Let-tuce Begin!

The growing season has officially begun and no one can be happier than I am! My lettuce and spinach are at the perfect size for a spring salad. With scissors in hand, I snipped enough for tonight's salad. Those that know me, know that I live for my salads, having at least one salad a day.

There is nothing as easy to grow and nutritious to eat as freshly cut greens from your garden. Did you know that just 100 grams of fresh cut lettuce contains 247% of your daily vitamin A and 4443 mcg of beta carotene making one who eats this have healthy mucus membranes and contributes to healthy vision. Zeaxanthin in lettuce is a dietary cartenoid that offers some protection against age related macular disease in the elderly. It has a rich source of vitamin K, folates, and vitamin C. Minerals, such as iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium in lettuce are abound. These are essential for body metabolism. If that isn't good enough for you, how about that it is rich in B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin, vitamin B-6, and riboflavins. Here is one factoid that I am probably sure you are not aware of-lettuce helps you sleep. Freshly cut leafy lettuce contains a sleep-inducing substance, called lectucarium. Who knew?

Tonight's yummy salad could not have tasted better. 15 minutes after I snipped my greens and washed them, added a few colorful veggies (albeit not from my garden-yet), topped it with crumbled feta, and dressed it with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and fresh cracked pepper, I was in heaven. One of the biggest advantages of growing greens is that a little taste of heaven is just one snip away. Hmm, maybe lunch tomorrow will be greens with hard boiled eggs and tuna and some pickled beets I canned last summer. What do you think?

Try growing lettuce.

It is worth it!