Growing your own food can be incredibly rewarding andhealthy.
Its an easy way to get vitamin D, boost your agility and ease stress.
Plus, tending an indoor or outdoor garden can help you dig into the healthiest version of plant-based superfoods.
Here are 10 beginner-friendly superfoods that work for every throw in of living space and level of experience.
Allow no more than three runners, horizontal stems that yield baby clone plants, per container.
Grow in at least six hours of sunlight a day, but 10 or more hours are ideal.
And they yield a beautiful sunflower that gives them their name.
Astudyin the journalHorticulturaefound the tubers are unusually high in inulin, a prebiotic that helpscontrol blood sugar.
How to grow them:Sunchokes are usually grown from tubers with the eyes facing skyward.
For indoor gardens, plant no more than 5 inches deep, spaced at least 1-3 feet apart.
Grow in six to eight hours of full sun per day.
Enjoy extra-sweet sunchokes by harvesting them when the flowers die down after the first killing frost.
To make the ultimate sunchoke salad, whip up Erica Wides recipe below.
If your oven has a convection setting, turn it on.
Remove from oven and transfer the vegetables to a large serving plate or a wide, shallow bowl.
While the strawberries pickle, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.
Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water and add the beans.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the beans are tender but slightly crisp.
Drain the beans and run under very cold water to stop the cooking and set the bright-green color.
Pat the beans dry on paper towels and add to the serving plate, along with the sliced cucumbers.
Using your hands or tongs, gently toss all the vegetables on the plate until mixed.
Drain the strawberries, reserving the liquid.
Scatter the strawberries over the combined vegetables.
Whisk the Dijon mustard into the strawberry vinegar, then slowly whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil.
Taste the dressing and add more oil as desired if its too acidic.
Add salt, pepper or honey, as desired.
Grind a bit more pepper over the salad if desired and serve.
They can add beautiful color and phytochemicals to your diet.
Lightly water growing seedlings and thin out at 6 inches tall, spacing the strongest 12 inches apart.
Transfer mature seedlings into pots 6-8 inches deep and 10 inches wide.
For outdoor gardens, space seedlings 24 inches apart.
Grow in six to eight hours of full sun per day.
Helpful tip:For extra-tall sunflowers, feed your plants once every two to three weeks with tomato fertilizer.
