"a" is for apples, avocados, and artichokes

Apples

I have always liked apples, and the phrase "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" seems like a good recommendation for healthy eating! When I first decided that Diet Dr. Pepper and a pack of nabs was probably not the most nutritious breakfast, I changed to an apple with peanut butter. (Along the way, my version of "healthy" peanut butter has gone through extensive changes. More on that with the "P" post.)

Since I eat apples so often, I checked out their pesticide rate. Have you heard of the Environmental Working Group? They have many recommendations for quality of foods. Their page on the "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" is especially helpful in determining what produce is especially pesticide-laden and what is pretty safe. Unfortunately, apples are on the Dirty Dozen list, which means that it is high in pesticides, and I would be safer to purchase organic. I have noticed that my wonderful apples tend to be HUGE and without blemish of any sort. These facts alone were enough to alert me to the fact that they were likely grown with some man-made help. Organic apples are much smaller and tend to have little imperfections. Now, whenever I can, I purchase organic apples and enjoy them with simple peanut butter (ingredients: peanuts, maybe salt).

Avocados

My new favorite food is avocados! I make guacamole, I smush them up on sandwiches (instead of mayo), I chunk them into salads, sometimes I just eat a half with a spoon right from the skin. Yum! Since some kinds of fat are required for good health (see the "F" post). Generally plant fats (avocados, coconut, seeds, nuts) are excellent for the body, even though they are high in calories - so I don't eat as much as I'd like at one sitting. But I do like to eat some plant fat every day. And, it helps me feel more satisfied and fuller for longer periods.

Artichokes

I think that artichokes are hilarious. Who were the first people who saw this fruit and said to themselves, "Hey, this prickly leafy thing looks delicious - let's eat it!" They must have been really hungry. It turns out that artichokes are incredibly nutritious. (I enjoy the wisdom of the "medical medium," although I disagree with many of his philosophies and ideas, his research on foods for health is excellent.)

Truthfully, I haven't started eating these little pricklers yet, but I've found some articles about cooking artichokes, and it seems fairly easy. Want to try some? Let's do it together!