Selecting more nutritious forms of vegetables and fruits

[Sally PB]

But I find that the homesteading community sometimes romanticizes subsistence farming in a rather alarming way. One book we read included the statement that the couple in question "Just don't eat that day," as their means of having a day off.

Ummm... no. Though occasional fasting might be a healthy thing to do (?).

A friend of mine said his wife wanted "to have a garden." He was resisting, because he knew he'd end up doing most of the work. I told him, "Tell your wife that 'garden' is a verb, not just a noun."

I just ordered a copy of Eating on the Wild Side. And am looking into getting some purple seed potatoes.

 

[saysfaa]

For me, it has been a little bit about gardening (I planted currant tomatoes, purple carrots, and a few more such for the last two years - since I found this book). I LOVE the pop of taste of the currant tomatoes when I put a handful whole into spaghetti sauce. They really do have a lot more taste than bigger tomatoes. But they take fooorrreeevvver to pick; they are about half the size of a blue berry and I had to "pick" them - as in pull each off individually. They will fall off but not until they are far overripe. On the other hand, if your freezer space is limited, you can fit a given amount of nutrients in to a much smaller space! I will plant more this year but also plant some that crossed with cherry tomatoes.

It has been more about choices I make at the grocery store. For apples, I like Pink Lady best but Honey Crisp is one of the more nutritious varieties in the grocery store. Granny Smith is the most nutritious in most produce sections of grocery stores (13 times more than Ginger Gold). It made no difference to me whether my sweet cherries are Rainiers or Royal Anne's - they are similar enough and I like both even if I can tell the difference from the taste. Now I choose the Royal Annes.

The nearest grocery store carries some oddities like purple potatoes; I hadn't tried them because of the price but will now buy them at least sometimes because of how much more nutritious they are.

And I no longer avoid cauliflower - I didn't know it was an exception to the "more color; more nutrients" rule of thumb that I did know about from years ago.

The readily available choices can make a significant difference.

 

[Sally PB]

The Purple Majesty and Mountain Rose potatoes seem to be sold out, everywhere I looked. I have a different variety of red potato on order now.

I've known that blue/purple fruits and berries have a lot of important nutrients, and try to eat more of them. I need to grow more of them. Like purple beans, and blueberries. Haven't had luck with purple tomatoes, yet.

 

[Iluveggers]

The Purple Majesty and Mountain Rose potatoes seem to be sold out, everywhere I looked. I have a different variety of red potato on order now.

I've known that blue/purple fruits and berries have a lot of important nutrients, and try to eat more of them. I need to grow more of them. Like purple beans, and blueberries. Haven't had luck with purple tomatoes, yet.

Cherokee Purple is a good tomato variety. It’s more of a deep red but tastes delicious!

 

[Sally PB]

Cherokee Purple is a good tomato variety. It’s more of a deep red but tastes delicious!

A friend sent me some seeds he saved from his Cherokee Purple tomato. He must have mismarked them, or they had crossed with something, because they were nothing like what I see in catalogs. I think I'll buy some seed and see if I can get a better result.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Cherokee Purple is a good tomato variety. It’s more of a deep red but tastes delicious!

Ummm...

Fair Warn. The "Purple" tomatoes, whether the Cherokee, the Black Prince, the Black Krim, the Purple Plum/Black Plum, etc are all high in a flavanoid which for some people is very "distinct" - like "cilantro tastes like soap" distinct. If you have the gene, they may be completely unpalatable to you.

I grew a few of them in TX, years back. and while I don't find them inedible, I no longer seek them out.

 

[Brooks_]

IIRC, I didn't like that it was ripe for about 5 min before being overripe.

 

[Iluveggers]

Ummm...

Fair Warn. The "Purple" tomatoes, whether the Cherokee, the Black Prince, the Black Krim, the Purple Plum/Black Plum, etc are all high in a flavanoid which for some people is very "distinct" - like "cilantro tastes like soap" distinct. If you have the gene, they may be completely unpalatable to you.

I grew a few of them in TX, years back. and while I don't find them inedible, I no longer seek them out.

Really?

They are one of my favorites. Along with yellow pear and Berkeley Tie Dye. Lol

 

[Brooks_]

Berkeley Tie Dye

X2

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Really?

They are one of my favorites. Along with yellow pear and Berkeley Tie Dye. Lol

The originate from the area of the Ukraine, if you would believe it - and the gene is pretty rare. I'm not convinced I have it, actually. **BUT** I did pretty massive damage to my nose in an auto accident (as in, I used my face to drive the steering column thru the steering gear in the bottom of the car - obviously an older car, no airbags, no two piece steering column), and have almost no sense of smell. It makes me very sensitive to a few things most people don't notice, and completely oblivious to most of what people do notice.

So for whatever reason...