Raphanus sativa! Those Spicy Radishes of Summer

 

 

 

 

 

Reading my daughter's latest blog post today concerning her diet of salads, I was reminded of a past favorite salad ingredient which has been quite ignored around my kitchen of late: the simple, spicy radish.

There are many varieties of radishes growing far and wide across the globe so I figure Mother Nature must want us to include them as often as possible in a healthy diet!

Here's a site with the latest in 'radish info' such as their nutrient content which is high for such a tiny package: vitamin C and other vitamins, anti-oxidants, minerals, and dietary fiber.

Radishes are low-calorie, too, but there is one caution: they increase goitrogens so they are not good for those with thyroid conditions. But for everyone else they're almost a superfood.

Check out the radishes @ http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/radish.html

How to store and use them in recipes is included along with photos of different varieties: the Green Chinese Radish, the Black Spanish, the charmingly named Watermelon Radish, white Winter daikon, and more. Plus, their green tops are often edible as well which is perfect for the frugal-minded.

Handily, the growing seasons for radishes are Fall, Winter, and Spring which makes them available in some locations almost year-round. And though that's true, this Georgia native remembers red globe radishes best when my mother plopped them sliced into summer salads with their brilliant red coloring seeping just a little into cool white centers...just not too many of them please!