If you've ever had red bean ice cream at a Japanese restaurant then you’ve already eaten Adzuki beans! They are originally from China and are also grown in Japan where they are very popular, and more recently in some parts of the US. 
We love them for the same reason we adore all beans, because of the protein content. However adzuki beans are unique because they offer the lowest amount of fat and highest protein per bean than any other! Want to find out more?
Read our article on Adzuki beans written by Glowpeople for Goumbook.com

An ancient relative of wheat, Spelt is a wonderfully nutritious and ancient grain with a deep nut-like flavor. It has a higher water solubility that helps your body easily absorb its protein, vitamins and minerals. It offers a broader spectrum of nutrients compared to many of its relatives from the wheat family. It is an excellent source of manganese, and a good source of protein, copper, and zinc.
Spelt is better tolerated in the body then any other grain. Allthough it contains gluten, some Celiac patients and most wheat intolerant people find it non-problematic. 
You can cook the grain like risotto, toasting then adding stock, then simmering until completely cooked. There are also lots of different spelt pastas on the market (you will find them in Organic food stores) . You can also use Spelt flour to replace wheat flour in all your baking recipes. It is much lighter on the digestion and the taste is very similar so your recipes won't taste very different.

Parsnips may seem like an unusual vegetable to many, but they add plenty to your diet:
Their fiber content is great for digestion and their sweet taste is satisfying without being high in calories. Parsnips shine as a fiber source and are high in soluble fiber, the type that helps lower cholesterol and keep blood sugar balanced.They're a surprising source of folic acid and have ample quantities of potassium, an aid to blood pressure. Parsnips are also rich in several vitamins. They are a great source of Vitamin C with a one-cup serving providing 38% of your daily requirements. They also provide a good amount of vitamin E which, along with vitamin C, is a powerful antioxidant. Parsnips are very easy to cook and can be roasted, sauteed, pureed like mashed potato and combined with stews or soups. You can even grate them raw and add to salads.

Try this delicious recipe at home:

http://www.glowpeople.com/5/post/2013/05/roast-parsnips-with-honey-soy-and-orange.html

The Chia Seed brings huge numbers of unsurpassed nutrition along with amazing health benefits. 
With over 27 key nutrients, it contains six times more calcium than milk does. It also comes with 100% more Omega-3 nutrients than salmon as well as 41% of your overall daily fiber needs, and at only forty-one calories in a single serving of Chia seeds. 
The benefits include increased energy levels, improved digestion, and better complexion. It can also tone your muscles, boost your mental sharpness, and allow you to sleep better at night. It is a fantastic source of cholesterol-free protein and is packed with complete vegetable proteins. 
The organic chia seeds also contain a great deal of fiber, with two tablespoons giving you 42% of the amount of fiber you need to consume daily. 
I buy mine at the Organic Food Café in Dubai and have it religiously with my oats every morning. The seeds are practically flavourless so they will not alter the taste of your foods. They turn into a jelly texture when you mix them with liquids. My kids Sprinkle them on their porridge or cereal in the morning and they love them! You can sprinkle Chia seeds on salads, throw them in stews, mix them with yoghurt or juice, and bake them in pastries. Your imagination is the limit as you can serve them in seconds. They also have an impressive shelf life so you can store them as long as you want to. They are best kept in the fridge.
Here is Dr Perricone giving his view on Chia Seeds:

Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) is a wonderful Superfood that we’ve all heard a lot  about over the last couple of years. Why is it so great and more importantly how can we including it in our cooking?
The quinoa seed is high in protein, calcium and iron and is a relatively good source of vitamin E and several of the B vitamins. 
It contains an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids needed for tissue development in humans. The protein in quinoa is considered to be a complete protein due to the presence of all 8 essential amino acids. Some types of wheat come close to matching quinoa's protein content, but grains such as barley, corn, and rice generally have less than half the protein of quinoa. Quinoa is about 18% protein and just 1/2-cup will provide a child’s protein needs for one day! How amazing is that? The 6-7% fat of quinoa is relatively high when compared to other grains, but it boasts a low sodium content and also provides valuable starch and fiber. The seeds are gluten-free which makes this a nutritious and flavorful alternative grain for those with gluten sensitivity. Quinoa is a worthy addition to anyone's diet, supplying variety as well as good nutrition.  
So now for the big question: how do we cook it and how can we include it in our diet?
A classmate of mine, gave me a great breakfast recipe for the kids: 
Boil the Quinoa in a little bit of water until the grains open up, add some almond milk, cinnamon, chopped banana and a little honey to taste…It’s a great alternative to porridge and really does taste good for adults and children alike!
We cook brown rice almost daily in our home as an accompaniment to stews. I mix the quinoa in with the rice and boil them together for a more nourishing alternative. It can also be a substitute for the rice. 
Cooked quinoa is excellent in hot casseroles and soups, stews, in stir-fries, or cold in salads. The seeds cook very quickly, in only 15 minutes. Uncooked seeds may be added to soups and stews as you would barley or rice.  Cold salads consisting of quinoa and chopped vegetables or cooked beans make a quick, easy, and nutritious dish.
One of my favorite recipes is this Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad, sooooo delicious:http://www.glowpeople.com/5/post/2013/05/quinoa-salad.html

Skin is the body's largest organ. It makes sense, then, that what's good for your whole body is also good for your skin …and as far as food goes, it doesn't get much better than vegetables. 
Green vegetables are the most important of all vegetables. They are high in fiber, low in fat, rich in folic acid, vitamin C, iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium. They also contain a host of phytochemicals like lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin that contribute to a healthy immune system and can then help the performance of your body and promote hair growth and clear skin. There are many green vegetables and they include Brussels sprouts, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, peas, green beans, cucumbers, green peppers, asparagus, lima beans and celery.

You also want to look out for for red-orange-yellow vegetables that are full of beta-carotene and carotenoids. Our bodies convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, which acts as an antioxidant, preventing cell damage and premature aging. In the case of vitamin A, you also get anti-acne benefits -- vitamin A has been used in acne medications (think Retin-A) for many years.

Vitamin A helps your skin produce more fresh new cells and get rid of the old ones, reducing dryness and keeping your face looking bright and young. It's best to get this vitamin A from food and not from supplements since too much can cause health problems.

Sea Vegetables, the forgotten amazing Superfood!
The incredible plants from the sea often referred to as seaweed, have increased somewhat in popularity over the past several years due to health trends such as the Macrobiotic diet.
People wanting to feel and look better, lose weight and have more energy are looking for alternative foods that satisfy that category and they don’t come better then this!
Nutrient dense sea vegetables contain vitamin A, D, E, B1, B2, vitamin C, phosphorous, potassium, plenty of calcium, iron, iodine, fiber, sodium and small amounts of protein (the potassium is responsible for the salty flavor BTW and not the sodium as many people think!)
The regular consumption of these food in reasonable quantities, helps to give you beautiful hair and skin, stabilize blood sugar levels, cleanse the intestinal tract, purify and alkalize the blood, cleanse the lymphatic system, re-balance hormones and help bind and remove heavy metals from the system.
The Organic Food and café has a big selection of sea vegetables that come dry in packets. The first time I went to buy them, I spent about half an hour staring at shelves full of products with Japanese names, confused as to which one I should try! Based on your taste preferences, I would suggest Wakame, Agar, Nori and Arame for a milder flavor. If you enjoy a stronger taste Kombu and Dulse for example will be better for you.
How do we cook sea vegetables? They are great in salads, stews and soups such as Miso.
Most of them are just soaked in water until they soften and then thrown into salads. The water they are soaked in can be used for cooking too as its full of nutrients. If you want to use them in soups or stews, you can throw them in dry and they will soften as they cook.
Click on this link for more in depth information on each individual type of sea vegetable and get some inspiration from the listed recipes:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/guides/seaveggies.php

