Stir Fried Pasta - Kevin

This dish must be made with 5 organic ingredients from local foods for Kevin to bring in school. Friends and teachers in Kevin’s class loved it so much and it was voted to be the best dish on that day. Kevin’s mom would like to share it with everybody.

 

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces organic penne pasta
• 1 medium organic leek, julienned
• 1 medium organic carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 1 large head organic broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 cup organic sugar snap peas or snow peas ends trimmed
• Organic Celery trimmed and cut into pieces, sliced or julienned
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Fried Tofu, Vegetarian Shrimp
• Soy sauce, salt and vegetarian seasoning, vegetarian stir fry sauce
• Black pepper to taste

 

Directions:

- Cook pasta according to package directions. 

-  Heat oil in a large  nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add the leek in and wait until lightly browned, add carrots, and broccoli, adding water one to two tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking. Stir fry for four minutes. Add the sugar snap peas and cook for two minutes or until crisp-tender. Add the garlic, ginger, cooked pasta with vegetables. In a small bowl, combine the  salt, soy sauce and vegetarian seasoning. Pour over pasta mixture. Gently stir and cook another minute. Remove from the heat.

- In the separate pan, heat over medium high heat. Add the oil and add the tofu and vegetarian shrimp. Add little vegetarian stir fry sauce. Stir often about 3-5 minutes, add 1 teaspoon sesame oil, stir and turn off the heat. Remove the tofu, vegetarian shrimp from the pan with a slotted spoon.

- Return the tofu, vegetarian shrimp to the pan (already have vegetable and pasta above). Mix well. Season with black pepper.

Happy cooking!

Kevin

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Roasted Potatoes, Done Right - ADAM RAPOPORT

You’d think that roasting potatoes would be like baking them. You turn on the oven, open the door, throw them in, done deal. Except if you did that, you’d end up with half the potatoes stuck to the pan. And if you didn’t first consider temperature and seasoning and the type of potato to use, you might get the kind of wilted, soggy ones you find at a hotel brunch buffet. This recipe takes its cue from cooks in Italy, who typically opt for yellow-fleshed potatoes (like buttery-textured Yukon Golds), peel them, cut them into cubes, toss them in lots of olive oil and salt, and submit them to a well-heated oven. I add fresh rosemary and whole, unpeeled garlic cloves for flavoring—and intoxicating aromas—but it’s not imperative. What’s critical is that you tend to the potatoes. You’ll need to vigorously shake the pan every ten minutes or so and occasionally scrape it with a metal spatula to prevent the potatoes from latching on. Eventually, they’ll form an even, golden crust. They’ll be crunchy on the outside, fluffy within. Serve them immediately and they’ll disappear just as quickly.

Serves four
Ingredients
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
2 big splashes extra-virgin olive oil
2 to 3 teaspoons salt
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
Whole garlic cloves, unpeeled

Step 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Step 2
Peel potatoes and cut into evenly sized cubes. In a large bowl, toss cubes with olive oil until coated and season with salt. Add rosemary and as many garlic cloves as you want.

Step 3
Place potatoes on two rimmed cookie sheets so they’re not too crowded. Place in oven. After ten minutes, scrape sheets with a metal spatula and flip potatoes. Repeat step in another 10 minutes. Then shake sheets aggressively every 10 minutes till potatoes are done, which should take about 40 minutes total, depending on how big you cut them. They’ll be golden brown and smell really, really good. Serve.

https://www.yahoo.com/food/how-to-make-crisp-golden-roasted-potatoes-82007174444.html

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Coconut: Healthy food or over-hyped fad?

All things coconut have become quite the buzz over the past year and they continue to trend. From skin care to cleaning products, nutrition claims and recipes; it seems we can use coconut for just about everything!

I tend to be quite the skeptic when any product — food or not — seems to claim too much. So, what is the hype all about? Should you buy a gallon of coconut oil and use it for everything? Should you ditch water for coconut water? Milk for coconut milk? What about coconut sugar, shreds and manna? The list goes on.

Think of this as your coconut cheat sheet — I’ll lay out all of the facts and you can decide for yourself whether coconut is worth the hype. Let’s start with the basics.

