Which vegetable pulls at your Heart?

Hearts of palm, of course! Can you guess the vegetable of the week? If you guessed Heart of Palm you would be correct. They sure are tasty! This entry is going to be short because I feel I cheated a bit on the new vegetable as it was not prepared in our own kitchen by myself or my hubby. I let a restaurant take on the weekly task and feel I am halfway trying something new. I feel part of introducing the new "healthy treat" of the week should be prepared in my own kitchen. As part of the problem of not eating healthier is being intimidated by the unfamiliar factor. In the future, I will try to keep it prepared within my sight at the very least. If you like artichoke hearts you will be fond of the Heart of palm. It is also an extremely healthy veggie to consume according to the information found on nutritiondata.com which included the following statement. Hearts of Palm are a good source of Protein, Riboflavin and Potassium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Copper and Manganese. The Hearts of Palm has a hearty almost strong texture that falls into the stalk vegetable family - think asparagus and celery as relative cousins. The taste is similar to artichoke hearts. I sampled this new veggie in a huge salad mix with a ton of vegetables. The hearts of palm were easy to single out with their salty and tangy taste. I highly encourage you to grab this tasty treat to elevate any salad you plan to create. It will bring some meatiness, a whole of tanginess, and a little bit of fancy to the table. Hope you are enjoying your own HealthFULL Journey. 'Til we meet again. . .

Do you have a Leek?

Well if not you should find yourself one or two or three!!! They are super yummy! If you guessed that Leeks are the new veggie (or fruit) of the week, you would be correct. We went grocery shopping today and kept a look-out while perusing the produce. What veggie would be the rookie of the week? When we spotted the leeks they looked perfect. Now perfect might make it sound all dramatic, but I am kind of picky when it comes to produce. I promise you that you don't want to get me started on ripe/overripe bananas. I have heard a lot about leeks (and I think vaguely I might have sampled one at some point to say I have tried them, but it did not leave a true impression.) So we bought the leeks for less than three dollars and you get three healthy size stalks. If you have never met with a leek face-to-face they resemble the love child of a green onion and a celery stalk. Leeks are hardy looking. The height of celery, with the width of a big carrot, and the "look" of a green/spring onion. When you cut into the stalk of green you create the prettiest rings. There is a multitude of various green shades. My husband chopped these gorgeous stalks down to create a scrumptious leek - mushroom casserole (layered with a little butter , milk, and bread crumbs). The leeks tastes like a subtle onion. Sometimes an onion can overpower the meal's taste, but the leek's flavor melts into the dish and finishes strong. Most of the dishes I have heard about incorporating leeks are either soups or a potato dish. There is something so comforting about the leek, when you combing the mild flavor, the delicate coloring, and the strong shape. If you are having a bad day or feel a bug coming upon your household look for your friendly leek to save the day! This new " tasty discovery" on my HealthFULL journey will hopefully become an old friend as we replace the bad habits with some good ones. May your travels carry you to a destination full of Hope, Happiness, and Good Health.