Some of you may have already heard of this little berry or even come across it at your local health store as its popularity rises.
Studies have shown that this little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world! Goji is the high-energy berry of a special Himalayan tree. It is packed full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. The pulp contains:
- A remarkable concentration of antioxidants that help combat premature aging, with 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins of red wine.
- A synergy of monounsaturated (healthy) fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols to help
promote cardiovascular and digestive health.
- An almost perfect essential amino acid complex in conjunction with valuable trace minerals, vital for proper muscle contraction and regeneration.
- The fatty acid content in Goji berries resembles that of olive oil, and is rich in monounsaturated oleic acid, which aids in keeping the cell membrane supple so that all hormones, neurotransmitter and insulin receptors function more efficiently.
Consuming Goji berries also:
-Protects the liver (less fatigue)
-Helps eyesight
-Supports kidney function
-Increases metabolic activity — burns fat and aids digestion
-Boosts immune function
-Improves circulation
-Promotes longevity — brings life support to the blood and all internal organs
-Test studies are showing that Goji berries may prevent the growth of cancer cells, reduce blood glucose, and lower cholesterol levels.
Savor each berry individually or add to hot and cold cereals (I add mine to my oats porridge in the morning), add a handful to your water bottle and eat them as you drink, use in soups,  baked goods, tea and fruit juice blends. They are also delicious in salads!

The health benefits of cabbage include treatment of constipation, stomach ulcers, excess weight (most of you have probably heard of the cabbage soup diet!) and skin disorders. 
Cabbage is abundant in Vitamin C, even more than oranges, which reduces free radicals in your body that are the main cause of ageing. 
Cabbage is very rich in fiber and is a good cure for constipation and related problems. It is a good detoxifier: it purifies blood and removes toxins, primarily free radicals and uric acid which is a major cause for rheumatism, arthritis and skin diseases such as eczema. This detoxifying effect of cabbage is due to the presence of vitamin C and sulphur. Cabbage is a great vegetable to include in your diet and can provide you with some special cholesterol-lowering benefits, especially if you cook it by steaming. Cabbage in general has been found to be an especially good source of sinigrin, a nutrient that has received special attention in cancer prevention research, especially with respect to bladder cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer.
You'll want to include cabbage as one of the cruciferous vegetables you eat on a regular basis if you want to receive the fantastic health benefits provided by the cruciferous vegetable family. At a minimum, include cruciferous vegetables as part of your diet 2-3 times per week, and make the serving size at least 1-1/2 cups. To retain the maximum number of nutrients and flavor in Cabbage, you can steam or sautee it. You can also eat it raw in salads. 

Try this delicious 'Cabbage and Asparagus' salad: 
http://www.glowpeople.com/5/post/2013/05/cabbage-and-asparagus-salad.html

As cereal grains go, barley is a winner when it comes to good nutrition.  This centuries-old grain is packed with fiber, contains important vitamins and minerals, is low in fat, and, like all plant products, cholesterol-free. 
Barley is a great source of dietary fiber and actually contains both soluble and insoluble fiber.  Soluble fiber is effective in lowering blood cholesterol and can reduce the risk of heart disease, and is also beneficial in slowing the absorption of sugar and reducing the risk for developing type 2 diabetes.  The insoluble fiber found in barley may be beneficial in helping the body maintain regular bowel function.  Insoluble fiber may also help lower the risk for certain cancers such as colon cancer. Like all plant foods, it is naturally cholesterol-free and low in fat.  Barley contains several vitamins and minerals including niacin (Vitamin B3), thiamine ( Vitamin B1), selenium, iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and copper. It contains antioxidants, which are also important for maintaining good health. Barley contains phytochemicals, which may decrease the risk for certain diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.  A 1/2-cup serving of cooked pearl barley, a typical grain serving, contains less than 1/2 gram of fat and only 100 calories.

Try this great Barley salad recipe at home: 
http://www.glowpeople.com/5/post/2013/05/barley-salad-with-peppers-squash-and-plums.html