Is coconut good for you?  With all the hype surrounding this fruit, (actually considered a drupe or a fleshy fruit, having a single hard stone that encloses a seed) scientists are busy researching its benefits and risks. Preliminary studies have shown some health benefits such as increases in HDL (good) cholesterol, and anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties.

Doesn’t coconut have saturated fat?  Yes, coconut contains saturated fat but it is plant based and your body uses the fat in coconut oil differently than it uses the saturated fats found in animal products. So unlike animal-based fats, coconut oil is cholesterol-free. Additionally, the primary saturated fatty acid found in coconut oil — lauric acid — is a medium-chained fatty acid, compared to the long-chain fatty acids found in animal products. Medium-chained fatty acids are easier to digest, absorb and use for energy. Other studies have found consumption of coconut oil may improve HDL cholesterol levels, the “good” cholesterol.

What types of coconut products are available?  There are a variety of coconut products available including coconut oil, coconut manna (pureed coconut meat), coconut sugar, coconut water, coconut milk and even coconut yogurt and ice creams.

Do the health benefits of coconut oil apply to all of the manufactured forms of coconut available?  No. Most of the preliminary research has been surrounding coconut oil and coconut water.  Minimally processed, unsweetened coconut products like shreds and manna will contain coconut oil in lesser quantities than the oil itself but are still considered to have some health benefits.  Often, when an ingredient is highly processed we lose some of the health benefits, especially when a good amount of sugar is added to the final product.  This is important to remember before diving into a bowl of sugar laden coconut ice cream or yogurt.

Is coconut milk a suitable milk alternative? Coconut milk is the liquid that comes from the coconut meat and can be a dairy substitute as it has a similar texture, flavor and does not contain lactose or dairy proteins, which makes it suitable for people with dairy allergies and intolerances.  Most coconut milk alternatives are fortified with calcium, as coconut does not contain as much calcium as diary on its own. Coconut (especially the meat) is also rich in several nutrients like copper, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, zinc and the B-complex vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and pyridoxine.

What is the difference between canned and boxed coconut milk?  Both contain “coconut milk” but the boxed versions contain more water and are consequently lower in fat and calories.  Canned coconut milk is often a clear liquid — while the thicker, white liquid is often referred to as coconut cream.

What is coconut water?  Coconut water is the liquid found in young coconuts.  It is rich in disease fighting antioxidants and a good source of potassium.  Due to the high potassium content, coconut water can be used for rehydration and electrolyte repletion but should not replace water.

Why do people cook with coconut oil?  Coconut oil has a high smoke point, which is the temperature at which it begins to produce smoke. The smoke indicates that the oil is beginning to degrade and produce free radicals, which can be damaging to the body. For high heat cooking, you should use cooking oil with a higher smoke point.

Can I use coconut oil instead of butter in baking?  Like butter, coconut oil is solid at room temperature and thus can easily replace butter in baked goods. It is recommended to us a 3:4 ration of coconut oil to butter when using it as a baking substitute.

Is coconut sugar a healthier alternative to cane sugar?  Coconut sugar is less refined and contains more nutrients than cane sugar. It is also thought to have a lower glycemic index which means better blood sugar control comparatively. Calorie for calorie, coconut sugar and cane sugar are very similar, clocking in at around 15 calories per teaspoon. However, all added sugars are discretionary calories and should be consumed in moderation.

So, should I buy into the coconut craze?  A healthy diet is a diet rich in a variety of whole foods including fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Coconut, as a fruit and oil has health benefits and can be included in a balanced diet. Coconut oil is a good, high heat cooking oil. It is also a good skin moisturizer when used topically. Because all fats, including coconut oil, are high in calories, you should include them in your diet only in moderation.

---

Katie Cavuto MS, RD is a registered dietitian and trained chef. She is the president of Healthy Bites, a company offering local and national culinary nutrition services. Katie is also the consulting dietitian for the Philadelphia Phillies, and a regular contributor on local and national TV and radio as an expert in her field. To learn more about Katie, check her website at healthybitesdelivery.com.

Katie Cavuto MS, RD For Philly.com/Health

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/health/Coconut_oil_water_milk_Healthy_or_hype.html#J5ClzxQWVTmfVKia.99

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Lapeande beverage - Jennifer and Andrew

 

We made this recipe of grapes and lime juice and decided to come up with a unique name for our beverage.  We hope that you can make this drink yourself and enjoy as well as we did.

