Sunchokes

My friend Rosemary took me out to her garden and showed me where she'd just dug up some Jerusalem artichokes, also called Sunchokes. Her neighbor had given her a root and she stuck it in the ground and forgot about it -- and while she wasn't looking, it grew, and grew -- and grew! I'd never had one before, and as I'm always encouraging my students to try something new, I followed my own advice and now have a new favorite vegetable!
My favorite way to eat them is to chop the root in chunks, and braise in a small amount of water with other veggies. They are creamy, rich, and delicious with a delicate flavor reminiscent of artichokes!

Mushrooms -- the new legume!

Mushrooms are high in protein, fiber, and several important vitamins and minerals -- plus, they taste great and have a meaty, juicy mouthfeel. Joel Fuhrman, MD, recommends eating some every day! Try a Portobello Burger by sauteing a portobello mushroom in a balsamic vinegar-soy sauce-veggie broth mixture and serve in your favorite whole wheat bun with all the fixin's. Each variety has countless nutritional benefits, even the basic white button. Have fun exploring different varieties in your local food stores and discovering new -- and old -- fungi friends!

The nature mushroom photos above show how mushrooms grow in the great outdoors.  However, many mushrooms are poisonous, even fatal, so you should only buy your mushrooms from a grocer.