Cabbage is one of those vegetables I never give much thought to, but love every time I use it in a dish. Cabbage is a major food crop around the world and a key component of dishes like sauerkraut, cole slaw and kimchi. Nutritionally, cabbage is a huge source of vitamin C and contains significant amounts of B6 and B9. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.

I’m a huge fan of the trend called “slow food”. Google it, you’ll find many great sites! Along with carrots and potatoes, cabbage excels in dishes cooked in low moist heat for 5-6 hours in a covered cast iron pot. Add the meat of your choice (corned beef works great in this dish) and any seasonings you like and you have a very easy and delicious meal. One thing that surprises many when they first experience slow cooked cabbage is the complete lack of “edge”. When used raw, cabbage can have a very sharp edge. Cooking, especially SLOW cooking releases the natural sugars found in vegetables and cabbage is no exception. Slow cooked cabbage is savory and slightly sweet. Delicious!

Ken

Editor’s note:  If you’ve never tried a really fresh cabbage, be prepared for a happy surprise when you cut into the cabbage and juice squirts out.  I love a sweet, crunchy slaw made with cabbage, green pepper, onion, and carrots.  The best dressing is mayo with a bit of cider vinegar and sugar added!  YUM.

Another dark green leafy vegetable, kale grows well in colder weather and you’ll find it locally both early and late in the season. Kale is a relative of cabbage and you could well think of it as a loose leaf version of its more common “headed” cousin.

For centuries, kale was the most popular green leafy due to its being extremely hardy to soil and pest problems that afflict other crops. These properties lead to recommendations to plant kale during WWII as a great way to supplement nutrition lost due to rationing.

As modern farming techniques and trucking made this hardiness less important for commercial crops, kale lost ground to more delicate lettuces and such. This is a shame because kale provides much more nutrition than many of the crops that have surpassed it. Like spinach, kale is a terrific source of vitamins K, A and C as well as a significant source of manganese.

Recent studies have shown many heath benefits of the phytonutrients found in abundance in kale. Included in these benefits are anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Recent studies link systemic inflammation to many “modern illnesses” and adding kale to your diet is one way to help combat this trend.

Kale can be used in many of the same ways as spinach but adds a special flavor to slow cooked soups and when chopped into a variety of salads.

Of course, the health benefits of kale are best when it is grown locally and picked fresh. One of the best things you can do with Kale is freeze it. Freezing actually enhances the flavor bringing out its natural sweetness. Look for it in your local farmers’ market.

Ken

Say “peaches” and everyone thinks of Georgia (California actually produces far more!). But did you know, you can find delicious fresh, sweet peaches that are grown right here in Northeast Ohio?? I guess I’ve always known this but really never thought much about it. See, when I was growing up, the lots across the street were carved from what used to be a fruit orchard. Half the trees were apple trees that never seemed to make very good apples (of course, we ate them anyway…) but the other half were peach trees and those were pretty tasty. And while many of those orchards have been reborn as subdivisions and shopping plazas, you can still find peaches grown here.

Fresh peaches are one of summer’s most luxurious treats. They taste terrific straight off the tree, but sliced over ice cream…. mixed with cinnamon and baked into a cobbler or simply cooked down into preserves, they bring a delicious unmatched sweetness.

Like most fruits, peaches are very healthful (barring some of the suggestions above, of course) and are a great source of fiber and A, B and C vitamins. 

Ken

Editor’s note:  The aromatic flavor and juicy sweetness of a tree ripened peach is unparalleled.  If you have only had those mealy fruits from California (caused by cold storage) you owe it to yourself to try a local peach this summer.  They are available at most farmers’ markets now!

Onions, of course… now coming into season in Northeast Ohio. Onions, like their cousin, garlic, are members of the Allium family. Both members contain strong sulfur compounds that provide the flavor and scent components and bring a basket full of health benefits.

Onions come in all sizes, colors and flavor profiles from pungent to sweet. Most onions grown in Lake County lean toward the pungent side as the sweeter varieties are lovers of warmer weather. But that is actually good news for your health. Pungent onions have vastly superior health benefits to their sweeter brethren.

Yes, onions have respectable amounts of chromium and vitamin C but it’s those sulphur compounds that really make onions a health bonanza. Studies have shown onions to have significant positive impact on the cardiovascular system by lowering the risk of heart disease.

Onions are also very effective combating various forms of cancer including oral, breast, ovarian, esophageal and colon! The clinical results vary from 25%-88% reduced risk depending on the specific form, but the take away here is onions are strong protection from these diseases.

Getting back to that chromium, studies now indicate that several of the compounds found in onions can improve blood sugar levels, both by preserving insulin levels and by increasing cell sugar receptivity.

Onions are also documented to be anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. And one last thing…

One of the health benefits that seems to surprise people the most is onions’ ability to slow the bone loss of osteoporosis! As opposed to foods like milk that provide calcium, onions attack the problem by inhibiting osteoclasts, cells that destroy bone. Wow!