 

1/2 pound grapes

1 lime for juice

 

2 teaspoons of sugar

1/2 bottle of spring water
ice

 

Put everything in the blender except for the ice.
Blend well.
Pour into three cups

ENJOY
Jennifer and Andrew

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Do Not Try Moringa Oleifera Until You Read the Facts About It

Have you recently been hearing about the mystical miracle tree, or the tree of life?

These are terms that have been offered to describe an incredible supplement called Moringa Oleifera, and it has a number of amazing health benefits. Would you believe us if we told you that it has been around for hundreds of years, helping people to hold on to their good health, to recover from medical problems, and to jump start their energy levels?

And even better, it grows naturally all around the world, it is safe to consume, and is a medically proven health supplement.

Moringa Oleifera is an energizing product that helps with healing and medical prevention as well. It is used for many reasons, skin disorder treatment, diabetes, sleep improvement, relief for anxiety and depression. It can give you a huge boost in energy, it has the ability to even out your blood sugar levels, and it can even help you recover more quickly after a workout.

The product is created from the Moringa tree, which is also often referred to as the drumstick tree because of the way it looks. This is because it is long and thin, with triangular pods of seeds. The trees grow best in areas where it is dry and sandy. These kinds of trees grow quickly and they are not easily killed by a lack of water or poor soil. Distributors are working on growing it in Hawaii currently, because the climate is perfect for cultivating the product.

Right now, most Moringa comes from India, but it is also found in Thailand, the Philippines, Africa, and Taiwan. It resembles horseradish, and is often compared to it for the taste. It has a spicy taste to it if you taste the wood directly, which has led it to have a nickname of “Horseradish tree”.

This product is great for people who need a boost in their nutrition. As an example, carrots only have 25% of the vitamin A that you can get in the same amount of Moringa Oleifera. Shocked? It also has four times as much calcium as you get from milk, three times the amount of potassium as you get from bananas. Traditionally these are the foods where you think you get the MOST bang for your buck, but instead, this supplement crushed the numbers in every category.

In one serving of Moringa Oleifera leaves, you can find:

22% daily value of Vitamin C
41% daily value of Potassium
61% daily value of Magnesium
71% daily value of Iron
125% daily value of Calcium
272% daily value of Vitamin A

And:
92 Nutrients
46 Antioxidants
36 Anti-Inflammatories
18 Amino Acids, 9 Essential Amino Acids

Moringa Oleifera superfood is a complete health product that will not only provide you with the vitamins you need, but also improve your overall health as well.

Here are more Moringa Oleifera benefits:
Boosts energy levels
Improved digestion
Improved immune system function
Improved mood
Lower blood pressure
Protects the stomach lining
Treats stomach ulcers
Plus many more!

Want to know more?
Moringa is a tree, and various parts of the plants are edible. Some people use the pods in cooking, while others eat the leaves. You can additionally press oil from the seeds, or eat the roots. The plant also has flowers, which are comparable to mushrooms.

Traditional medicine uses the roots, leaves and seeds in their medicinal recipes. There isn’t much this plant can’t do! The leaves are the best part of the plant though, because that is where you get high levels of vitamins, like C, A, and B. The leaves can be cooked like spinach, or they can be dried and used in soups or other recipes.

The pods can be eaten like nuts, and the roots can be diced up and used as a sauce similar to our use for horseradish.

Many underdeveloped countries rely on the Moringa to help with their malnutrition problems. Some humanitarian aid organizations use it to help keep people’s nutrition levels up and to keep people from starving.

So you’re probably wondering why you haven’t heard of this product, because who would ignore these incredible results? Unfortunately, the medical community hasn’t committed to let the public know about it yet.

While more studies are currently happening to fully understand the medicinal values of Moringa, obviously we can’t go out to a Moringa tree and pick leaves, or hope to pick it up at the local supermarket. Luckily, more and more distributors are creating supplements in pill and powder form so that the average American can have access to Moringa’s valuable effects.

Luckily, the word is out! Partly due to Dr. Oz featuring Moringa Oleifera on his successful afternoon talk show. He referred to it as an energy blaster, and he’s right! People who have taken Moringa Oleifera report that they’ve seen a boost in their energy levels and feel better than ever! The best part is that after taking the supplement, you’ll feel an increase in your energy levels, but you won’t feel that lull or ‘down’ feeling after it wears off.

