When my boys and I are making dinner together, we almost always prepare our vegetables steamed.

Not only are they tasty, but steamed vegetables are ready in minutes. As a mom, I like the fact that steamed vegetables retain a lot of their nutritional content, much more so than boiled vegetables.

Different kinds of vegetables need to be prepared differently for steaming, and they cook at different rates, too. Follow this list of helpful hints and your vegetables should be great every time.

• Have the right equipment

Every kitchen can benefit from a steamer. I recommend an expanding metal steamer insert. It can fit in any pot. Use a stainless steel or nonstick pot to steam vegetables, because the acidity of some vegetables will cause a reaction with aluminum and tin pots. Fill the pot so that the water level is about an inch and a half above the bottom of the pot. Your goal is to have the base of the steamer above the water level. Otherwise, you are boiling the vegetables, because they will be sitting in water.

• Top creatively

Some kids won't go for plain veggies, no matter how perfectly they are cooked. It's amazing the difference a little bit of salad dressing or some store-bought humus for dipping can do.

At my house, we usually just top our steamed vegetables with a little butter or olive oil and a modest amount of salt and pepper.

• Leafy greens

These include broccoli rabe, mustard greens, escarole, kale, and spinach.

Start by rinsing the leaves. Remove the tough stem ends. Have the kids help you tear the greens into bite-sized pieces.

Fill the pot as directed above, place the greens in the steamer, put the pot over high heat, and put a lid on the pot.

Cook the greens just until wilted, three to five minutes depending on the amount of greens and the size of your pot.

• Broccoli and cauliflower

Rinse the veggies and remove the tough part of the stem. A parent can cut the bunches into bite-sized florets

Follow cooking directions above, extending the cooking time to five to seven minutes. Look for a bright green color in the broccoli. That means it's done. If you wait too long, the broccoli will turn pale and mushy.

• Cabbage

Cabbage has a bad reputation as being a yucky vegetable. Cooked properly, it is sweet and tender. My family loves it.

Wash your cabbage carefully and make sure to check between the leaves for dirt and insects.

Parents should do the cutting because a cabbage can be hard to handle. Again, dice it into bite-sized pieces. Cooking time will probably range from four to six minutes.

Often a whole head of cabbage is too much for one meal. Consider steaming half the head and using the rest for coleslaw. Once steamed, place the cabbage in a bowl and toss with butter and a little salt. I find that butter tastes better than olive oil on cabbage, but you should find out which your family prefers.

• Brussels sprouts

Steamed Brussels sprouts lose the toughness that can make this vegetable unpopular with kids.

To prepare them for steaming, wash the Brussels sprouts. Adults should trim the stem and remove the outer leaves if they are wilted or discolored.

Depending on their age and proficiency with a knife, kids can cut the sprouts in half. They cook faster this way and are easier to eat.

Steam for five to seven minutes, again looking for a brilliant, not washed out, color.

• Beans, snow peas, snap peas

Definitely follow the color rule with these vegetables. Wait until they turn emerald green, then Mom or Dad should spear one and try it. Cooked just right, these vegetables are really delicious and they probably won't take longer than three to five minutes to cook.

• Carrots, beets, and parsnips

These are firm, dense vegetables. Beets and parsnips need to be peeled. Carrots are sweeter when their skin has been removed, but they're more nutritious with the skin left on.

All these root vegetables should be finely sliced before steaming. Make sure that the pieces are about the same size. Smaller pieces will be overcooked by the time the bigger ones are ready.

You can also use the food processor, but don't cut them too fine or they will turn to mush rather quickly.

Parents should do the preparation when it comes to firm, hard-to-handle vegetables like these. The chance of a knife slipping is much greater when cutting carrots, parsnips, and beets.

Steam for five to seven minutes, depending on the size of your vegetable pieces and the amount you are cooking.

Serve drizzled with olive oil or butter and a little salt and pepper.

• Don't forget about the microwave.

All these recipes call for stove-top steaming, but when it comes to vegetables, your microwave can be your best friend.

Just prepare the vegetables as described above, then arrange them in a single layer on two pieces of paper towel. Cover with two more paper towels.

Cook your vegetables on "high," checking them every two minutes. They won't take long.

You can also buy a special plastic steamer for the microwave. Ours is a sealed container with a colander inside. Fill the bottom of the container with a little water.

Again make sure the vegetables aren't sitting in water.

Cook the vegetables on the "high" setting, checking every two minutes once again. We serve our microwave vegetables in the same container they were cooked in. It saves time and, truthfully, this is the most healthful and delicious way to prepare your vegetables.