Zucchini: A Power House of Nutrition
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Article by: Gwen Stewart Dating back to 7000 B. C., zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) is native to Central and South America. Sometimes called by the nickname "Italian Squash," zucchini was brought to North America by its southern neighbours. Early European explorers introduced zucchini to Italy and other countries in Europe. Italians initially grew zucchini for their sweet, edible blossoms, later the hearty fruits , You Say Tomato I Say Mosquito were experimented with producing the delectable dishes that resulted in zucchini being dubbed Italian squash. Up until the 20th Century, most Americans considered zucchini a treat reserved for eating on special occasions and were store-bought instead of grown in gardens. , Abatement and Consistency Philosophy Part of the summer , Need Landscape Design Help? This is The Time to Plan for Spring squash family, zucchini is an excellent source of manganese and vitamin C, a very good source of magnesium, vitamin A, potassium, calcium, iron, folate, copper, , Garden Room Basics riboflavin, niacin, and phosphorous. Many of the nutrients have been shown to be helpful for the prevention of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease. , Making the Most of the Front of Your Home Using Wind Chimes Summer , Fragrant Fine Art: Give your Garden a Design That's All Your Own squash's magnesium has been shown to be helpful for reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Together with the potassium in summer , Vermiculture: Indoor Composting and Organic Soil Improvement squash, magnesium is also helpful for reducing high blood pressure. All summer , The Truth About Mosquitos and Water Gardens squash are perfect diet foods , Garden Room Basics - low in calories, sodium, fat-free, and provide a source of fiber. All parts of the zucchini are edible. How To Grow Zucchini is probably the best known of the summer , Vermiculture: Indoor Composting and Organic Soil Improvement squashes. It is a type of narrow squash that resembles a cucumber in size and shape. It has smooth, thin skin that is either yellow or green , Marjoram: The Herb of Happiness in colour , Some Practical Ideas For Designing Your Own Landscape and can be striped or speckled. Its tender flesh is creamy white , Understanding Soil Nutrients in colour , Need Landscape Design Help? This is The Time to Plan for Spring and features , Need Landscape Design Help? This is The Time to Plan for Spring numerous seeds. , Some Practical Ideas For Designing Your Own Landscape Its edible flowers , Using Annuals in Your Perrenial Garden are often used in French and Italian cooking. Zucchini can be planted by direct seeding or by transplanting young plants , Solar Outdoor Lighting that have been started indoors. , Vermiculture: Composting and Organic Soil Improvement Seed , Making the Most of the Front of Your Home Using Wind Chimes directly into the ground as soon as the soil , Orchid Care reaches temperatures , Forest Tent Caterpillars of 60°F/16°C. for vines. Fill the holes with compost , Set Yourself Apart: Create Your Own Wind Chime Garden and mound slightly. Plant , Solar Residential Outdoor Lighting is Becoming the Product of Choice for Millions of Consumers seeds 1in/2.5cm deep. Zucchini is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family that includes cucumbers, melons, gourds, and squash, all particularly sensitive to frost. Select a sheltered spot, and prepare holes about 12in/30cm in diameter and 12in/30cm deep. Measuring from the centre, space the holes 36in/90cm apart for bush types, 6ft/1.8m apart for vines. To conserve space, squash can be trained over a sturdy trellis, in which case 2ft/60cm between plants , Solar Residential Outdoor Lighting is Becoming the Product of Choice for Millions of Consumers is enough. Zucchini grows , Vermiculture: Indoor Composting and Organic Soil Improvement best when exposed to 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. Regular watering is essential for summer , Pink Hibiscus squash. Feed the plants , Need Landscape Design Help? This is The Time to Plan for Spring with a high-potassium organic , Solar Outdoor Lighting liquid feed to produce a higher yield. Thick mulch added after planting will preserve moisture , Set Yourself Apart: Create Your Own Wind Chime Garden and keep the fruits , A Few Gardens Built By The Moghuls from touching the ground where they will become soiled and be exposed to insects and diseases. , Grow Some Interesting Plants You Won't Find At Your Local Greenhouse Harvesting The flavor of zucchini is best when it is less than six inches long. They should be firm, but not hard. Zucchini are prolific producers and regular harvesting will promote continued yield throughout the growing season. , Solar Residential Outdoor Lighting is Becoming the Product of Choice for Millions of Consumers Harvest by cutting the stems from the plants , How to Shrubs gently with a paring knife. As they are composed mainly of water, , Create Your Own Special Herb Garden summer , Lawn Mower Racing squashes dehydrate rapidly. Harvest just before cooking and keep in the refrigerator in a perforated plastic , Gardeners Gift Ideas bag until cooking. Don't forget that squash blossoms are delicious to eat. Small summer , Free Landscaping Ideas - How To Correctly Plant a Tree squashes are used skin and all. Larger squash need their skin and seeds , Planting Roses (Bare Root or Semi Bare Root) removed: slice lengthwise and scoop out the seeds , Choosing Lawnmowers For Cutting Grass On Tennis Courts with a spoon. Wash summer , Properly Watering Hillside and Sloped Landscaping squash under cool running water , Some Practical Ideas For Designing Your Own Landscape and then cut off both ends. You can then proceed to cut it into the desired size and shape for the particular recipe. In the kitchen, , Choosing Lawnmowers For Cutting Grass On Tennis Courts zucchini can be steamed, sautéed, boiled, baked, fried, grilled, and stuffed. Some ideas include: serve raw as an appetiser with a vegetable , Solar Residential Outdoor Lighting is Becoming the Product of Choice for Millions of Consumers dip or salad , A Few Gardens Built By The Moghuls dressing, grate and sauté with thinly sliced garlic, add to breads, muffins, cakes, stews, casseroles, soups, sprinkle grated zucchini or other summer , A Few Gardens Built By The Moghuls squash on salads , Mulchers - A Buying Guide or sandwiches. It can be preserved by canning, freezing, and drying. In the garden, , Vermiculture: Indoor Composting and Organic Soil Improvement some gardeners let the squashes ramble through the corn , Planting Roses (Bare Root or Semi Bare Root) patch, where their sandpapery leaves deter raccoons. Good companion plants , Making the Most of the Front of Your Home Using Wind Chimes for zucchini are: corn, , Choosing Lawnmowers For Cutting Grass On Tennis Courts marjoram, and nasturtium. Don't grow , A Few Gardens Built By The Moghuls zucchini and Irish potatoes together as they are incompatible.Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden , Unique Flowers make a memorable gift! consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place , Mulchers - A Buying Guide Of Peace - Gardening , Gardeners Gift Ideas For The Soil, , Fragrant Fine Art: Give your Garden a Design That's All Your Own Gardening , Abatement and Consistency Philosophy For The Soul and booklet Non-toxic Alternatives For Everyday Cleaning And Gardening , Some Practical Ideas For Designing Your Own Landscape Chores. She owns the website Gwen's Healing Garden , Some Practical Ideas For Designing Your Own Landscape where you will find lots of free information , Marjoram: The Herb of Happiness about gardening , Solar Residential Outdoor Lighting is Becoming the Product of Choice for Millions of Consumers for the soil , Landscaping Your Garden and Adding Value to Your Home and gardening , Using Snow Roof Rakes for the soul. To find out more about the book and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca. Gwen Nyhus Stewart © 2004 - 2006. All rights reserved. |
  
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