Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>]

I'm open to substitutions there. I can't see growing cinnamon, pomgranite, 
turmeric, or sardines around these parts ... Chard is good but I much prefer 
golden beets, and beet greens lightly heated in olive oil. Cabbage doesn't 
store well. And I'd rather have long-keeping winter squash like butternut or 
delicata instead of pumpkin - esp canned pumpkin. Anyone have favorite ways 
to cook winter squash? I'm all ears.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net
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The 11 Best Foods You ArenÂ’t Eating
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/the-11-best-foods-you-arent-eating/?em
(This post was originally published on June 30, 2008, and recently appeared 
on The New York TimesÂ’s list of most-viewed stories for 2009.)

Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of healthful 
foods people should be eating but arenÂ’t. But some of his favorites, like 
purslane, guava and goji berries, arenÂ’t always available at regular grocery 
stores. I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to 
update his list with some favorite foods that are easy to find but donÂ’t 
always find their way into our shopping carts. HereÂ’s his advice.

   1. Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are 
a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer 
fighters.
      How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases 
the antioxidant power.
   2. Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to 
boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
      How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and 
sandwiches.
   3. Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that 
protect aging eyes.
      How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
   4. Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
      How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.
   5. Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with 
antioxidants.
      How to eat: Just drink it.
   6. Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with 
antioxidants.
      How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.
   7. Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with 
magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for 
early death.
      How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.
   8. Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.” They are high 
in omega-3Â’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They 
also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and 
manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.
      How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, 
mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a 
spread.
   9. Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,” it may have anti-inflammatory and 
anti-cancer properties.
      How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.
  10. Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the 
nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available 
year-round and donÂ’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.
      How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled 
with crushed almonds.
  11. Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and 
immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
      How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.

You can find more details and recipes on the MenÂ’s Health Web site, which 
published the original version of the list last year.

In my own house, I only have two of these items — pumpkin seeds, which I 
often roast and put on salads, and frozen blueberries, which I mix with milk, 
yogurt and other fruits for morning smoothies. How about you? Have any of 
these foods found their way into your shopping cart?