Healthy Highlight: Garden Cress

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As you can tell by the trees, flowers, and your allergies, Spring is here! Spring calls for light and bright food, including herbs and citrus - two of my favorites! Garden Cress is an edible herb that we find on many sandwiches and salads with a peppery, tangy flavor and aroma, not to mention many health benefits!

  • One cup of raw Garden Cress 10% of the Daily Value of Vitamin A, 39%of the DV of Vitamin C, and a whopping 452% of the DV of Vitamin K
  • Because of the amount of Vitamin K in Garden Cress, this is a great boost to bone health. 
  • Garden Cress support immune health, ward off sickness and improve immune function
  • Historically, Garden Cress has been used to treat cough, diarrhea, vitamin C deficiency, low immunity, and constipation.

Recipes:

Cress Soup with Potatoes and Garden Cress (diet-health.info)

  • 4 Potatoes, Russet
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 teaspoon Sunflower Oil
  • 600 ml Water
  • 2 2/3 ounces Garden Cress

Seasoning and Serving:

  • 1 dash Table Salt
  • 7/8 ounce Garden Cress
  1. Chop the potatoes and onion and sweat in some hot oil in a saucepan.
  2. Pour the water (≈ 4 cups for 2 servings) on top of the potatoes and onions and let cook for 15 minutes, or until tender.​Add the fresh garden cress to the soup and purée.
  3. Season with salt, garnish with the remaining cress, and serve.

Spring Radish Salad with Egg and Garden Cress (punchfork.com)

  • 2 bunchs Radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup Garden Cress, more to taste
  • 1 large Lemon, juiced
  • 3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
  • 2 large hard Boiled Eggs, sliced or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly Ground Pepper
  • 1 pinch White Sugar
  1. Combine radishes and garden cress in a bowl.
  2. Combine oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sugar in a cup. Pour over salad and mix to combine. Garnish with egg slices.

Egg and Garden Cress Sandwiches (theflyingkitchen.com)

  • 6 Hardboiled Eggs
  • 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
  • 8 slices White Bread
  • 3 tablespoons Butter
  • Pinch Salt and Pepper
  • 2 bunches Garden Cress
  1. Peel and chop the boiled eggs.
  2. Slice the crusts off the bread.
  3. Put all the chopped egg pieces in a medium bowl.
  4. Mix the egg pieces with mayonnaise, salt and pepper.
  5. Line each bread piece with butter.
  6. Fill each sandwich with egg mix, and a layer of garden cress.
  7. Slice each square into two triangles.
  8. Serve immediately. You can also store in the refrigerator (covered) for 1-2 days.