50 Best Plants on the Planet (6 page)

I explained to contestants that fresh produce is the ultimate high-quality food, because most fruits and vegetables are:

•
LOW IN CALORIES
Fruits and vegetables typically have high water content, so eating even a small quantity delivers satisfying bulk with just a few calories.

•
HIGH IN FIBER
Many fruits and vegetables are loaded with dietary fiber, which promotes healthy digestion and nutrient absorption and helps lower the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and possibly colorectal cancer.

•
RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS
Antioxidants protect your body against inflammation, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other ailments. Because they're rich in vitamins and plant nutrients called phytochemicals, fruits and vegetables pack a strong antioxidant punch.

As contestants on
The Biggest Loser
experiment with flavorful new combinations of produce and switch to a “clean eating” lifestyle, they reap the rewards on the scale, at the doctor's office, and with increased overall energy to fuel those killer workouts the show features. They realize that it's not just about the quantity of calories they consume, but the quality—both in terms of flavor and nutrient composition. They're not just counting calories; they're making every calorie count.

That's why I'm so excited about this book.
50
Best Plants on the Planet
features fifty foods that score high for nutrition density—a measurement that compares the nutrient content of food to its calories. In short, while
50
Best Plants on the Planet
isn't a weight-loss book, it's based on the same principles as the
Biggest Loser
plan, which are making every calorie count, and making the experience delicious, to boot!

When I first collaborated with Melissa's Produce almost a decade ago, I knew right away that our relationship was a match made in heaven. As a chef who'd gone on to earn a nutrition degree, I worked as a registered dietician and knew that produce plays a vital role in our diet. Not only do fresh fruits and vegetables provide plenty of vitamins, minerals, and age-defying antioxidants, but they also satisfy my culinary expectations for flavor. Fresh produce has the potential to lend dazzling color and a wide array of textures and tastes to dishes for every meal, course, and occasion—even cocktails!

In the course of my work, it's become clear that Melissa's provides a much-needed service. By delivering produce to doorsteps across America, Melissa's can help families reverse one particularly important statistic: America is skipping its vegetables. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, in
2009
more than two-thirds of the nation's adults ate fewer than three servings of vegetables per day, with only
14
percent consuming a full five servings of produce daily.

No, produce shouldn't be a marginal afterthought—just the opposite. Because produce is nutrient dense, meaning vitamin and mineral content is high when compared with total calories, it should be the cornerstone of our diet. While no one food can deliver every essential nutrient, every fruit and vegetable featured in this book packs a powerful punch when it comes to vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

I've long been a fan of Cathy's work as a food columnist for the
Orange County Register
. Week after week, she presents fresh food ideas that put seasonal produce front and center. Her approachable style and flavorful recipes encourage experimentation with new produce—which is another reason I'm excited about this book. Not only do such standbys as grapefruit and spinach get their due on the pages that follow, but also Cathy has applied her culinary know-how to a variety of fruits and vegetables that may be new to you—from kumquats to passion fruit, and bok choy to watercress.

I hope her guidance will give you the confidence to explore! Not only will you and your family discover new fruits, vegetables, and taste sensations, but also your overall nutrition and health will benefit, too.
50
Best Plants on the Planet
will help you optimize your calories for maximum efficiency while boosting the variety of your produce repertoire. So go ahead, make every calorie count—toward better health and scrumptious flavors. Bon appétit!

“The goal is to enjoy nutrient-rich fresh fruits and vegetables to feel good and have plenty of energy and vitality—to find uncomplicated ways to savor produce at its very best.”

The jury is still out on the value of dietary supplements. Most studies point to a nutrient-rich, balanced diet that is rich in plant-based ingredients as the best way to get vitamins and minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.

Is this the end of popping vitamins pills? Probably not, but few would deny that nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables are infinitely more satisfying and delicious. Fresh produce has endless culinary potential, providing alluring tastes and textures, aromas, and colors. Because they are so naturally delectable, it doesn't take much time or effort to showcase them in mouth-watering ways.

Within the pages of this book, fifty of the most nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables are demystified in simple recipes for irresistible dishes and valuable time-saving tips, as well as easy-to-understand nutritional information. “Nutrient dense” means that the vitamin and mineral content of these foods are high when compared with total calories.

User-friendly, bold headings take you to specifics about how to buy and store each fruit or vegetable, how to quickly cook to preserve the most nutritional bling, and how to easily transform recipes that contain meat into vegetarian renditions. From arugula to watermelon, the book is arranged alphabetically to help readers quickly find topics.

