Spring is Here!
There are so many great tasting fruits and vegetables that become available this time of year such as apricots, morel mushrooms and fennel. But three of my favorites are arugula, beets and artichokes.
Arugula
Often called a bitter green, Arugula has a peppery taste, with hints of mustard and nut. While rich in vitamins like A, K, and folate, plus chlorophyll, fiber and even water, these leafy greens will help reduce inflammation while also hydrating and detoxifying your body.
How to eat it: Just toss raw greens in bowl with other veggies, nuts or seeds and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar or citrus juice. Chop or tear them into bite-sized pieces to enhance the texture of your salad.
Beets
Some foods give you a clear indication of what part of you they’ll benefit and that’s the case with beets. Their deep and juicy color let you know they’re great for your blood and circulation. They can lower blood pressure, boost your stamina, and support detoxification all due to being a unique source of phytonutrients called betaines.
How to eat them: so many options! You can juice them or add them to a smoothie, roast them as a side dish, use a julienne veggie peeler to shave them into salads, spiralize them or make them into borscht!
Artichokes
Available in both spring and fall, artichokes are rich in folic acid, vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, and many minerals. These nutrients help lower cholesterol, ensure healthy pregnancies in women, reduce free radicals, and ensure optimal metabolic cell function.
How to eat them: There is an art and science to the basic way of cooking an artichoke, I like to boil it for about 20 minutes then peel off and eat the leaves (well, use my teeth to scrape the bottom edible part of the leaves) after I dip it in garlic infused extra virgin olive oil. Or, you can peal the outer layer of the artichoke, scoop out the choke in the center and boil for 15 minutes, cut in to quarters and put in a salad.