Have you ever added home grown greens to your smoothie?  This month, in most locations, is the right time to plant dark leafy greens in seed form or as a baby plant to transplant.  This is a great way to have a colorful garden and maximize your nutrients with freshly cut greens.



Start with Healthy Soil. To grow a healthy garden, whether in the ground or in containers, choose organic soil, fertilizers and amendments (material added to improve soil and provide better growing environment for the roots).  Try to stay away from the chemical fertilizers, herbacides and pesticides.

Obtaining baby plants. If you are not able to grow your plants from seeds, buy a starter plant to transplant.  Before transplanting baby plants outside, be sure to acclimate them to the outdoors, between 3-4 days. If you are growing plants from seed you can soak them in water over night to start the germination process. 

Establishing a healthy plant.  A great product to help the roots establish both as seed or a transplant, is called Myke or Mycorrhizal fungi.  It colonizes the roots, and increases the plants ability to absorb nutrients and water from the soil, so you have a healthier plant to eat. Myke needs to be in contact with the roots of the plant.  You can add it to the lining of your small holes for the seeds or dap the product directly on the roots when transplanting a baby plant.

Growing a healthy plant. Another helpful secret for your edible garden is kelp seaweed fertilizer, which provides beneficial nutrients.   One brand is Age Old Kelp.  Check your local nursery for a band available in your area.    

Fun Greens to Grow
All these plants are easy to grow in the ground or in a pot.  You can simply snip off the larger leaves for smoothies and the plant will continue to produce more leaves. 

Swiss Chard is a colorful and nutrient dense plant to grow.  It comes in several varieties with many pretty colors.  You can harvest when they are 6-8 inches tall.  It is an excellent source of Vitamins A, C, and K.

Kale prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.  Kale is high in calcium, antioxidants, vitamin K and lowers cholesterol

Spinach is another popular addition to smoothies and also likes full sun to partial shade.  It is an ideal source of vitamin A, iron, calcium, beta-carotene, and antioxidants.

For great gardening tips visit  www.tagawagardens.com. 
Click here for a green smoothie recipe.

Not all fats are created equal. Heavily processed, hydrogenated "trans" fats that are common in processed packaged foods are bad and compromise the cardiovascular and immune system.  "Trans" fats also contribute to behavior problems, weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, and liver strain. While you definitely don't want "trans" fats in your diets, your body needs fat for insulation, vitamin and mineral absorption, and to protect your organs. So what kind of fat should you be eating? 

What you want to strive for are high-quality fats that can help your metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish your skin, and provide lubrication to keep your body functioning fluidly. 

So which fats keep you healthy? 

Healthy fats are found in healthy foods. Below is a list of fats to include in your diet as well as the ones you want to avoid. 

• Include fats from avocados, olives, coconuts, wild salmon, and omega-3 rich organic eggs. Additional sources are whole nuts and seeds, and butters like almond butter, sunflower butter or tahini.
  
• Avoid expeller-pressed, refined, and solvent extracted.
  
• Tip: Look for the highest quality organic oils when shopping. Words to look for: organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed, extra-virgin, and unrefined. 
  

How to Use Health Fats when Cooking

• For cooking at high temperatures (stir frying and baking), try butter, ghee (clarified butter), or coconut oil.
  
• When sautéing foods, try organic extra virgin olive oil. Or better yet, try water sautéing and then adding olive oil just before serving.
  
• Oils like flaxseed, sesame, toasted sesame, walnut, and pumpkin seed are best used unheated in sauces or dressings.
  

Click for a healthy avocado dip recipe