Once the quintessential veggie loathed by school children, Brussels sprouts are now a trendy poster child for healthy (tasty) eating. There’s a trick, however, to unlocking their treasure of nutrients without the disagreeable, odorous gases released from heating those of the cabbage clan. Avoid boiling, which can also zap what’s good for you, and instead try shredding for a raw salad, slicing and sauteing or roasting, which slows the process that turns them smelly. How do you enjoy your sprouts?
What the heck is a seakale beet?
Although Swiss chard was known by the ancient Greeks, it is not always recognized in historical literature because of the enormous variety of names, in various languages by which it is and has been called and because of its relation to the beet family. In English it is also known under these names: chard, white beet, strawberry spinach, seakale beet, leaf beet, Sicilian beet, spinach beet, Chilian beet, Roman kale, and silverbeet. Whatever you call it, how do you like to EAT it?
What’s with the buzz over kale?
For a green, kale is unusually high in fiber. This helps create the bulk you need to feel full and sustain you between meals. Kale is also an excellent source of nutrients, especially vitamin A and calcium. NOT to mention, it’s also one of your best sources of beta-carotene, one of the antioxidants believed to help thwart cancer, heart disease and certain age-related chronic diseases. Have you hopped on the kale bandwagon? What cinched it for you?
What’s Eeyore’s favorite veggie? Artichokes: Hearts or leaves?
Did you know the artichoke is part of the thistle family? Considering how tasty they are, we can’t imagine why our favorite thistle-loving donkey, Eeyore, was always so down. How would YOU prepare artichokes to cheer him up?
When is winter squash grown?
Winter squash is a summer-growing annual vegetable, representing several species within the genus Cucurbita, including butternut, acorn, spaghetti, calabaza and delicata. It differs from summer squash in that it is harvested and eaten in the mature fruit stage, when the seeds within have matured fully and the skin has hardened into a tough rind. Do you have a favorite winter squash?
