“There is nothing that is comparable to it, as satisfactory or as thrilling, as gathering the vegetables one has grown.”
— Alice B. Toklas
This is the time of year that everyone writes about the garden harvest and the farmer’s markets and what to do with all that zucchini, all that kale, all those tomatoes….
Since you can find that information anywhere, I’d like to write about why we want to grow and use all that produce.
I’ll start with the much misunderstood zucchini, that star of jokes about being left on doorsteps in the dark of night because it grows so abundantly. The vegetable that always grows to mammoth size overnight, that hides behind its leaves until it is larger than you really want. And that vegetable that is so versatile, it can be grilled, roasted, sautéed, steamed and eaten raw. It can even be grated into breads, muffins, brownies and kugels when it is too big to just eat. You might not even care how nutritious something that versatile can be. But it is a nutritional superstar.
- Research studies have recently documented that summer squash is a good source of alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-cryptoxanthin. These anti-oxidant phytochemicals are associated with decreasing the risk of some kinds of cancer and reducing inflammation. Since the skin of this food is particularly antioxidant-rich, it’s a good idea to eat the skin whenever you can.
- Zucchini contains starches that may be effective in helping to modulate insulin and blood sugar.
- Zucchini is one of the very low calorie vegetables and its peel is good source of dietary fiber that helps reduce constipation and offers some protection against colon cancers.
Kale, unlike zucchini, has become a superstar in recent years. It’s a vegetable you either love or hate and that either loves or hates you; it is hard to digest for some and just plain unpleasant to eat for others. There are many different varieties of kale and it often is sweeter after it has survived a frost. My evidence for that is that in my garden, the deer don’t touch it until the first frost, but after that, all bets are off. It is best eaten steamed, sautéed or massaged with lemon juice, salt and olive oil if eaten raw.
- Kale has those same phyotnutrients as zucchini – carotenoids and flavonoids and eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds that help to reduce cancer risk. It has many other phytonutrients, but our knowledge of their function is limited. We do know that they function synergistically to make the health benefit of the vegetable greater than the sum of its parts.
- Beyond these phytonutrients, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduces the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw.
- Kale is now recognized as providing comprehensive support for the body’s detoxification system as do the other members of the brassica family –- broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprout.
And now everyone’s favorite, the tomato. Here in New England we hold our late summer tomatoes in high esteem, knowing that the entire rest of the year, a tomato is hardly worth eating. Anyone who has room for a single pot will grow a tomato plant just for the great pleasure of eating a tomato right from the vine. And if you’re giving away tomatoes, you don’t have to leave them under cover of darkness as people will push their neighbors out of the way for a fresh, ripe tomato.
- Tomatoes contain all four major carotenoids: alpha- and beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene, just like the zucchini and kale, so they also support our vision as well as play a role in preventing cancer.
- The phytonutrients in tomatoes have also recently been associated with better bone health and thus, prevention of osteoporosis.
- Fresh tomatoes and tomato extracts have been shown to help lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides and decrease unwanted aggregation of platelets in the blood; this helps to lower your risk of atherosclerosis.
- You will notice great similarities in the nutrients and health benefits of all these vegetables. In addition, they all provide a good source of potassium that helps to modulate blood pressure and support healthy muscle contraction and relaxation. For my part, I can’t favor one vegetable over another as a superfood, because each one has its unique combination of nutrients that contribute to our well being as well as our culinary pleasure.
- The best way to get real local produce is to grow your own. Most of us are not going to grow all we need because of the constraints of time and space; farming is hard, time-consuming work. It is rewarding, though, to have a tomato plant or two, a pot full of lettuce and some herbs. If you haven’t tried your hand at it, I highly recommend it.
- To get great produce as well as community benefits, you can support your local farmers. Buy at farm stands, Farmer’s Markets, local stores that stock local produce and meats and find new ways to use what is in season. It makes eating so much more interesting. So far this season I’ve made zucchini kugel, zucchini brownies, zucchini muffins, kale salad, kale soup….
Try this easy one:
Massaged Kale Salad
1/2 large bunch kale, stripped from the stem, washed, dried and sliced in thin ribbons
1+ tablespoons olive oil (enough to coat and wilt your salad) – may add extra for texture
Juice from ½ lemon or lime
1 tsp sea salt
Pour olive oil, salt and lemon/lime juice over kale and massage with hands for 5-10 minutes
Toasted pine nuts or walnuts ( I sprinkle a lot of turmeric and a little salt and toss in a hot cast iron skillet until lightly toasted)
Chopped radish – ¼ cup
Beets – cooked and chopped or raw grated – 1/2 cup raw or 1 cup cooked chunks
You can also get creative and add or substitute apple, pear, cheese, tofu….