Spring is here and with it comes onion season! Of course, the kitchen staples of yellow, white and red onions are available year-round, but now is the best time to enjoy the variety of mild and sweet spring onions, including scallions, wild ramps, garlic grass, scapes, chives and more. You may see some of these at the local farmers market. Because onions are such a common ingredient, it’s easy to overlook their nutritional benefits. Aside from being flavorful, low carb, fiber dense, and rich in vitamins and minerals, onions also have been researched specifically for their anti-inflammatory properties. This has been correlated to improvement in heart disease, blood sugar control and even the ability to help fight certain cancers. Onions may not have the superstar reputation of other “superfoods,” but they are super just the same! –Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN Read More
Tag: vitamins
Classic Kale Chips
Your healthcare provider may have recommended the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) to help you with your blood pressure, but you may be finding it hard to get in all that veg while cutting back on salty snacks. Try these delicious kale chips for a crunchy snack that’s rich in vitamins C, A, K and antioxidants.
Turkey Soup
Looking for something to do with leftover turkey? Making a soup is a great way extract all the nutritional goodies out of that bird, leaving you with a soup base that is deeply nourishing both for the body and soul! When you make a broth from the turkey carcass, you’ll be getting nutrients such as collagen, an important component for maintaining the health of your skin, tendons and other connective tissues, along with vitamin A, vitamin K2, zinc, calcium, manganese and selenium. If it’s too soon for more turkey, this soup can keep in the freezer for 3 months.
Baked Endive and Apples with Gorgonzola
Endive is a leafy green that isn’t used all that often. While several different varieties are available, Belgian endive is what’s often found in the grocery store. This veggie has a unique taste; it’s sharp and bitter when raw, but when cooked, it sweetens and develops a complex flavor. Endive is also an excellent source of vitamin A, containing 14% of your daily needs; Folate, 39%; and Manganese at 20% of daily needs. It is also high in vitamin K — at 220% of your daily values. Keep this in mind if you are on an anticoagulant (blood thinner) such as Warfarin or Eliquis. Vitamin K, which is found in many leafy greens, acts as a coagulant. That is not saying don’t eat dark leafy greens. But the important takeaway here is to eat a consistent amount of these veggies day to day, and let your doctor know if you plan on changing your intake.
Harissa and Persimmon Chicken
Persimmon is an underrated fruit here in the states. A golden, jammy combination of tangy tart and sweet. It’s not often they are in the grocery store, but you may find them at a local market or farm stand, Asian grocery, or you may come across them on your next hike.
Medical Misconception: Over-the Counter Medications and Supplements
Each month, we set the facts straight on a health and wellness myth.
This month’s myth: All over-the-counter medications and supplements are safe.
It is a common assumption that over-the-counter medicines and supplements aren’t true medications and, since they can be purchased without a prescription, that they are safe. However, that is a dangerous and incorrect assumption.
The Health Benefits of Beans
I know I keep referring back to those sayings from our grandparents, but the science of today continues to support some of the old wives tales of yesterday. From the health benefits of eating an apple a day, to the benefits of drinking water to, yes, the fact that beans are indeed good for your heart!
The Bounty of Carroll County Summer Produce
The official start to summer is just a week away. On June 21, the summer solstice, we enjoy the most daylight of the calendar year. The sun reaches its most northern point in the sky at noon, and there are plenty of warm days ahead for the sun to provide the needed energy for local fruits and vegetable to flourish!