Now, you can purchase Moringa Oleifera in capsules right online to be shipped to your home. They are inexpensive, and can help you with a multitude of medical conditions that you may be having trouble with. Moringa capsules are safe, and you can find some that are produced at FDA inspected and GMP approved facilities in America.

Patients take two capsules twice per day, or about one bottle per month. This can replace traditional vitamins, and can help you eliminate worry from your life if you are trying to get the right vitamins and minerals into your diet through eating food alone.

You can also purchase Moringa in tea bags, which makes it quite convenient to get your daily dose of the supplement simply by steeping a tea bag during your morning routine.

You may want to speak with your doctor before adding Moringa Oleifera to your diet, to be sure that it will be best for you and your specific needs.

As Dr. Oz reports, these techniques have been used for centuries to give people an energy boost and to improve the health of human beings. Just because we don’t use them currently doesn’t mean we shouldn’t revisit them to see if they can be a benefit to our health.

If you are looking for a way to get all the vitamins and minerals into your diet that you need, or if you simply want a boost in your daily energy level to help you tackle all of the many things you have to do each day, try out Moringa Oleifera now.

Have you tried Moringa Oleifera? What were your results? How do you feel about it? Share your thoughts with us!

http://idealbite.com/do-not-try-moringa-oleifera-until-you-read-the-facts-about-it/

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Moringa, More Than You Can Handle

By Green Deane

Moringa wood is extremely brittle

Moringa oleifera ….Monster…. Almost

If you have a warm back yard, think twice before you plant a Moringa tree.

Is it edible? Yes, most of it. Is it nutritious? Amazingly so, flowers, seeds and leaves. Does it have medical applications? Absolutely, saving lives on a daily basis.  Can it rescue millions from starvation? Yes, many times yes. So, what’s the down side? They don’t tell you that under good conditions it grows incredibly fast and large, overwhelming what ever space you allot to it. It can grow to monster proportions in one season.

Leaves eaten raw or cooked

I live in central Florida exactly — and I mean exactly — on the line between temperate and subtropical. I have not experienced a hard freeze here in seven years probably because I sit on a hill and have a 30,000 gallon pool to moderate temperatures. Around year two I got two food trees, Katuk and Moringa. You can read about the Katuk in another article.

It is an understatement to say the Moringa grows more than 10 feet a year. I have two trees and every year I cut off 15- to 20-foot branches. It requires constant attention. Despite its impressive growth pattern, it’s an extremely brittle tree. A man can easily break off a branch four inches through,…. It’s nice to feel like Hercules now and then.

The easy-breaking branches also lend themselves to a common-heard phrase in India when someone is being a little too demanding: “Don’t push me up a Moringa tree.” But, I will admit both trees withstood 100 mph winds three times in the hurricanes of 2004.

I want to impress upon you that my reference as to how fast this tree grows is a gross understatement, no matter how overstated it might seem. While gigantic growth is great for hungry poor countries, it is a significant headache for a suburban yard, even a 40-acre ranch.  Unattended, the tree grows into a spindly giant. If you don’t attend it twice a month you will have a monster on your property, and I have two of them, one self-seeded. Should you choose to grow it, just know what you are getting in for. Now days I cut both trees back to a three foot stump every spring, the same as where they are cultivated. These things grow so fast, I speculate you could get a crop of leaves off them in Northern Canada. Then over winter it inside.  It might make a real nice potted, pruned indoor tree for northern climes. That said, let’s view the virtues of the Moringa.

This tree is one of the world’s most useful plants. A native to the southern foothills of the Himalayas, Moringa oleifera  (mo-RIN-ga oh-lee-IF-er-uh) is cultivated around earth’s tropical belt. Moringa is grown for its leaves, fruits, seed, sap and roots. It provides a variety of food and medicine. The young fruits pods, called drumsticks, can be cooked many ways, often like green beans, and have an asparagus taste. A superior cooking oil comes from the seeds, and the light oil can be used to lubricate delicate mechanisms. The leaves are extensively used as a vegetable — I have a restaurant-owning Chinese friend who makes a great soup out of them — and the roots are made into a condiment resembling horseradish in taste, but use it sparingly for it contains an alkaloid, spirochin. A blue dye can be made from its sap. Even a health drink is made from the tree. M. oleifera also might have a great future in water purification, a prime cause of illness in the world. And that is just the start of the amazing overgrown weed called “The Miracle Tree.”

