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Heading to the farmers’ market this weekend in search of fresher-than-fresh veggies? We all know that Americans need to eat more vegetables and less meat. Sometimes, though, we get sick of our tried-and-true peas and carrots. Here are some up-and-coming vegetables making the rounds in the culinary circuit. Best of all, they provide some amazing nutrients that your body desperately needs.
Swiss Chard
This green leafy vegetable is like a farmer’s dream. It’s a hearty crop with a lengthy growing season, and it’s jam-packed with nutrients your body needs. Of the world’s most nutritious vegetables, swiss chard is second only to spinach. This low-cal veggie has sky-high levels of Vitamin K, A, and E in addition to dozens of other benefits. Taste wise, swiss chard tastes like a cross between spinach and collards. Don’t throw away the stems, either: you can parboil them and turn them into a tasty gratin or creamy pasta sauce. Swiss chard comes in many varieties, including ruby chard and beautiful rainbow chard.
Garlic Scapes
Garlic scapes are the green offshoots of garlic. Farmers trim them to encourage the garlic bulb to grow even larger. These greens are edible and can be used to make garlic scape pesto, chopped to sprinkle in a dish the way you would use scallions, or sauteed as a stand-alone side dish. They taste like garlic in the same way that scallion greens taste like onions. Garlic scapes contain the same nutrients as garlic, including high levels of manganese and Vitamin C and Vitamin B6. Some research suggests garlic helps regulate fat cells or has cancer-fighting properties.
