Spring is here and so is the lettuce!

Lettuce is widely popular throughout the world and is readily available in supermarkets year round with hundreds of varieties to choose from (such as arugula, little gem, lambs' lettuce, mesclun, mizuna, oak leaf lettuce, romaine hearts, watercress, bibb lettuce, and batavian... just to name a few).  Iceberg used to dominate the selections but other varieties are now catching on. Most domestic varieties are from California and imported lettuce typically arrives from Europe with quite the carbon footprint.  Locally, lettuces are abundant in May and June, when the days aren’t so hot. The best part is that once you cut the leaves, they grow back so there isn’t much time in between harvestings. 

This vegetable is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K. Generally speaking, the darker the leaf, the more nutrients it has. For example, one cup of iceberg lettuce contains 7% of your daily value of vitamin A and 22% of vitamin C. One cup of green lettuce has 53% of vitamin A and 78% of vitamin K.

Spinach contains an impressive range of active substances:  mineral salts (sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, iron, zinc, manganese, iodine, copper), vitamins (C, B1, B2, B6, PP, E, K, folic acid, vitamin A), amino acids (such as arginine and lysine), but also lipids and fiber. With only 17 calories, 100 grams of spinach supplies the body with 5 mg of iron, 500 mg of potassium, 170 mg of calcium, 23 mg of vitamin C, 2 mg of vitamin E, 150 micrograms of folic acid, 3500 micrograms of beta-carotene and 7 grams of alimentary fibers (Live and Feel, 2012). Very impressive.

For storage, wash and drip-dry your lettuce. Put it in a plastic bag and store it in the refrigerator. It likes the cold and high humidity.

A plastic bag is the simplest (and easiest) way to store lettuce in the fridge.

Another trick of the trade:  wash and dry all the lettuce at once, then putting it nicely in the bottom fridge drawer lined with towels. For the lazy among us, this means that now there is nothing separating you from a salad.  

All you do is fill a sink with cold water, then submerge the leaves, spin them in a salad spinner (or in a dish towel), then stick them in the drawer.  Once they're nestled in, salad means reaching in for a handful, spooning some vinaigrette and maybe a shaving of Parmesan, and putting on the plate (this tip courtesy of The Paupered Chef, 2010).

For some great ways to use lettuce that doesn't involve a salad, visit EatDrinkBetter. 

Enjoy!