Dry moringa seeds

There is only one family of Moringa trees, and only 13 members, making it one of the smallest groups. Of all 13, M. oleifera is the one most cultivated and usually the one referred to when talking about the edible Moringa. The name Moringa comes from the Tamil/Malayalam word murungakka. A search using “murungakkai” will produce many recipes. Oleifera means oil bearing. In the Philippines it is called “mother’s best friend,” in Florida, “the horseradish tree,” and in India “the drumstick tree.” In India it is an absolute must-have plant in the kitchen garden. In Thialand they are used as living fences.

From a food point of view, Moringa leaves can be used like spinach, though they are far more nutritious. Sorry Popeye. The leaves can be used fresh or dried into a powder. The leaves are an excellent source of vitamin A and C, a good source of B vitamins, and among the best plant sources of minerals. The calcium content is very high, iron is good enough to treat anemia — three times that of spinach — and it’s an excellent source of protein while being low on fats and carbohydrates. Said another way, Moringa leaves have seven times the Vitamin C of oranges, four times the calcium of milk, four times the vitamin A of carrots, three times the potassium of bananas, and two times the protein of yogurt. That’s quite a line up. The leaves also have the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine. Medically it is antibiotic and research shows it can be used to treat high blood pressure. A leaf tea is used by diabetics to help regulate their blood sugar. It is full of antioxidants, is anti-cancerous, and when eaten by mothers they give birth to healthier, heavier babies.  A 28 December 2007 study said a root extract is very anti inflammatory.

In fact, let me quote you an earlier abstract from Phytotherapy Research 16 Sept 2006:

Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae) is a highly valued plant, distributed in many countries of the tropics and subtropics. It has an impressive range of medicinal uses with high nutritional value. Different parts of this plant contain a profile of important minerals, and are a good source of protein, vitamins, -carotene, amino acids and various phenolics. The Moringa plant provides a rich and rare combination of zeatin, quercetin, -sitosterol, caffeoylquinic acid and kaempferol. In addition to its compelling water purifying powers and high nutritional value, M. oleifera is very important for its medicinal value. Various parts of this plant such as the leaves, roots, seed, bark, fruit, flowers and immature pods act as cardiac and circulatory stimulants, possess antitumor, antipyretic, antiepileptic, antiinflammatory, antiulcer, antispasmodic, diuretic, antihypertensive, cholesterol lowering, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antibacterial and antifungal activities, and are being employed for the treatment of different ailments in the indigenous system of medicine, particularly in South Asia. This review focuses on the detailed phytochemical composition, medicinal uses, along with pharmacological properties of different parts of this multipurpose tree. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Now you know why they call it “The Miracle Tree.” It is being planted extensively in poorer areas of the world, some 400,000 trees in Rwanda alone.

To cultivate, soak the seeds for a day in water, plant in a peat pot. When six inches high, put in fertilized ground, and stand back!  When it is six feet high cut the top off, forcing side shoots. Hang the top upside down in the shade and let it dry. Then grind the leaves into powder.

Today, approaching Valentines Day, I did my annual Moringa cut back. It takes about four hours, not counting nibbling and seed saving. Every year I promise myself I will trim them more often and every year they rocket to the sky. But that’s really not a problem.  I just climb on the roof and collect dinner.

Immature moringa pods

Green Deane’s “Itemized” Plant Profile

IDENTIFICATION: Slender tree, to about  35 feet; drooping branches,  brittle stems, corky bark; leaves feathery, pale green, compound, tripinnate; flowers fragrant, white or creamy-white, in sprays, 5 at the top of the flower; stamens yellow; pods pendulous, brown, triangular, splitting lengthwise into 3 parts when dry, containing about 20 seeds, pod tapering at both ends, 9-ribbed; seeds dark brown, with three papery wings.

TIME OF YEAR: In zone nine Florida, it leaves most of the year, with seed pods in the late spring and summer.

ENVIRONMENT: Originally from India, planted in frost free areas around the world. Naturalized in many areas. Grows best in sand soil, tolerates poor soil. It loves sun and heat and can be grown from seed.

