Parsley

 

 

 

In my Mother's garden, among the many rows of vegetables she would grow every summer, we would always find her "herb garden" composed of significant rows of: dill (dell), summer savory (Paepa Krut), and parsley (Petahzell)-only three kinds of herbs, that's all that was required to flavour the hearty soups and Mennonite dishes. To this day I like to have the same herbs in my garden. The parsley always comes up strong and vigorous. More reluctant are the other two but with some coaxing I've managed to have a number of promising dill seedlings which I found strewn throughout the garden. But alas, I could only find one tiny "Pepper Weed" or Summer Savoury. But more might be coming - it's slow to get started. If all else fails, I can always pick up a bouquet of this fabulous herb at one of a number of great outdoor vegetable stands.

I've come to bring in a bunch of parsley, chop it up and sprinkle it over all the food before serving - even the roast beef is enhanced by the verdant green color of parsley. But more importantly is the fact that Parsley is loaded with vitamins and minerals. I've included a quote from a link which has lots of great information.

Now I keep a small pot of parsley on a table near my back door as a reminder to pinch off a bunch as I walk by, munch on it and feel my breath freshen and know that it is improving my health.

Another thing I discovered again today as I took the photos is that as the parsley plant grows, and it grows quickly, it develops beautiful seed heads - nice enough to use in an arrangement - which are delightfully fragrant. I've included a picture of a seed head, although not fully developed, it is very fragrant already. As it matures, the seeds will fall into the ground and new plants will grow. It's such a lavish, rich and generous gift the Lord has given to us - more than we can use. I am humbled.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=100


Parsley for a Healthy Heart
Parsley is a good source of folic acid, one of the most important B vitamins. While it plays numerous roles in the body, one of its most critical roles in relation to cardiovascular health is its necessary participation in the process through which the body converts homocysteine into benign molecules. Homocysteine is a potentially dangerous molecule that, at high levels, can directly damage blood vessels, and high levels of homocysteine are associated with a significantly increased risk of heart attack and stroke in people with atherosclerosis or diabetic heart disease. Enjoying foods rich in folic acid, like parsley, is an especially good idea for individuals who either have, or wish to prevent, these diseases. Folic acid is also a critical nutrient for proper cell division and is therefore vitally important for cancer-prevention in two areas of the body that contain rapidly dividing cells-the colon, and in women, the cervix.