Five high ranking vegetables for optimal health.

1. Kale- This is my favorite. Kale has vitamin A,C, Dietary fiber, magnesium and potassium, and various amounts of other vitamins. I have two ways I enjoy making Kale. The first way is the steam it. The second way is to make "kale chips". Kale is somewhat chewy, but if you eat sunflower seeds or don't mind taking time to eat/snack, this shouldn't bother you.These can be made different ways, but I tend to take a pan, cover it with aluminum foil, sprinkle some olive oil on the foil, rip up leaves and place them in the oven at 275 until crisp. Add seasoning and you have a super healthy and tasty snack. This one even has some fiber (mostly in the stalk).

2. Spinach. This vegetable kicks butt for vitamins A, C and K. Fresh spinach is good to consume raw or steamed, much like Kale and most other vegetables. Spinach is a great food to incorporate into your diet to improve your health, partially due to it is very easy to find. This is great to rip up and put into your eggs.


3. Broccoli. Broccoli is a great one to spot at parties. Chances are good if you look past the cookies, there is a vegetable dish and this one usually makes it in there. Broccoli is good to eat with cheese or old bay.http://www.foodfacts.com/NutritionFacts/Spinach/Spinach-Bunch/21565

4. Peppers. - The spice of life may be variety, but the spice of vegetables is a pepper. These are very easy to move around, or in most parts of Maryland, grow your own. Check out what Whfoods.com said on their website, "Bell pepper is not only an excellent source of carotenoids, but also a source of over 30 different members of the carotenoid nutrient family. A recent study from Spain took a close look vitamin C, vitamin E, and six of these carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin) in all commonly eaten foods and found that only two vegetables contained at least two-thirds of all the listed nutrients. One of these foods was tomato, and the other was sweet bell pepper!"

5. Soybeans. - A half a cup is worth about 8 grams of protein. Soybeans fit easily into any soup or recipe,  they're also available online to buy bulk for great prices (most beans are). Also a good source for dietary fiber.