Farm to Table...

In August and September, beets, apples, raspberries, spinach, and chard are in full-harvest. An article in the Chicago Tribune outlined just how good each of these summer treats are for you:

Apples are full of pectin (lowers cholesterol and glucose levels, fights prostate cancer) and quercetin in the skin helps reduce heart disease and lung cancer. (I hope I get the same benefit from caramel apples!)

Beets have tons of potassium, betaine and folate, nutrients that help with the cardiovascular system. Try a beet recipe (roasted beets with feta sounds excellent) from AllRecipes.com.

Chard is loaded with potassium, vitamin A, as well as lutein and zeaxanthin that protect the eyes. Recipe Zaar has tons of recipes for your swiss chard—and thank goodness because I wouldn’t know what to do with it otherwise!

Raspberries, besides being delicious, are high in ellagic acid (prevents tumor growth), potassium, calcium, and vitamins C and K. No recipe needed here, raspberries, in my opinion are best fresh off the bush.

And, there was a reason that Popeye ate spinach, it’s loaded with more nutrients per pound than any other food. Here is the self-proclaimed “most popular spinach recipe site in the world” SpinachRecipes.org.

So, now you know what to look for as you hit the farmer’s market this month. Happy eating!

Photo from Potomac Vegetable Farm’s ID That Vegetable page.