So now that you know how good onions are for you, how do you eat them? Pungent, raw onions are not for everyone but those of you who love them know who you are. They can be added to a salad or top that chili dog at a Tribe game. But onions are even more versatile slow cooked or sautéed, added to stews, casseroles and soups. Recipes from all cultures use onions, which have been cultivated for over 5000 years. The cooking process tends to lower the extreme flavor edges which allow many more people to enjoy these gems.

Chilling onions before cutting them can reduce the tearful effects, so don’t use the common advice to cut them under running water as this will wash away those wonderful sulphur compounds.

As with most all fruits and vegetable, the healthy nutrients found in onions deteriorate rapidly with time. Finding fresh, locally grown onions at your local farmers’ market will let you get the greatest benefits from this powerhouse family.

Ken

Tomatoes are here! Farmers’ Markets are starting to have locally grown tomatoes. Bright red, shiny and firm these were not picked green and stuck on a rail car for two weeks. These beauties are sweet and red BEFORE they are picked. The formation of flavor and nutrition is vastly enhanced when the fruits or vegetables are allowed to ripen on the vine, and tomatoes are a great example of this.

There are many different varieties of tomatoes, each grown with specific uses in mind. There are Heirloom varieties that have been rediscovered for their unique qualities and Romas which make a great sauce; small cherry and grape tomatoes for salads or huge Beefsteak to top your burger.

Like peppers, with which tomatoes are often combined in dishes, tomatoes are a good source of vitamins A and C; and like red peppers, tomatoes are also a terrific source of lycopene. Lycopene has been extensively studied and continues to exhibit protective properties against a wide variety of cancers. More recent studies have shown it to have benefits to your heart health as well. An interesting note, while organically grown fruits and vegetable tend to be more nutritious than their more conventionally grown counterparts, lycopene levels in organic tomatoes can be 300% higher than those of non-organic. So while any tomatoes you find grown locally will be tastier and more nutritious than the trucked in variety, to get the maximum, look for those grown organically.

Tomatoes are delicious eaten raw or added to a salad. Cooked down, they are the basis of pasta sauce and a main ingredient of Italian dishes. A simple salad we enjoy is to dice a couple firm fresh tomatoes, add a cup of chopped basil and mix in 3/4 cup of diced Mozzarella cheese. Drizzle on some extra virgin olive oil and you have a fast and healthful meal.

Stop by your local farmers’ market and see what varieties they have today.

Ken

Editor’s note:  even though our cool nights have slowed the ripening of tomatoes, the taste of locally grown, vine ripened tomatoes cannot be beat.  And to make that salad especially delicious, try some goat cheese feta or other great cheeses sold at farmers’ markets as well.

Cilantro is a member of the carrot family and closely related to parsley. It is actually the leaves and stems of the coriander plant. It has a dark green leaf and distinctive aroma.

Cilantro can be used in a wide variety of Mexican and Asian dishes but my favorite use is to chop up several cups and add diced tomatoes, chili peppers and a bit of garlic and salt to make a simple and delicious salsa. Bring on the chips!

Cilantro is primarily used for flavor and is not a significant source of vitamins or minerals with the single exception of vitamin K, where 1/4 cup provides almost 20% of your daily need.

Cilantro begins to appear in our farmers’ markets in June and then you can find it all summer long. You don’t need to worry about storage, just buy it fresh as you need it.

Of course, in the fall, you can dry some to have through the winter. Like most herbs, you can simply hang the stems until dry and crumble the leaves into a glass jar for storage.

Cilantro is one of those herbs that you’ll find more and more uses for, once you begin enjoying its unique flavor.

Ken

Ears of corn that is. Fresh sweet corn cooked on the grill is something we look forward to all year.

Corn is a great source of several B vitamins and has quite a bit of vitamin C, phosphorus and manganese as well.

The most interesting thing about corn, however, may be new research showing it has very high levels of phytonutrients (read antioxidants!)! This is new, and the reason has to do with the form these nutrients take.

Foods like berries have very high levels of phytonutrients that are in a “free” form, easily and readily absorbed by the body. Similar nutrients in whole grains like corn, however, are in a “bound” form and not released until much later in the digestive cycle.

Using a new equivalency scoring system researchers found apples, bananas, spinach and broccoli all scored under 100 while corn came in at 181!

Grilling corn on the cob is simple. Soak the corn (leave those husks on!) in the sink for 20 minutes or so. Then, while still wet, individually wrap them in foil and put the foil packs on the grill for 20-30 minutes, turning occasionally.

If you are like me, I’m always short of grill space when we have guests over. Here’s a trick. You can cook corn the exact same way in your oven. Set the oven on 400 F and place the foil packs on the center rack. You and your guests won’t know the difference.

When the corn is done, you can remove it from the grill (or oven).  Something like OveGloves come in handy here. Remove both the foil and the husk and serve piping hot. You won’t believe how sweet the corn will be cooked this way.

Another favorite is corn and black bean salad.

Use a knife to remove the kernels from the cob to get 3 cups worth. Add in 3 cups of cooked/cooled black beans (rinsed from the can works just fine), two cups of diced tomatoes, one cup of crumbled feta cheese and two cups of chopped cilantro. Season with salt, pepper, chipotle powder and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

This tastes best if you can let it sit in the fridge over night to allow the flavors to develop.

