10 Common Nutrients in Vegetables

1. Beta-carotene: especially useful to the body as it is turned into vitamin A. Found in yellow, red, orange and dark green vegetables and fruit such as pumpkin, carrots, yellow beans, beetroot, blue berries, raspberries, spinach, kale, broccoli

2. Calcium: essential for developing and maintain strong bones. Found in green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, kale and plain yoghurt. Do not rely on dairy foods as your only source of calcium – after all, where do cows get calcium?

3. Chlorophyll: for energy and the very basis of healthy. Found in all the green vegetables and their leaves, such as spinach, beetroot, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, salad leaves, etc

4. Flavonoids: these are antioxidants which help prevent degenerative diseases such as heart disease and cancer – eat your veggies!

5. Folic acid: essential for healthy blood. Found in beetroot, citrus fruit, green leafy vegetables and salad leaves

6. Iron: very important for well functioning red blood cells. Found in dark green leafy vegetables and beetroot

7. Magnesium: essential for growth and repair of the body. Found in peas, nuts and sesame seeds

8. Phosphorus: grow healthy teeth and bones. Found in cabbage, potatoes, oranges, cherries and currants

9. Potassium: important for cell function. Found in many vegetables and fruit, particularly bananas

10. Protein: an essential nutrient for all muscle building and maintaining, energy and growth. Found in beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds

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In the Toddler Organic Vegetable Garden

In a month of glorious weather the vegetables at Squirrel’s Landing have had to be almost tied down, to stop them growing so fast! These beets have only been in the ground for two months and are now ready for a full harvest, so if you visit Creeds towards the end of the week, you may just be lucky enough to nab a bunch.

The leaves are simply beautiful and are almost pretty enough for a flower arrangement, but we’ve been enjoying them in salads and as a lightly steamed green vegetable for weeks. Full of good nutrition and bursting with flavour they are truly a wonder food, stacked with beta-carotene, iron and calcium.

Beetroot have higher sugar content than most vegetables but are also rich in vitamin C (we all need more), fibre, potassium, folic acid, magnesium and manganese. Enjoy them roasted or grated raw, and if you’re brave, find a recipe for borscht! In fact, why not ask us for one?

We’ve also been having fun with the rest of the garden and have at last laid down our plans for an Edible Garden. I’m very excited about this, as I can now indulge in a passion for a flower garden as well as passion #1 - organic vegetables. Of course the flower garden will also be organic, which is just as well, because I’m inclined to put marigolds, borage, nasturtiums and more into salads. But not foxgloves! Sometimes I forget which are vegetables and which are flowers – so many plants are worth experimenting with in the kitchen

The idea for the Edible Garden came from a book I picked up whilst book browsing the other day – and what a find it’s turned out to be! By Rosalind Creasy, it’s called The Edible French Garden. Of course! She has wonderful ideas and the photographs are outstanding. Why not find a copy and sit back in a cozy chair by the fire with a cup of something hot, and indulge!

If you like the idea of starting a similar garden, look on page 19 for a sneak preview of how The Edible French Garden at Squirrel’s Landing is going to look... and keep up with the Real Food section of Cabbages And Cream for updates.

More articles on Squirrel's Landing Organic Vegetable Garden:

Organic Vegetable Garden Progress

Birth of an Organic Vegetable Garden

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