This isn't a diet book. It is a guide to bettering the nutrient content and quality of the food you eat. The goal is to enjoy nutrient-rich fresh fruits and vegetables to feel good and have plenty of energy and vitality—to find uncomplicated ways to savor produce at its very best.

Melissa's/World Variety Produce, a family-run business owned by Sharon and Joe Hernandez, is the nation's leading distributor of organic and specialty produce. Founded is 1984, the company offers more than a thousand produce items and food products to retailers across the country. Consumers have grown to recognize and seek out the Melissa's® logo, a colorful emblem that spells out “Melissa's” in a red radish hue with a colorful carrot standing in for the letter “i.”

For more information, visit Melissa's Produce Web site at
www.melissas.com
and follow Melissa's Produce on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/MelissasProduce
.

Packed with peppery-tart attitude, arugula adds zesty flavor to a salad or soup, as well as a stir-fry or pasta. Although it's most often used as a salad green, its deep green leaves are also used like a fresh herb. Incorporated in smaller amounts, arugula should be added during the last minute of cooking. Or it can be ground raw into a delectable pesto. Either raw or cooked, it brings tasty bling to a dish.

Known as a concentrated source of folate and vitamins A and C, arugula (sometimes called “rocket”) is also replete with vitamin K, necessary for bone and blood health. Vitamin K also is gaining attention for its support of nerve health in the brain, including possible protection against Alzheimer's disease.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per
1
ounce raw, chopped)

calories
7

fat calories
2

total fat (g)
0

sat fat (g)
0

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
8

total carbohydrates (g)
1

fiber (g)
0

sugars (g)
1

protein (g)
1

vitamin A IUs
13
%

vitamin C
7
%

calcium
4
%

iron
2
%

Just one ounce of the peppery leafy green has more than a third of an adult's daily vitamin K needs. Arugula also has a plentiful complement of phytochemicals across several classes, including indoles, thiocyanates, and sulfurophanes. Not only do they have the potential to help prevent cancer, but also they have been shown to be toxic to cancer cells. The compounds also have demonstrated an ability to counter the carcinogenic effects of excess estrogen.

Other phytochemicals in arugula have shown antibacterial and antiviral action. Arugula's abundance of A and C vitamins provides beauty-from-within antioxidant actions that support skin and collagen integrity as well as eye health and healthy immune functioning. Plus, minerals such as copper, calcium, iron, and magnesium make the leafy green a true nutritional star.

Year-round

Choose leaves that are bright green without any yellowing or wilting. To wash, submerge leaves in a large bowl of cold water. Gently spin the leaves dry or drain in a colander and pat dry. Wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and store in a partially closed plastic bag. Refrigerate in the crisper drawer up to
5
days.

Serve raw or briefly cooked for the most nutritional benefit. To stir-fry, heat
2
tablespoons canola oil in a wok or large, deep skillet on high heat. When hot but not smoking, add
7
cups baby arugula leaves in quick handfuls, because the oil may splatter. Add
1
large clove garlic (minced). Stir-fry for about
30
seconds, or until the arugula is heated through and wilted. Season with a little salt and a pinch of dried red pepper flakes. Serve as is or spooned over cooked brown rice or quinoa.

Add arugula leaves to grilled cheese or BLTs.

Sprinkle baby arugula leaves over steaming hot pizza so it just begins to wilt.

Place baby arugula on a plate and top with shaved Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with a little fruity extra-virgin olive oil. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Because it is strained, Greek-style yogurt has a thick, luxurious texture. One cup of Greek-style yogurt contains as much as
20
grams of protein. Used in salad dressing, it lends creaminess as well. In this salad, the dressing teams yogurt with sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, and a little olive oil, plus some minced fresh mint or basil. Either fat-free or low-fat Greek-style yogurt works equally well.

Yields
8
servings

(per serving with fat-free yogurt, without optional garnishes)

calories
150

fat calories
40

total fat (g)
4.5

sat fat (g)
0.5

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
125

total carbohydrates (g)
22

fiber (g)
7

sugars (g)
4

protein (g)
8

vitamin A IUs
90
%

vitamin C
90
%

calcium
8
%

iron
15
%

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼
teaspoon salt

1
½
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼
cup plain fat-free or low-fat Greek-style yogurt