Boost your immunity and keep gray hair at bay with turnips. Turnips score twice with a root vegetable as well as edible leafy greens. Vitamin C, present in the root of the vegetable, helps boost your immunity, which is a plus during this cold and flu season. Second, the leafy greens have a great mineral content, including copper, which is said to keep you from getting gray hair.
The organic farm at Paul Quinn College has purple-top white-globe turnips for sale. I like to cook the greens and make baked turnip fries.
Turnip Greens
3-5 pound of turnip greens
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 slices of bacon, chopped
- Fill a large pot with one inch of water.
- Add olive oil, sea salt, and bacon.
- Add turnip greens.
- Turn on the burner to medium heat and cover. The water will start to steam to the top.
- Cook the turnip greens for about 5-10 minutes; most of the water will be gone. Serve with Baked Turnip Fries.
Baked Turnip Fries
3 pounds turnip bottoms
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
- Cut the turnips into french fry size pieces and place in a bowl.
- Toss the turnip pieces with the oil, garlic powder, and salt.
- Place turnip pieces in a single layer on the cookie sheet and put in the oven.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes. Serve with Turnip Greens.
What to plant this week:
Radishes – reduce sinus ailments and hay fever
Beets – natural blood purifiers, cleanse the intestines, liver, gallbladder and kidneys
Collards – nutritional powerhouse with anti-cancer properties
Spinach – be strong like Popeye; spinach is full of vitamins and minerals
Turnips – high in fiber and vitamin B6
Oregano – is said to help control cholesterol
Strawberries – sweet vitamin C packet
Broccoli – dietary fiber and vitamin C
Cabbage – healthy bones from its vitamin K
Cauliflower – antioxidant, anti-inflammatory
Arugula – a spicy leafy green with anti-viral properties
Mustards – eating regularly is said to prevent arthritis
Garden Lady’s green dates to remember:
Feb. 12 Rainbow Garden Club Dallas Garden Talk at Repotted
Feb. 18, 8:30 a.m., Small Scale Urban Agriculture class at the TOFGA Conference.
Feb. 17-19 Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association Conference at the Mesquite Convention Center