One day I was wandering up and down the aisles at the grocery store, trying to find food items I had never eaten before. This is somewhat complicated by the fact that I have to eat gluten free and a lot of prepared foods have hidden gluten ingredients in them. Growing a little depressed, I went back to the produce department and hunted.
I came out with watercress, a rutabaga and collard greens as well as a bunch of more common vegetables. Last night I made a big pot of vegetable soup using frozen liquid from tomatoes that I had processed last summer. (When making spaghetti sauce, or salsa I skim off a lot of the tomato juice as it's cooked down and freeze it for soup base)
The soup was delicious and I felt particularly virtuous when I thought of all those antioxidants and vitamins coursing through my body.
I did a little research and I found out that watercress is one of the most healthful foods out there. It has a high vitamin content and has been used historically to keep military troops healthy. It may have the ability to repair damaged DNA. I'll probably do a little more research, but I know that I'll continue to eat it.
What's funny is that yesterday while my soup was bubbling away, I turned on the TV and Dr. Oz was talking about anti'aging type of foods (colorful vegetables), and Oprah had the author Michael Pollan on talking about food, and how much of what we eat is edible food-like products--not actual food. His motto is, "eat food, mostly plants, not too much."
That night when I ladled out the beautiful soup for my husband and daughter, I felt a sense of pride that I was feeding them nutritious food. I know this because the TV told me so!!
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To my knowledge I have never eaten rutabaga, watercress, or collard greens. I would love to try them, but haven't because I didn't know what to do with them. Did I ever look in a cookbook? Uh, no. But you have newly inspired me.
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