L is for Leeks.

I can’t lie to you… Until a couple months again, I had no idea what a leek was. I knew that you could sometimes find leeks in soups or stir fries, but I did not know how… or why… to incorporate them into my diet.
Turns out, a leek is in the allium vegetable family with scallions, garlic and onions. They actually look quite similar to scallions in that they have a white bulb and long, green leaves.
As for health benefits, leeks are a good source of bone-building manganese as well as heart-healthy vitamin C, folate and vitamin B6. It is important to incorporate allium vegetables into your daily diet to benefit from their nutritional value.
When preparing leeks (and other alliums) for your soup, stir fry or pasta dish, let them sit for at least 5 minutes after cutting and before cooking to enhance their health-promoting qualities–something I just learned.