3 Nutrient Rich "A's"!

What better place to begin than at the very beginning of the "nutrition alphabet" with some of the most health beneficial foods right at our fingertips? Pop these into your shopping cart and relish in the taste, texture and vast multitude of ways they can be prepared and enjoyed!

Artichokes: Could nature be prettier in a veggie than when you get to the inside of an artichoke? The merlot/purple color blended with the olive green tones is GORGEOUS in there, and divine both to the tongue and our health! There are only 25 calories in a medium artichoke with 16 essential nutrients, boasting also a good source of fiber, vitamin C and folate. Containing also Cynarin and Silymarin, a powerful antioxidant, it benefits the liver and regenerates healthy tissue. Used with a multitude of recipes from a simple Parmesan cheese and artichoke dip to steamed herb butter glazed baby artichokes tossed with chicken and wild rice, artichokes are super versatile, and as part of a low fat, high fiber diet, can help reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and birth defects. I personally LOVE them whether atop thin crust pizza, tossed in a pasta with shrimp and pesto or simply steamed, dipping the yummy leaves into a mixture of fat free sour cream with lemon juice and lemon pepper. The best part is the heart and stem at the end. ABSOLUTE PURE BLISS!

Avocados: The most fabulous fruit EVER! It is tasty on its own, has an aphrodisiac effect {woot woot!} is creamy, and awesome in recipes, atop sandwiches, in salads, made into guacamole or simply in fresh salsa scooped onto a chip. One medium sized avocado has about 100 calories and almost 12 grams of FIBER! Avocados also provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. They also act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit. It comes in it's own serving bowl, and keeps your digestive tract working nicely and your colon cleansed. Mixed with honey, a ripe avocado even makes a nourishing facial mask for thirsty skin. Yum!

Asparagus: Whether raw or steamed, roasted, grilled or pickled, asparagus is awesome for both variety and nutrition! Boasting an excellent source within it's slim stature of Vitamin B folate and Vitamins A, C and K with great fiber, having a serving of asparagus 2-3 times a week is optimum. Chop it into a stir fry, mince it and put into eggs or quiche, stem and blend for an amazing soup, eat it raw for an on-the-go snack. The only adverse effects with asparagus? Your urine will smell funky {haha and EW!} but your heath benefits will outweigh that greatly! Also, asparagus is high in Vitamin K, so the effectiveness of anticoagulants may have an interference.