Gardening is in full swing now that it’s warm and the fear of frost has passed. I’m trying to expand the garden with a couple of new raised beds. I’m also trying to grow a few different vegetables like brussel sprouts, celery and radicchio and a few new herbs like spearmint, horseradish, hibiscus and eucalyptus cineara. I inherited blood sugar issues, so I have to make wise food choices. Warm weather is a good opportunity to grow fresh, organic vegetables and herbs that are low glycemic and won’t spike blood sugar. It doesn’t take a lot of space to grow nutritious food either.
It’s easier to eat healthy when you have a garden full of food that you like and can just walk out to your yard to get it. If you have easy access to vegetables, you are more likely to eat it. Vegetables have fiber that fills you up, reduces cravings and makes you less likely to fill up on processed food. Eating food from your garden lets you see where it’s coming from too. There’s no way to know who has handled the food bought from stores, it’s growing conditions and pesticides used and how far it’s traveled to get to you buying it. Food from the garden has much higher nutrients that give you more energy and improved health.
I like growing greens like lettuce, kale and arugula. They are easy to grow and growing them myself saves me a lot of money, since I eat two salads everyday with greens as the base layer. They are also great for adding to smoothies and saute bowls. Greens are full of fiber, nutrients and are low glycemic.
Zucchini is a garden staple. It is easy to grow and one plant can produce an abundance of low carb vegetables. Zucchini is great to use as a pasta replacement, baked or roasted.
Tomatoes are the end of season highlight of the garden. Cherry tomatoes grow well and are easy to freeze. I like to add them to soups or sautes. There’s nothing like a garden fresh tomato to enhance a salad, salsa, sandwich or bowl. Tomatoes contain an antioxidant called lycopene which helps improve heart health and reduces free radicals that cause disease.
I love growing green bush beans. They are full of fiber and protein and have always grown easy for me. Unfortunately, the woodchuck has gotten to them before me the past few years. I have a new fence to install, so hopefully I will get to them first now.
Garlic is super easy to grow. Take a clove, put it in the ground in the fall. In June harvest the garlic scapes. They can be used just like garlic, but have a milder taste. Garlic is called nature’s antibiotic as it contains a compound called allicin which is antiviral and antibacterial. Wild animals don’t seem to bother them either.
Some herbs like basil, parsley, oregano and dill are easy to grow and are also easy on the blood sugar. They add flavor and nutrients to any dish. They can be eaten fresh or dried and used over the winter instead of buying store bought.
If you are not a gardener and would like to try it, growing a few things like 1 tomato, 1 zucchini, 1 lettuce and 1 arugula, basil and parsley. Go to a greenhouse and pick them up and then plant them in ground or in a container. Provide adequate sun, soil and water. With just a handful of plants, you can get a good crop and feel for gardening without the overwhelm of a large one. Harvest regularly for more production.
Once ready to harvest, tomatoes can be used in salsa. Zucchini can be used in place of pasta noodles or stir fried. Lettuce and arugula can be used in salads or on sandwiches. Basil and parsley can be added to any of those for added flavor.
Gardening is a great way to get outside and get some sun which provides Vitamin D without supplementation. It’s calming and fun to watch seeds and plants grow into food you can eat. It encourages cooking at home and you know where your food comes from. You also control the growing environment, including whether or not pesticides are used. I do not use them. Organic vegetables have more flavor and nutrients.
Get out and grow!
Gardening books to learn from:
- The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition: Discover Ed’s High-Yield W-O-R-D System for All North American Gardening Regions: Wide Rows, Organic Methods, Raised Beds, Deep Soil by Edward C. Smith
- All New! Square Foot Gardening, 4th Edition: The World’s Most Popular Growing Method to Harvest MORE Food from Less Space – Urban to Rural–Garden … Fully Revised & Updated for Today’s Gardener by Square Foot Gardening Foundation/Mel Bartholomew
- Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening by Louise Riotte
