Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["bob@4agoodauction.com" <bob@4agoodauction.com>]

Some added thoughts below---Bob C

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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.
>Cook them skin on and let cool. Then take the skin off with rubber gloves on your hands. It is always a shock to taste how sweet the beets are. Favorite way to eat? : Serve sliced up with a sprinkle of star anise and balsamic vinegar. Hint after a couple of days in the refrigerator the beets get better and better.

2. Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
>I wrap a cabbage in 914 film restaurant size after taking the core out. Where the core was I put some nutmeg and real Normandy butter or soft creamy cheese and a touch of cayenne pepper. Place core up in the microwave with a plate under it for about 15 minutes and it will have cooked in it's own steam and is very tasty by it self, sliced, on sandwiches or as an added vegetable to soups. So simple to be so good.
3. Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
>Great any way you prepare.
4. Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
>Put with chocolate, put with curries, spice baked goods, can put with your greens to add an interesting taste no one will recognize unless you put a great deal in.
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.
>Prunes and any green go together. Fresh turnip greens plus grated plums and ancho pepper with out the seeds and a touch of allspice is a real treat. Think outside the box with prunes--with cereal yes but also in spagetti sauce along with carrots.

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-3?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.
> If you take the sardines and melt them down in a little oil on the stove they enhance the flavor of any stew whether vegetable or beef.
9. Turmeric: The ?superstar of spices,? it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
> I like the fresh found in just about any Chinese product store. On the bitter side I like to incorporate in stews and curries.

10. Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don?t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.
11. Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
>I like fresh pumpkin- Cut the stem on an angle so the plug will go back in the hole but not fall in. Put a couple of tablespoons of water inside the pumpkin. Place in the micro wave for about 13 minutes up to 17 minutes. Let it cool completely and then cut in half. Remove the seeds to fry or dry, and  easily take the pulp away from the skin. It is very simple to do. Put a little sea salt and pepper and you will be surprised how tasty the pumpkin is standing on it's own.