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Tuesday, August 15, 2017

3 Green Summer Veggie Superstars


zucchini, arugula, and broccolini


To fill up without filling out, incorporate broccolini, arugula, and zucchini (my 3 green veggie superstars) into your weekly meal plan. Keep on reading to discover recipes, health information, and food prep ideas that are easy, delicious, and nutritious.

This post has been updated 7/8/2022

The produce mentioned is available this summer at your farmer’s market, local health food store or nearby market, as well as in-season in many home gardens. Produce that is sold by the unit (weight) is usually less expensive and fresher than processed or prepackaged foods. It’s more eco-friendly too. If you’ve read my blog before, you know I buy organic whenever it’s available, as I know it tastes better and my research shows it’s better for my family’s health.

Broccolini


This slender green stalked vegetable is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. All parts of it are edible. Eat it raw as a snack, use it to dip into olive tapenade, enjoy its crunchy texture in a salad, or steam it (retains nutrients this way). Serve in a hummus wrap, veggie stew, or portabella burger sandwich. This vegetable goes well with many foods, and adds a bright green splash of color, nourishment, and flavor to whatever you serve it with.
Broccolini may look like broccoli, but it’s a hybrid. Although you may see broccolini labelled “baby broccoli,” this is mislabeling and misleading.


Elements in broccolini help repair skin damage, thanks to an antioxidant glucoraphanin. It enables the skin to detoxify and repair itself. A small portion of broccolini (3 oz.) contains 20% of the DV (daily value) of Vitamin A, 140% of the DV for Vitamin C, and 8% of the DV for Calcium. It also has a high amount of potassium, magnesium, and calcium that help regulate blood pressure. The potassium in broccolini helps maintain a healthy nervous system, optimal brain function, and regular muscle growth.

My preferred method to cook it: Place a Dutch oven or pot made for steaming on the stove top and bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil. Arrange florets, stalks, and leaves that have been cut into bite size pieces evenly in a steamer basket, making sure the water does not seep into the bottom of the basket. Cover and steam for 3 to 4 minutes. Place cooked broccolini in a serving dish. Squeeze on fresh lemon juice. Then add salt, pepper, and sautéed minced garlic to taste (I used 2 cloves). Serve immediately. When broccolini marinates in the lemon juice, it will turn to grayish-brown. See more about how to keep the green in green vegetables.


Arugula


Arugula is a spicy tasting dark green leafy cruciferous vegetable, most frequently eaten raw as a salad green. This annual plant is commonly  known as rocket. It goes by the names of rucola, rucoli, rugula, colewort, and roquette too. Eating 2 cups of arugula provides 20 percent of the DV for vitamin A, over 50 percent of vitamin K, and 8 percent of vitamin C, folate, and 32 grams of calcium. 

If an all-arugula salad is too strong tasting for your palate, combine it with sweet tasting lettuce like red leaf, butter or Bibb lettuce, or fruit like oranges, mango, or watermelon. To illustrate how important it is to get enough calcium rich foods read information from the Cleveland Clinic about Why it May a Good idea to Increase Your Intake of Calcium





Zucchini


Zucchini or aubergine is a mild tasting summer squash that’s low in calories. One medium zucchini makes about 1 ½ cups of raw slices. It has about 33 calories and is loaded with anti-inflammatory elements. 

The zucchini seeds are edible and contain many types of phytonutrients that help fight inflammation and oxidative stress. Much of zucchini’s antioxidant content is found within zucchini’s skin, so it’s a good idea not to peel your squash. Scrape the skin instead. 

Raw zucchini tastes delicious grated into a salad. Steam lightly as a veggie side with a drizzle of olive oil, or add it to ratatouille, a dish that combines zucchini with eggplant, tomatoes, and other summer veggies. Nowadays zucchini is the key ingredient that's spiralized into noodle recipes, but here's a much simpler recipe for Grilled-Zucchini-with-Herbed-Bread Crumbs.

This veggie grows on a vine, and multiplies in great profusion in a home garden or on a farm. This green squash (which technically is a fruit) is good for both your health and your figure. 
It contains no fat, low-sodium, and very low cholesterol. It’s a good source of plant protein. One medium zucchini contains 2 grams of protein. It has Vitamin A, Thiamin, Niacin, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber (2 grams), Vitamin C (56 % DV), Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6 (21 % DV), Folate, Magnesium, Potassium, and Manganese. 💚


Eat these green summer vegetables to reap big health and taste rewards. Also remember to eat other summer green produce like spinach, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, collards, chard, kale, broccoli, green lentils, dark leafy salad greens, parsley, celery, asparagus, string beans, and beet greens. It’s best to vary food selection to cover all your nutritional bases.

