As the trees in my backyard are blossoming, I can begin to appreciate the fresh greens arriving in my grocery store. It’s spring!!! For the month of April, we are celebrating ASPARAGUS!!!
Why did I choose to write about asparagus? I love to eat fruits, but like most people, I have a hard time getting excited about vegetables; so when it comes to convincing myself to eat more vegetables, I have to remember the disease-fighting chemical benefits that nature has to offer.
Asparagus is an excellent source of:
• Vitamin K – reduces swelling (can help with Pre-Menstrual Syndrom: PMS)
• many B vitamins – help breakdown foods
• Folate – fights birth defects (very important for pregnant moms)
• Vitamin C – helps the immune system
• Vitamin A – helps keep eyes healthy
• Inulin – increases friendly bacteria in the stomach and guts
• Asparagus is also a very good source of dietary fiber, manganese, copper, phosphorus, potassium and protein.
Last night for dinner, I served steamed asparagus with a light lemon vinaigrette dressing. My 14-month-old son loves to hold and chew the soft green stalks. If your child doesn't like the color or feel of asparagus, you can mash it up or blend it and add it to your favorite pasta sauce or soup broth. Don’t give up if they spit it out. Remember that if you eat healthy too and continue to serve them healthy foods, they will come around.
Only about 30% of Americans have 2 servings of fruits and 3 servings of veggies a day. Be good to yourself and give yourself a "Daily High Five" each day. Get your Five Fruits and Veggies every day!
For breakfast tomorrow, I will add chopped asparagus to give my regular omelet a burst of color and flavor. What will you do? To get a good head start on your Daily High Five, you can toss in a ½ cup of spinach, mushrooms, broccoli or onion into your eggs. As a sweet extra, put in a ½ cup of blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries into your whole-wheat cereal!
Help yourself and your family: eat well every day.
No comments:
Post a Comment