My Garden: Fresh Vegetables, their Health Benefits and Zucchini Flower Patties!

Grape Tomatoes

I planted my garden later than usual this year but fortunately we are finally getting some sweet swiss chard and various types of tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, hot banana peppers and my favourite of them all, zucchini flowers. I've been taking pictures on my blackberry as my little garden grows. Below are some pictures I took recently of my little beauties.

This wouldn't be a Nutritionist's blog unless I wrote the health benefits of each vegetable and herb as well include a quick, easy and delicious recipe. This recipe was my mother's, most of "my" recipes were hers. Zucchini Flower Patties are the perfect summer appetizer. I serve them while guests are waiting for the main course. That usually is BBQ in the summer months.They pair well with a chardonnay and a dollop of  tzatziki sauce. When I made these over the weekend I served them with a fresh tomato salad (from my garden, of course) drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, a sweet balsamic vinegar and a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper.



                                                              Welcome to my Garden

Pickling Cucumber

Cucumber is the best natural diuretic known, secreting and promoting the flow of urine. It helps in kidney and urinary bladder disease, liver disease and pancreatic disease. The potassium content of cucumber makes it highly useful for conditions of high and low blood pressure. Cucumber contains erepsin, the enzyme that helps to digest protein.

Hungarian Wax Peppers

All peppers are rich in vitamins A, C and K, Antioxidant vitamins A and C help to prevent cell damage, cancer, aging (reducing inflammation), arthritis, asthma and directly support your immune system. Vitamin K promotes proper blood clotting, strengthens bones and protects cells from oxidative damage.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Basil

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Flavonoids exist in basil, which help to protect cells and chromosomes from damage. Studies have shown that two of these flavonoids in particular, orientin and vicenin, are useful in protecting cell structures and chromosomes from damage by radiation and oxygen.

Swiss Chard

Swiss chard contains, get this, 800% of your daily vitamin K intake. Wowza! According to whfoods.com there's six to eight times the recommended daily amount in just one cup of boiled chard. As mentioned above, vitamin K helps you maintain strong and healthy bones. Swiss Chard also contains high amounts of the antioxidant vitamins, A and C. 

Roma Tomatoes

One of the most well known tomato eating benefit is its' Lycopene content. Lycopene is a vital anti-oxidant that helps in the fight against cancerous cell formation as well as other kinds of health complications and diseases.

Free radicals in the body can be flushed out with high levels of Lycopene, and the tomato is so amply loaded with this vital anti-oxidant that it actually derives its rich redness from the nutrient. 

Lovely Zucchini Flowers from my garden. LOVE!

                                                             Zucchini Flower Patties

What you need: 

Zucchini flowers, 1 tbsp chopped Parsley, 1 egg (for every 4 zucchini flowers), Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Unbleached Spelt Flour (1/4 cup for every 4 zucchini flowers) , Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste

What to do:

Remove stem and pistil of flowers, rinse in cold water and set aside.

Whisk egg. Add salt, pepper and chopped parsley. Slowly stir in flour.

Squeeze excess water from flowers and add to paste.
 
Place flower (which is now covered in paste) in medium-hot frying pan with 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Fry til golden brown on each side. Add more oil if necessary.

Place on paper towel, sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately (they are best served hot!)





The photographs in this post belong to Melissa Macchione. Unauthorized use is prohibited. If you have any questions please contact the administrator.
  
The information presented here is not intended to replace professional medical care when needed. Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner for disease diagnosis, therapy choice, medicine selection and dosage.