METHOD OF PREPARATION: Leave can be eaten raw or cooked like spinach, young seed pods can be cooked many ways, seeds are edible, cooked flowers taste like mushrooms, and the roots can be made into an occasional condiment.

http://www.eattheweeds.com/moringa-oleifera-monster-almost-2/

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5 Nutritious Leafy Greens You've Never Heard Of

It goes without saying that a varied diet-one that includes all food groups-is key for proper nutrition and lifelong health. Yet across the world, in both affluent and poorer nations, diets are nowhere near as diverse as they could or should be. For different reasons, scores of people across the globe are missing out on many vital nutrients that they should be consuming.

In the developing world, 160 million children are currently undernourished, notes Jessica Fanzo, an associate professor of nutrition at Columbia University in New York City and co-editor of a recently released book, "Diversifying Food and Diets: Using Agricultural Biodiversity to Improve Nutrition and Health Security."

This is partly due to economics, of course, but while food security is a more pressing issue in the developing world, many people there are also not availing themselves of the foods they have ready access to.

"You walk around a small farm in Tanzania, for example, and you'll see many different leafy greens, but then the staple crops like corn are the ones that people end up not only consuming on a regular basis, but also harvesting and selling," Fanzo says. "As such, they forget about what's growing around them and they're missing out on the many benefits that their local biodiversity has to offer."

Fanzo also believes that diet diversity in the developed world could use a serious boost as well-and not only because the American crop system has lost much of its diversity through the years ("A century ago, we had 300 varieties of sweet corn and now we have just 12," notes Fanzo), but also because in the U.S., "peoples' knowledge of what they're eating and where it comes from is probably lower than it is in the developing world, where the farm to fork pathway is much shorter."

Her best advice for a rich and diverse diet: Explore farmers' markets and ethnic grocery stores to sample the plethora of fruits and vegetables, meats, cheeses and eggs they offer in order to "color your diet, because the more color you have on your plate, the better for you-and that's the golden rule," she says.

Purple, yellow, red and orange vegetables all have wonderful and essential properties for health and wellbeing, notes Fanzo, and the same goes for fruits. Each color group offers endless possibilities, she says, especially the greens-where many Americans could afford to diversify much more.

"Most people think they're doing the right thing by eating kale, for instance, because they have read so much about its properties, but that sets a precedent for not being diverse or seeking out other leafy greens, when there are so many other varieties out there that also have amazing and essential properties," explains Fanzo.

Here, we feature some greens you may not have heard of but that are equally, if not more, beneficial to your health and wellbeing.

- by Savita Iyer-Ahrestani

Malabar Spinach
"This wonderful leafy green is rich in mucilage," says Ruby Hsiao, assistant specialist in indigenous vegetables at AVRDC (Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center)-The World Vegetable Center in Taiwan. "Mucilage soothes mucous membranes in the throat and helps prevent stomach irritation."

Malabar spinach also delivers beta-carotene, or pro-vitamin A, which helps form and maintain healthy skin and teeth and promotes good vision.

Amaranth
The leaves of the Amaranth plant, which can be sautéed, steamed, boiled or stir-fried, are a great source of folic acid and iron.

"The human body needs iron to produce healthy red blood cells and prevent anemia," says Ray-yu Yang, a nutritionist at AVRDC. And folic acid is an especially important nutrient for women during pregnancy. That's because folic acid helps a growing fetus' neural tube-the part of the body that becomes a baby's brain and spinal cord-develop properly.

Kangkong
Also known as water spinach, kangkong leaves-which can be cooked or eaten as a salad-contain flavonoids. These antioxidant properties help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, which are believed to contribute to certain chronic diseases and play a role in aging.

Perilla or Shiso
"The beautiful purplish-green leaves have a bright, peppery taste," says Hsiao, and "perilla contributes luteolin to the diet, which has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities"-the latter helps decrease the incidence of cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

The versatile leaves can be deep-fried, pickled or used as a wrap for rice, meat and vegetable fillings.

Purslane
With its pink, white and yellow flowers, purslane is as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. "The tender shoots and leaves contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which are normally found in sources such as fish," says Yang. Purslane can be eaten fresh, pickled or sun-dried to crunch up at a later date.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/5-nutritious-leafy-greens-youve-never-heard-122300986.html

Photo by: Thinkstock

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