Nutritious and delicious.

I think I have mentioned (on mulitple posts) how I LOVE the little health store by our house. They have miniature shopping carts so taking the kiddos to the store is a truly fun experience. We explore and I am surprised at how much a 2.5 year old can recognize at the produce stand- grapefruit, pears, kale, parsley, avocado. Luke loves filling up the cart and roaring it around the store.

Recently, I have started to make a conscioutous effort to reach for something new each week in the veggie department. We eat a lot of produce but it tends to be the same thing over and over- spinach, kale, tomatoes, apples, bananas, strawberries~ the old stand bys. Recently the bok choy looked so fresh I could not pass it by. I cooked it up with a little ginger and garlic, topped it off with sesame oil- delicious. It got me in the mood to try some others!

Next was red cabbage. I started reading some studies on the benefits of red cabbage and decided I was going to start eating a small red salad most every day before lunch. Anyway, it is really simple. Chop up some red cabbage, add a few cubes of beet and top with a bit of apple cider (organic and unfiltered). It is surprisingly good and the health benefits are off the charts. Luke and Eli both enjoy the cabbage but I think the apple cider vinegar and beet will take some time for them. (We juice beets but that tends to mask the earthy flavor.) If that does not sound delicious take a look at what it can do for your body~

Red cabbage is a great source of phytonutrients, Vitamins A and C (think strong antioxidant properties), iron, sulfur and anythocianin. I had no idea what anthocyanin was but after looking into it learned that it aids in brain health. Raw beets have high levels of anti-carcinogens, lots of carotenoids and folic acid. Researchers have refered to apple cider vinegar as the Wonder Drug~ lots of vitamins, beta carotene, potassium, magnesium and malic acid.

So, as any 2.5 year old would do, Luke is constantly pulling items off the shelf and trying to toss them in the cart. When I reach to remove it, he says, "It has to be nutritious and delicious, " with a cute little smile. No fighting back yet, I think that will come next year. But for being such a great helper, he does get to pick out a honey stick at the check out stand!