Please comment or share your response below.

Did you see me at a blog party or when you surfed the Internet? I'd appreciate knowing, especially if you like what you see. 

I hope my post has helped you discover new information and some health benefits of eating broccolini, arugula, and zucchini. 

Has it given you ideas, tips, and motivation to prepare each? 

Do you have a favorite plant-based recipe using any of these ingredients? 

If you want me to consider using your recipe in a guest blog, please let me know.

Please don't put links in your comment as it can't be published that way. 

Thrilled and Honored. This post is a feature at #TFT





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17 comments:

  1. Nancy,
    This is a great post. I am a fan of all three of these green vegetables and I enjoyed reading your tips! My favorite way to eat zucchini is to spiralize it-

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    1. Thanks so much Judee for sharing. Appreciate knowing you're a fan of all three veggies and which zucchini prep method is your favorite. Have a great week and be well.

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  2. Hi Nancy,
    Very informative article. I had never heard of Brocolini but then I don't eat very much broccoli. It is very hard for me to digest. I do eat Arugula a lot with other greens in salad and Zucchini I use in so many ways. I ever freeze Zucchini it for the winter and them put use it for baking breads or such around the holidays or use for in saute with some sort of meat and sometime other vegetables and it works quite well that way. I been doing the spiralizing of zucchini and putting with yellow squash on the grill - it taste great. I have even made Zucchini crab cakes - you use the Zucchinin instead of crab meat and my husband likes them a lot. I eat as many green vegetable as my diet and allergies allow me. I know how important they are to a healthy diet. Thanks for sharing all this wonderful information about these 3 vegetables. Sharing on Google, Pinning & Tweeting. Have a healthy, happy & blessed day.

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    1. Thanks Marla for your comment and social sharing. It means a lot to me. So glad there are veggies you can eat and that you know how to work around your allergies to eat healthy. Wishing you a healthy, happy, and blessed day.

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  3. I never realized that Zucchini was a fruit. Just goes to show, you learn something new every day and they're one of my favorite veggies too, ummmm... I meant fruits ;-)

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    1. Thanks Michelle for your comment. So glad you learned something new. I try to put in details I find interesting in my posts. That way I keep the wonder in a subject I've been studying for many, many years. Enjoy eating delicious summer veggie/fruit superstars as often as you can. It will help you to feel great.

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  4. I love zucchini bread. These are great veggies. Thanks for stopping by anointedtoday.blogspot.com.

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    1. Thaks Betty for your comment. And yes, I did enjoy my visit to your blog. Have a blessed day.

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    2. Hi Nancy,
      Since I already commented I'll just say congratulations on being featured on HHG&N blog hop and thanks for the great post.

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    3. Wow. I've been so busy today, I had no idea this post is featured. Thanks for letting me know. Appreciate your support.

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  5. Three of our favorites! Thanks for sharing with SSPS! Hope to see you again next Monday!

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    1. Thanks Melynda. LOVE SSPS and hope all my readers visit it too. Have a beautiful day!

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  6. I love zucchini and use it a lot. Not a fan of arugula. Believe it or not, I just learned about broccolini and plan on giving it a try. Great post. I found you on 266 Senior Salon Pit Stop!

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    1. Yahoo for you Doreen. Learning about a new veggie can be very exciting. Thanks for your comment and Happy Summer!

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  7. I love all three of these veggies! And arugula is really under used - I love to put it on burgers, in sandwiches and salads and in pastas.

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    1. Thanks for your comment Estelle and sharing your favorite ways to eat arugula. Now that it's watermelon season, I love to make an arugula and watermelon salad. Have you ever tried that Estelle? Wishing you a fabulous day. Warm regards, Nancy Andres

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  8. Thanks so much Bev for featuring 3 Green Summer Veggie Superstars at Thurs. Favorite Things #TFT Blog Party. I'm thrilled and honored. Like you, I love my veggies. Have a wonderful day and THANKS again. Nancy Andres @ Colors 4 Health.

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