C is for ....Chia

Chia tea is the first thing I think of, but where does this originate from? - so off I went to find out and this is what I found......

Chia belongs to the Saliva group of plants. It is a tremendous energy food which benefits health and vitality. The seeds are rich in minerals of Vitamin A, Bs and D and 30% protein.The plant is an annual which grows to 1.5m. The seeds are sometimes ground to make a flour, however the seeds are normally consumed whole. The sprouts can be used like alfalfa sprouts in salads etc. This unique plant is regarded as a survival food - now that's what I call sustainability and abundance.

B is for......Burdock root

This unusual root is mainly used in medicinal and herbal medicine. It is a Biennial plant which grows to about 2m. It has large dock shaped leaves and is cultivated in Japan as a root vegetable - can be used like carrots in stews and soups. The stalks can also be eaten It has many nutrients such as iron and beneficial oils as well. It can be propagated from direct sowing the seeds in mid summer into humid rich soil in full sunlight.

Just a foot note here - I'm really enjoying this hunt for unusual vegetables it opens a whole new world from the mundane vegetables we get in our supermarkets.

A is for....Alkekengi

Ok so I realise that although it might be an unusual or unique fruit/vegetable to me it might be common to you -

This fruit is an unusal plant from the nightshade family Solanacea. It has a berry enclosed in a papery latern type calyx. The Alkekengi is native to Mexico and is sometimes known as Cape Gooseberry, strawberry tomato or winter cherry. The fruit is slightly acid similar to a tomato. They can be eaten raw or preserved and contains a fair amount of vitamins. If you would like to know more about growing this abundant fruit, there are many sites on the internet to fill your time in......

Still learning

I have found this blogging confusing , trying to get someone to follow wasn't easy but now I have a few that I find interesting - I thought I would try something new and do some research on unique and unusual fruit and vegetables -- so I am going to use blogger to record my findings. Which way to present my findings and were to start are my first thoughts - so I will go alphabetically - tune in tomorrow for "a"

A new beginning

Well, Here I am in cyberspace beginning my new adventure - this new world of blogging is going to be a challenge for me as I have only just started to understand what this is all about - My intention is to learn all I can regarding this new program - so here I go