Dishing on the radish

Radishes are always something I’ve seen at the grocery store but never had a desire to try. I’ve eaten them in salads but never cooked with them. I try to cook with a new food every month so I finally brought this interesting vegetable into my home.

I’m not in love with the radish. It’s OK (kind of like the nice girl or guy at the office or gym – nice is OK but if that’s all they got, there’s more interesting people to learn from) but not up there with so many of the other vegetables I love.

But, radishes are rich in the bone building vitamins such as calcium and magnesium and help stave off muscle cramps with their potassium. And for good measure, loads of vitamin C to help bolster immunity. They taste really great paired with other yummy vegetables in recipes. Check out next Thursday for a great Fourth of July recipe for a summer slaw recipe great for a cook-out. It’s one of my favorites.

Fun radish fact:

Citizens of Oaxaca, Mexico celebrate the radish in a festival called Noche de los Rábanos (Night of the Radishes) on December 23 as a part of Christmas celebrations. Locals carve religious and popular figures out of radishes and display them in the town square.

Food Spotlight: Mint

Mint is growing like wild here in Eastern PA. For anyone who grows it, they’ll tell you it’s a bit unruly in that it just grows and grows and grows.

Mint is a close relative of spearmint and peppermint. It is great for digestion as it helps calm those internal nerves. (For more information on eating to beat stress, click here) It also is a great breathe freshener and wakes up the senses.

One of the easiest ways to get mint into your diet is to put it in your drinking water or try the dressing recipe from last week. It flavors everything quite nicely while giving you a refreshing lift. It also tastes great sprinkled into salads…stay tuned next Thursday for a mint-salad recipe.

Fun Fact: It’s believed that mint was brought over to America from England by the Pilgrims. The Greeks also used it in their baths to stimulate their bodies.

Food Spotlight: Salads

This month in the food department we’ll discuss everything salads as the warmer weather brings the need for more raw, cooling foods.

Hot at the farmer’s markets, CSA’s and probably cheapest at your grocery store is arugula. Very popular in Italian cuisine yet some here find it a bitter or spicy (those getting it right from the farm).

Food variety is really important so try mixing arugula with spinach or romaine, (but never Iceberg) in your summer salads. These greens will support your liver, detoxify and decongest your body, build your immunity and help with digestion. Eat up! Check back next Thursday for a recipe.

Food Fun Fact

In Roman times, Arugula was grown for both it’s leaves and the seed. The seed was used for flavoring oils. Arugula seed has been used as an ingredient in aphrodisiac concoctions dating back to the first century, AD. (Source: Cambridge World History of Food)