Tips on eating your Greens by Janella Purcell
Every time Popeye downed a can of Spinach, I think most of us squirmed a
little. It didn't look very appetizing being that grey-green colour and having
a sloppy texture. But the reason his muscles popped were due to the incredible
health giving properties contained in the dark green leafy vegetable. This part
of the vegetable kingdom is still relatively ignored and it really shouldn't or
needn't be. It's one of nature's finest gifts to us, especially when served
right - not out of a can like Popeye's.
Dark green leafy vegetables include kale, silver beet, English or baby spinach, rocket, all your Asian greens and to a lesser extend herbs like parsley, mint and coriander to name a few.
These veggies pack a nutritional punch thanks to their level of vitamin k, phyto-nutrients (plant), fibre, anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. They are also a rich source of minerals including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, and many vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and lots of the B vitamins. And calorie for calorie, perhaps they are the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food.
Their phyto-nutrients include beta-carotene, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects.
Greens are packed with fibre, making them very slow to digest, so they will keep you feeling full for longer and will have very little effect on your blood sugar, or wasteline.
Kale in particular can help to lower bad cholesterol thanks to its positive effect on the gall bladder, and recent studies into Kale and it's benefits to reduce your risk of cancer will make you want to rush out a buy a bunch, or 3.
Green Leafy's are cooling, which means they are helpful to eat fresh in summer, as they will cool you down. They will also help your cool your liver, which is helpful if you tend to be a bit cranky and irritable, are prone to allergies or have a lot of stress in your life. These greens are also helpful to detoxify your system. Try adding kale juice to your juice.
These benefits are enough reason for me to include them into my diet every day.
Here's how I do it -
In summer I will have either rocket or baby spinach and a big handful of coriander or parsley in my breakfast wrap. At lunch I will stir a handful of rocket through my quinoa then top it with some marinated tofu and tahini dressing. Dinner is lots of veggies with Asian greens and steamed fish.
In the cooler months, quickly sauté some kale in the pan after you've cooked your egg/s for breakfast, then add it to your wrap. Or cook it with your mushrooms and garlic. Lunch is the leftover kale from breakfast tossed though some roast veggies, chickpeas and goats feta. Dinner - what about my lentil, silver beet and coriander soup (recipe below) or a lovely Mushroom and Kale Frittata. (recipe on www.goodchefbadchef.com.au)
If you're too busy to cook at home then please still remain mindful that you need to eat or drink your greens everyday. This is where supplements come in handy. Barley grass, wheatgrass spirulina and chlorella are all wonderful as a supplement as they still retain lots of their goodness. The easiest way to use these foods is to add them into your breakfast smoothie with quinoa, rice or almond milk, some fruit and a sweetener like honey, agave or rice syrup. Yoghurt is a nice addition also. So is flax oil, flax meal or LSA and you can always stop for a wheatgrass shot at your local café.
For a hearty winter serve of greens try
Spinach, Lentil and Lemon Soup
Serves 4
1 tbls olive oil
1 onion, sliced finely
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup brown or green lentils
1 litre vegetable stock
1 bunch silver beet, white stalk removed
1 bunch coriander leaves and stems, roughly chopped
1 lemon, juiced
4 tbls taklia - 4 cloves garlic, sliced, 1/2 cup olive oil, 4 tbls coriander powder, 1 tbls sea salt
Sea salt and white pepper
2 tbls pine nuts, toasted
Method - In a large pot sauté your onion in the olive oil until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another few seconds. Now add the lentils and stir to coat them in the oil. Add the stock and simmer until they are soft. This will take around 30 minutes.
Roughly chop your spinach then add them to the pan with the coriander, then the lemon juice. Stir well then cover the pot to let the spinach wilt. Puree. Add more water if the soup it too thick.
For the taklia, fry the garlic in the oil until it just changes colour, don't let it brown. Put it in a mortar and pestle (or processor) with the oil, coriander powder and salt. Pound it until it becomes a rough paste.
