Shopping the Carrboro Farmer’s Market

Here’s what’s available at the Carrboro Farmer’s Market, Saturday, February 22, 2014, in order of nutrient density (ANDI scores). Click through to find out more about each item and how to use it.   Collards 1000+ Kale 1000+ Napa Cabbage, 715 Spinach 707 Arugula 604 Lettuce, Green Leaf 585 Basil 518 Radishes 502 Brussels Sprouts 490 Turnips 473 Carrots 458 Oregano 426 Parsley 381 Kohlrabi 352 Broccoli 340 Mixed Baby […]

Making an Easy Salad With Mixed Baby Greens

Mesclun is a salad mix of assorted small, young salad leaves which originated in Provence, France. The name comes from Provençal mescla, and literally means “mixture.” The traditional Provençal mesclun includes chervil, arugula, leaf lettuces, and endive in equal proportions. Modern American iterations may include an undetermined mix of fresh and available leaf lettuces, spinach, arugula, chard, mustard greens, dandelion, curly endive, escarole, mizuna, mâche (lamb’s lettuce), radicchio, sorrel, chicory, watercress, parsley, […]

Eating for Happiness

Happiness centers around several important neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamaine, endorphins, phenylethylamine, and anandamide. Serotonin is popularly known as the “feel-good hormone,” or your body’s own natural tranquilizer, hence the happiness factor. This is the neurotransmitter that antidepressants target in order to boost overall happiness levels. Up to 90 percent of your body’s total serotonin is located in your gut, […]

Making the Argument for Arugula

Arugula (Eruca sativa), is an edible annual plant, commonly known as salad rocket, roquette, rucola, rugula, or colewort. It is a member of the Brassicaceae family that includes kale, collards, turnip, mustard, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, napa cabbage, rapini, and watercress, among other amazing vegetables. Arugula is  native to the Mediterranean region, from Morocco and Portugal in […]

Greens

Turning Over a New Leaf

Leafy green vegetables, also called greens, vegetable greens, leafy greens, or salad greens, are plant leaves eaten by humans. Leafy greens the healthiest food you can eat. Anyone who might think that leafy greens are boring should know that there are leaves from nearly 1,000 species of plants that humans eat. Leafy greens are low in calories and fat, high in protein, fiber, iron, and calcium, and […]