a female plant. If it is smooth, then it's a male plant. Male eggplant have fewer seeds and the seeds are what causes the bitter flavor, so go for the boy! A purple eggplant typically weighs around 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds and will yield about 4 cups of small cubes.

Store eggplant in a plastic bag in the 'fridge for up to 3 days. When preparing eggplant, I slice it or cube it and put it in a colander and then sprinkle it generously with salt, tossing to coat. Let it stand for about 30 minutes — rinse it off and pat dry. This really helps remove a good deal of the bitterness.

TURKEY EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

1-1/4 lbs. ground turkey
1 large onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pkg. (8-oz.) white button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
1-1/2 lbs. eggplant, peeled and diced (about 3/4-inch size cubes)
1 can (28-oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1 tsp. mixed Italian seasonings
1/2 tsp. crushed hot pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine turkey, onion, garlic and mushrooms in a large non-stick skillet coated with non-stick cooking spray ; cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add eggplant cubes, tomatoes, both red and green bell peppers, breadcrumbs, Italian seasonings, and hot pepper flakes; increase heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat and pour mixture into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray; cover with aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to oven and bake (uncovered) for 15 more minutes. Yield: 8 servings.