e-NATURE: Fruits and vegetables -We plant Green Beans
Fruits and vegetables
GREEN BEANS
One of the most popular summer vegetables, not only in our diet, but also in
literature and life! Jack and the Beanstalk is a well known fairy tale, and
you’ ve certainly heard the saying "a bean fills a bean bag!"
Green beans are eaten in salads but also as an oily tomato based vegetarian
dish!
They are rich in vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, minerals and proteins and are
ideal for those who watch their diet, as they are low in calories (90% water)!
THE SECRETS OF GREEN BEANS
• Its origins are from America and “travelled” to Greece in the middle of the
17th century
• Some varieties of beans give us dry beans, such as “giant beans” (called
gigantes in Greek) and black-eyed beans!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the beans you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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Melon
The melon Cucumis melo, is one of the most well-known and beloved
summer fruits. The word melon can refer to either the plant or specifically to
the fruit. Botanically, a melon is a kind of berry, specifically a "pepo". The fruit
of the melon plant is related to cucumber, zucchini, squash and watermelon,
belonging to the very large family of Cucurbitaceae
There are many varieties of melons, which differ in:
• shape: round or oval,
• skin: thick or thin,
• color of the skin: yellow or greenish,
• skin surface: smooth or striated,
• fleshy part: solid, juicy, soft or hard
• color of the flesh: off-white, yellow, or orange.
THE SECRETS OF MELON
- Melons originated in Africa, or hot valleys of Asia, Iran and India. Melons were among the first crop species in ancient times. It is
known that melons have been grown by the ancient Egyptians
(with references from 2,400 BC)
Ancient Greeks and Romans cultivated melons in the whole
Mediterranean, while Columbus brought them to America, in
1492.
Melon is considered a luxury item and is usually offered as a gift
in Japan
The two most famous types of melon in Greece are: the banana
melon (with yellowish skin and round shape) and the one grown
in Argos – a place in the Peloponnese, hence its name Argo
melon (having a very long and narrow shape, with strong ridges)
When someone has a long and narrow skull, Greeks call him/her
Argo melon headed
One can roast its seeds and eat them as passatembo (pumpkin
seeds)
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the melon you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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Watermelon
Watermelon, a cousin of melon and squash, is a type of climber plant,
occuring in large varieties.
Known since ancient times, watermelon has a huge fruit, which inside is red
colored, has a sweet taste and many small black seeds. Its very thick and
tough skin is green colored, often streaked with darker green on the outer
layer, while it is white on the inner part.
The weight of a watermelon can reach several kilograms.
China is the country with the largest production of watermelon in the world.
In Greece, watermelon ripens during summertime and is considered as the
most refreshing summer fruit! We relish it in … large slices or in fruit salads.
We can also put it in a blender and make a nice watermelon juice!
In several parts of Greece, the white part of the watermelon is used to make
syrup watermelon sweet!
THE SECRETS OF WATERMELON
- Watermelon contains sugar by 6 – 8%, but mainly water by 91%. Like many other fruits, it contains vitamin C.
- Very often people check to see if a watermelon is good to buy by tapping it lightly around the middle: they say that if the watermelon makes a "hollow" sound it is a proof of good quality, otherwise it is not ripe.
- In many open street markets in Greece, during summer, one can hear the seller of watermelons shouting "I stab them all". Meaning that he has the intention to cut a piece of the watermelon, so that the potential buyer can see the good quality of the watermelon.
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the watermelon you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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Egglpant
Known since ancient times, it is said eggplant’s origin is Indian. Its fruit occurs
in various shades of purple, from very dark ones (called flaska), to white (the
Santorini ones). Eggplant has an oblong shape and a fleshy texture with many
seeds. It is very tasty- it is used in many Mediterranean dishes. Especially
during summer, greek tavernas serve several traditional dishes, from eggplant
salad and fried eggplants, to the world famous moussaka!
China has the largest world production of eggplant, followed by India and
Turkey. In Europe, the first country in eggplant production is Italy, followed by
Spain and Greece.
Half of Greek eggplant is grown in Crete!
THE SECRETS OF EGGPLANT
- “Tsakonian” eggplants (grown in the Peloponese) are particularly well-known in Greece: they are long-shaped, narrow,purple with whitestripes and very tasty
- Because eggplants are long and narrow, when we fill it with minced meatand cover it with béchamel sauce, we call it a “small shoe”(papoutsaki)
- In Greece, an eggplant festival is organized during summer in Leonidio,
where visitors can try many eggplant recipes! - In the Peloponese, one can even try sweet eggplant in syrup!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the eggplant you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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Spinach
One of the most delicious and popular leafy vegetables!
Spinach flavors our dishes and can be eaten raw in salads, or in recipes with pasta, rice, vegetables, meat, cuttlefish and of course…in the well known Greek dishes: spinach pie and spinach rice!