Divide the soup between 4 bowls and stir 1 tbls of taklia into each. Taste for seasoning. Top with the pine nuts and serve.
Copyright Janella Purcell 2011
Dark green leafy vegetables include kale, silver beet, English or baby spinach, rocket, all your Asian greens and to a lesser extend herbs like parsley, mint and coriander to name a few.
These veggies pack a nutritional punch thanks to their level of vitamin k, phyto-nutrients (plant), fibre, anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. They are also a rich source of minerals including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, and many vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and lots of the B vitamins. And calorie for calorie, perhaps they are the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food.
Their phyto-nutrients include beta-carotene, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects.
Greens are packed with fibre, making them very slow to digest, so they will keep you feeling full for longer and will have very little effect on your blood sugar, or wasteline.
Kale in particular can help to lower bad cholesterol thanks to its positive effect on the gall bladder, and recent studies into Kale and it's benefits to reduce your risk of cancer will make you want to rush out a buy a bunch, or 3.
Green Leafy's are cooling, which means they are helpful to eat fresh in summer, as they will cool you down. They will also help your cool your liver, which is helpful if you tend to be a bit cranky and irritable, are prone to allergies or have a lot of stress in your life. These greens are also helpful to detoxify your system. Try adding kale juice to your juice.
These benefits are enough reason for me to include them into my diet every day.
Here's how I do it -
In summer I will have either rocket or baby spinach and a big handful of coriander or parsley in my breakfast wrap. At lunch I will stir a handful of rocket through my quinoa then top it with some marinated tofu and tahini dressing. Dinner is lots of veggies with Asian greens and steamed fish.
In the cooler months, quickly sauté some kale in the pan after you've cooked your egg/s for breakfast, then add it to your wrap. Or cook it with your mushrooms and garlic. Lunch is the leftover kale from breakfast tossed though some roast veggies, chickpeas and goats feta. Dinner - what about my lentil, silver beet and coriander soup (recipe below) or a lovely Mushroom and Kale Frittata. (recipe on www.goodchefbadchef.com.au)
If you're too busy to cook at home then please still remain mindful that you need to eat or drink your greens everyday. This is where supplements come in handy. Barley grass, wheatgrass spirulina and chlorella are all wonderful as a supplement as they still retain lots of their goodness. The easiest way to use these foods is to add them into your breakfast smoothie with quinoa, rice or almond milk, some fruit and a sweetener like honey, agave or rice syrup. Yoghurt is a nice addition also. So is flax oil, flax meal or LSA and you can always stop for a wheatgrass shot at your local café.
For a hearty winter serve of greens try
Spinach, Lentil and Lemon Soup
Serves 4
1 tbls olive oil
1 onion, sliced finely
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup brown or green lentils
1 litre vegetable stock
1 bunch silver beet, white stalk removed
1 bunch coriander leaves and stems, roughly chopped
1 lemon, juiced
4 tbls taklia - 4 cloves garlic, sliced, 1/2 cup olive oil, 4 tbls coriander powder, 1 tbls sea salt
Sea salt and white pepper
2 tbls pine nuts, toasted
Method - In a large pot sauté your onion in the olive oil until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another few seconds. Now add the lentils and stir to coat them in the oil. Add the stock and simmer until they are soft. This will take around 30 minutes.
Roughly chop your spinach then add them to the pan with the coriander, then the lemon juice. Stir well then cover the pot to let the spinach wilt. Puree. Add more water if the soup it too thick.
For the taklia, fry the garlic in the oil until it just changes colour, don't let it brown. Put it in a mortar and pestle (or processor) with the oil, coriander powder and salt. Pound it until it becomes a rough paste.
Divide the soup between 4 bowls and stir 1 tbls of taklia into each. Taste for seasoning. Top with the pine nuts and serve.
Copyright Janella Purcell 2011
Aarti | Tuesday, 17 May 2011 5:18:29 PM