My Mama would be proud

I picked some unusual vegetables from the garden yesterday. My mom taught me a lot about harvesting what grows around us, and not just in the "garden".  Here I have sweet potato leaves off the vine, pumpkin and zucchini blossoms and some wild purslane. Oh, and one little cayenne pepper. I cooked a little whole wheat pasta, then sauteed the vegetables with a little oil and soy sauce. It was delicious!

My internet research shows:

Health benefits of Purslane


■This wonderful green leafy vegetable is very low in calories (just 16 kcal/100g) and fats; but is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals.



■Fresh leaves contain surprisingly more Omega-3 fatty acids (α-linolenic acid) than any other leafy vegetable plant. 100 grams of fresh purslane leaves provides about 350 mg of α-linolenic acid. Research studies shows that consumption of foods rich in ω-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and also help prevent development of ADHD, autism, and other developmental differences in children.



■It is an excellent source of Vitamin A, (1320 IU/100 g, provides 44% of RDA) one of the highest among green leafy vegetables. Vitamin A is a known powerful natural antioxidant and is essential for vision. This vitamin is also required to maintain healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin A known to help to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.



■Purslane is also a rich source of vitamin C, and some B-complex vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine and carotenoids, as well as dietary minerals, such as iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium and manganese.



■Also present in purslane are two types of betalain alkaloid pigments, the reddish beta-cyanins and the yellow beta-xanthins. Both of these pigment types are potent anti-oxidants and have been found to have anti-mutagenic properties in laboratory studies. [Proc. West. Pharmacol. Soc. 45: 101-103 (2002)]




Sweet Potato Leaves
Cholesterol - This is one of the healthy foods if you're watching your Cholesterol intake. There are 0 mg of Cholesterol
Carbohydrates - Total Carb count for one serving: 2.23 grams. Sugar: Unknown, Fiber: 0.7 grams, and Net Carbs: 1.5 grams (helpful to know if you're counting carbs).
Protein - For Protein, one serving of this food has a total of 1.4 grams.
Minerals - In one serving there are 12.95 mg of Calcium and 0.35 mg of Iron. In addition, there are 3.15 mg of Sodium and 181.3 mg of Potassium in this food.
Vitamins - You'll benefit from both Vitamins C and A with this food. There are 3.85 mg of Vitamin C and 359.8 International Units of Vitamin A in each serving.


Calories in Squash Blossoms
Nutritional AnalysisGood points
Low in sodium
High in calcium
High in iron
Very high in vitamin A
Very high in vitamin C



VERY WORTHWHILE, DON'T YOU THINK?