Be sure to stop by your local farmers’ market to buy some corn now while it’s at its sweetest.

And ENJOY!

Ken

Well, blueBERRY, anyway.  Yes, it’s time to go to the market and find fresh, ripe blueberries grown right here in Northeast Ohio.

Blueberries are simply delicious when freshly picked at their peak.  Slightly tart, mixed with sweet they are wonderful all by themselves or cooked into pies, jams and other goodies. I like them mixed into a thick Greek style yogurt or as part of a blender smoothie.

Like strawberries, you can freeze blueberries to enjoy throughout the year. Like most fruits, it’s best to freeze them in a single layer (they freeze much faster this way) then put them in a freezer storage bag.

Blueberries are a great source of vitamins C and E and provide a decent amount of manganese as well.  But what you always hear about berries is they are high in antioxidants, right?

Well, blueberries are INSANELY high in antioxidants and top the food charts in that category. These antioxidants help prevent a wide range of health disorders from various cancers to macular degeneration. The key here is these wonderful nutrients develop at the very peak of ripeness….literally days before the berries spoil.  So how do you get all these healthful benefits? You have to find locally grown berries that don’t spend weeks in transit.  By now, you know where I’m going with this, don’t you???

The other thing to remember is these antioxidants are very delicate; so if you think you’re getting the same nutrition from some blueberry “product” you buy in a store, think again. The very highest levels are found in fresh and frozen blueberries. Even something that sounds like it SHOULD be nutritious, like, say, organic baby food, with processed blueberries contains almost no antioxidants whatsoever.

So enjoy your summer.  Enjoy these locally grown treats.  And enjoy knowing you are doing something good for yourself.

Ken

Editor’s note:  My daughter loves to snack on frozen blueberries while watching a movie in the dead of winter.  What a terrific alternative to popcorn!

All names for one of our favorite beans. Green beans are now arriving from local farms, fresh and ready to eat.

Green beans are a very low calorie vegetable with high nutritional value. They are a great source of vitamins K, C, A and manganese but they also contain a ton of other vitamins and minerals in lesser amounts.

Green beans can be found both fresh and frozen year round in your grocery, but nothing compares to the flavor found in freshly picked local varieties. Sweet and crispy, green beans can be added to salads, soups or casseroles. They are a great side dish on their own and are complimented well by the addition of a small amount of almonds or mushrooms. Steamed green beans can be added to potatoes and tuna for a delicious Salad Nicoise, a perfect summertime dinner.

Salad Nicoise:

14 oz canned light meat tuna in olive oil—drained and broken into chunks

3 eggs—hard-boiled, peeled and quartered

16 green beans—ends trimmed and halved    

2 small potatoes—peeled and cubed

4 cups lettuce leaves—washed and dried

2 tomatoes—cut into wedges

16 black olives

Dressing:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic—minced (crushed)

2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

STEAM the potatoes until tender (around 8-10 minutes), adding the beans for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Set aside to cool. ARRANGE the lettuce, potatoes, beans, tuna, tomatoes, eggs and olives on a serving platter. PLACE the remaining ingredients in a small jar with a screw-top lid and shake to combine. POUR the dressing evenly over the salad to serve.

Stop by your local farmers’ market and pick up some fresh green beans today. They’ll be delicious.

Ken

One of the earliest “green leafy” vegetables to arrive in Northeast Ohio is spinach. Spinach is a very dark green leaf that adds both color and nutrition to many of your favorite dishes.

Spinach is very versatile and can be cooked into dips, eggs, soups and casseroles of all kinds. You can add it as a flavor enhancer, almost like an herb, to any soup or as a primary component where it adds both structure and volume, as in a spinach quiche. Of course, you can use it in salads as well, either as the sole “leaf” or combined with others like any of the many varieties of lettuce.

Spinach is a terrific source of vitamin K with one cup providing an amazing 1110% daily vitamins (DV)!  It is also a good source of vitamin A with that same cup yielding almost 300%DV! Other significant nutrients include manganese, magnesium, vitamin C and B2. Spinach has so much folate, it was the source from with the first commercial supplement was extracted.

Spinach is often cited as a good source of both iron and calcium but compounds in spinach actually reduce the bioavailability of these minerals making spinach a better source on paper for these nutrients than it truly is.

Like most vegetables, the terrific nutrition found in spinach is very short lived lasting only days after being picked (note - freezing can extend this time to as much as 8 months).

Two of my favorite uses for spinach are quiche and smoothies.

Crustless quiche - whisk 6 eggs, add 2 cups of fresh spinach, one cup grated parmesan cheese and season to taste (I’ll add salt, pepper, basil and oregano). Bake in a greased deep dish pan until set (about 45 minutes at 350). Garnish with a sprig of fresh parsley.

Smoothies - I often blend fresh frozen spinach with fresh frozen strawberries, a banana, a kiwi and a cup of filtered water for a nutritious and refreshing summer treat.

Take advantage of the higher nutrition and better flavor of locally grown spinach as it come into season. You’ll be amazed at the huge number of things it can be added to.

Ken