If you?re thinking this is going to be a post about ecology or even about getting ready for next month?s St. Patrick?s Day, guess again.
What I?m talking about are the greens that you dine on.? The leafy, crunchy, delicious morsels that are absolutely essential to a healthy diet, and that we don?t get quite enough of in the SAD (Standard American Diet)
Back in ancient times when early man wandered the earth , they grazed as they went.? One article mentioned we may have consumed as much as six pounds of leaves in a day.? With all that walking we were hungry, and our eyes were no doubt attracted to the beautiful color of the foliage. ?I can hear them now, walking through the prehistoric landscape: ?Ugh?.. Ummmm?.tasty?.ummm. ?
Well, we still need those greens for optimal health.? The USDA recommends 3 cups per week.? Calorie for calorie, greens pack the most concentrated form of nutritional punch of any food.? They contain abundant minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium.? As far as vitamins go,? they are rich in K,C, E, and B ? all necessary for everything from blood clotting, to building strong bones, reducing inflammation, and the prevention of diabetes.
Then there are the phytonutrients . Neither vitamin, nor minerals, these chemicals found in plant foods carry names like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, and their presence in our diet can help ward off disease, and mitigate the damage aging may do to our eyes, skin and other cells.
Trying to manage weight gain?? Get more greens in your diet! Low in carbs, high in fiber,? they are slow to digest and have a high satiety value in addition to their nutritional benefits.
Best of all ? they are delicious!
There?s lots of choices out there:? kale, collards, spinach, arugula, swiss chard, mustard greens, escarole and rapini, just to name a few.? When choosing remember the darker the green color, the higher the vitamin content.
Tossing fresh greens with a little unsaturated oil such as olive or canola, or serving greens with fish or nuts will help the body absorb vitamin A and K ? both of which are fat-soluable. You can just lightly saute greens in olive oil, a smidge of garlic for a simple, wonderful preparation.
One word of caution about greens:? make sure to wash them thoroughly before eating as they can frequently be a cause of food-born illness.? I wash mine again, even if the bag says they?ve been ?triple-washed?, just to be on the safe side.? Not a bad idea to choose organic for greens as well.
So, put those greens on your grocery list with a big exclamation point!
Looking for a tasty recipe that?s easy to fix and delightful to enjoy?? Here?s one for a lovely soup which a friend shared with me a while back.? Even if you choose to go completely vegetarian switching out the chicken stock for vegetable broth, the lentils give this soup plenty of protein.
Lentil, Spinach and Lemon Soup (serves 4 with leftovers)
Ingredients:
Olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 rosemary stalk
1 cup red lentils, rinsed and picked over
3 medium potatoes, quartered and sliced into bite-sized pieces
1 quart chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
3 handfuls fresh spinach, stems removed and chopped
juice of 1 lemon (plus some zest if you really like it lemony)
salt and pepper to taste
In a medium-sized pot, heat a bit of olive oil, and cook the shallots for a few minutes.? Add the garlic and rosemary.? Cook for another few minutes, until fragrant and soft.? Add the lentils, and cook, stirring, for another few minutes.? Add the potatoes, broth, and fennel seeds.? Simmer, covered for 20 minutes until potatoes are soft and soup is creamy. ?Stir in the spinach and lemon, and serve hot.
Bet our prehistoric ancestors would have walked an extra mile or two for a bowl of this!
Source: http://blog.timesunion.com/holistichealth/going-green/11055/
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