It has a high nutritional value and is rich in vitamins and antioxidants
THE SECRETS OF SPINACH
- It firstly appeared in China around 700 BC, as a gift to the emperor from the king of Nepal!
- Belongs to the same family with beets, quinoa and chard
- Spinach has a high iron content and is thus ideal for patients with anemia
- Due to its neutral taste, it matches well with all kinds of food!
- It helps in the good functioning of the intestine and strengthens our immune system
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the spinach you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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Lettuce
Lettuce is used as a synonym for money. We say “is there any lettuce?”, asking whether there is money involved. Also, when we want to describe one who spends money without thinking, we say “he spreads money just like lettuce leaves”.
It is the best known green, fresh vegetable – we eat its big leaves.
Lettuce is eaten raw, alone or in salads, usually matched very well together with spring onion and dill.
In Greece we also eat it cooked in lamb dishes, or in stew during Easter time (called mageritsa).
Lettuce’s secrets
It is a very well known vegetable since ancient times – was used in Greece and several other countries.
It derives from Asia. There are many varieties today, from the simple, common lettuce – what we call romana – there is a French variety, iceberg, lola, Chinese, and other lettuces, that come in various colors, from dark green to red, transforming our salads to colorful dishes.
Lettuce contains a lot of water and small amounts of fiber. Its most important nutrients are vitamin A and potassium. Lettuce is also a source of vitamin C, calcium and iron.
….and lettuce’s label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the lettuce you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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BROCCOLI
It really looks like a tiny tree and is the cauliflower “cousin”!
Broccoli is one of the tastiest and healthiest winter vegetables. It can be eaten
raw or boiled in salads, pickled, in velouté vegetable soups, even “au gratin”!
Having a rich nutritional value it is beneficial for our health and ideal for those
who choose a low calorie diet!
Broccoli’s secrets
- The name broccoli is Italian, meaning the flowering top of a cabbage.
- It belongs to the same family as cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels
sprouts! - The green “tree shaped” part we eat is not the broccoli’s fruit, but its
flower! - It’s an Italian vegetable, known since the Roman Empire!
- One cup of broccoli has as much vitamin C as one orange!
….and broccoli’s label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and glue this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the broccoli you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
Cauliflower
One of the most popular vegetables, cauliflower is planted in the summer in order to enjoy it in the winter! We could say that cauliflower is broccoli’s… “cousin”!
It can be eaten in many different ways: raw, combined with other vegetables, boiled as a salad with lemon or vinegar dressing, au gratin, in soups, cooked with tomato sauce or even pickled!
Lately, it is becoming increasingly popular as pizza crust, instead of dough!
It has high nutritional value and plenty of health benefits! It is also perfect for people who are on a weight loss diet, since it has very few calories!
Cauliflower’s secrets
- We eat the white part of it, which is actually the plant’s flower!
- It comes from Eastern Mediterranean countries, and people also referred to it in ancient Greece and Egypt.
- It belongs to the same family of broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts!
- The less we cook it…the better, as it retains higher nutritional value!
….and cauliflower’s label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the cauliflower you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
LEEK
A very tasty vegetable, complimenting many Greek dishes. The most
distinctive characteristic of the leek is its green and oblong leaves!
It can be sautéed in a pan and consumed plain or paired with bread, or even
in an omelet! It is also included in several Greek dishes cooked with olive oil,
such as spinach – rice, leek – rice, peas or green beans…
Leek is a perfect ingredient for winter soups, tarts and pies – it’s smoothly
combined with minced meat, chicken and bacon!
It is rich in vitamins A, B , C and K and has many health benefits!
Leek’s secrets
- It’s closely related to onions, scallions and garlic
- It was one of the main components of Egyptian and Mesopotamian diet
since 2.000 BC, as well as the ancient Greek and Roman diet. - Ancient Greeks used leeks as medicine for sore throat. Τhey also
believed that it made their voices stronger! - Leeks are a great source of iron and are beneficial for the heart. Τheir
juice can lower blood pressure!
….and this is the leek’s label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the leek you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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Cucumber
….and cucumber’s label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the cucumber you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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TOMATO
….and tomato’s label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the potato you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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CARROT
….and carrot’s label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the carrot you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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BEETROOT
….and beetroot’s label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the beetroot you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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RADISH
….and radish’s label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the radish you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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POTATO
Fried, roasted or boiled, potatoes are one of the most favorite foods of everyone, young and old!
Plant label: common name Potato
Potato’s secrets:
- It belongs to the same family as tomatoes, eggplants and peppers
- Its first Greek name was geomilo meaning “apple of the earth”.
- Potatoes grow underground, in the soil, at the plant’s roots and are called tubers.
- Potatoes originate from Peru, where they were cultivated before 5.000 BC. In Greece, they were first imported by Ioannis Kapodistrias after the Greek Revolution of 1821
….and potato’s label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the potato you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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PUMPKIN
….and pumpkin’s label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the pumpkin you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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