Everything You Need To Know About Nutrient-Rich Healing Greens Including Recipes!
Instead of panicking during this time, we hope all of you are safe and are taking the time to nourish yourselves and your loved ones. Food is not only a way to nourish the body, but also the way to heal it. So we decided to share some good green tips from our Founder, Lori C Brown, who is also a long-time certified health coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Green vegetables are the foods most commonly missing in modern diets and learning to incorporate dark, leafy greens into the diet. For some it can be easy and for others, not so much. Your health is a vehicle, not a destination.
“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined will,” Virginia Woolf. We couldn’t agree more. Stay tuned for more information and recipes we intend to share you, and for now, continue reading to get the goods!
breaking down the goods of greens!
Greens are those essential pieces in the diet, like how the sexy black dress is. It creates that healthy body and immune system. When you nourish yourself with greens, you may naturally crowd out the foods that make you sick or unhealthy. Greens help you build and strengthen the blood and respiratory system. Leafy green vegetables are also very high-alkaline foods, which may be advantageous to people exposed to higher amounts of pollution in urban areas. The alkaline minerals in our bodies are used to neutralize acidic conditions caused by the environment. So, us city lovers let us take notice! Green vegetables will help to replenish our alkaline mineral stores and continue to filter out pollutants.
Nutritionally, greens are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and K. Awesome! They are loaded with fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Although choosing organic is recommended, eating non-organic greens is still preferable to not eating any greens at all!
Some of the proven and possible benefits of consuming dark leafy greens are:
Cleared congestion, especially in lungs by reducing mucus
Blood purification
Improved liver, gall bladder and kidney function
Cancer prevention
Improved circulation
Balance of energy levels
Strengthened immune system
Promotion of healthy intestinal flora
What Type Of Greens are the most beneficial?
There are a wide variety of greens to choose from, so try to find options that you will enjoy and eat often. If you get bored with your favorites, be adventurous and explore new greens that you’ve never tried before. Broccoli is one common option, and very popular among adults and children. Also try to experiment with:
Bok Choy
Napa cabbage
Kale
Collards
Watercress
Mustard greens
Broccoli rabe, dandelion
Green cabbage is great cooked or raw, or in the form of sauerkraut.
Arugula, endive, chicory, lettuce, mesclun and wild greens are generally eaten raw, but can be consumed in any creative way you enjoy.
Spinach, Swiss chard and beet greens are best eaten in moderation because they are high in oxalic acid, which inhibits the absorption of the calcium these foods contain.
However, rotating between a variety of green vegetables shouldn’t cause any nutritional consequences in regards to calcium. A favorite snack of ours is Kale Chips! Super easy to make and we get asked a lot on how to make, so here is a quick and delicious recipe!
KALE CHIPS
What you will need:
1 to 2 bunches of kale
Olive oil (our favorite is Saloio Portuguese Premium Olive Oil, you’ll thank us later ;)
How to prep:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Remove kale from stalk, leaving the greens in large pieces.
Place a little olive oil in a bowl, dip your fingers (please, wash your hands!) and rub a very light coat of oil over the kale.
Put kale on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes or until it starts to turn a bit brown. Keep an one it as it can burn quickly.
Turn the kale over and bake the other side.
Remove and serve!
Tip:
Try different kinds of kale or collard greens. For added flavor, sprinkle a little sea salt or spice such as curry or cumin after rubbing on olive oil.
Read More: 10 Useful Foodie Lifestyle Tips to Actually Enjoy Eating Healthy
Cooking Greens
Never an easy thought, but we are here to help! Try a variety of methods:
Steaming
Boiling
Sautéing in oil
Water sautéing
Waterless cooking or lightly pickling (as in a pressed salad).
Boiling helps greens plump and relax. Boil for under a minute so that nutrients do not get lost in the water. You can also drink the cooking water as a health-giving broth or tea if you’re using organic greens.
Steaming makes greens more fibrous and tight, which helps you feel fuller, longer. This is a great method to help curb your appetite for those trying to lose weight.
Raw salad is also a wonderful preparation for greens. It’s refreshing, cooling and supplies live enzymes.
Read More: The Art Of Slow Living: Bio-Individuality
As broccoli is a commonly used vegetable dish, here is a new recipe that can change it up:
Sautéed Broccoli
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 bunch broccoli
1/2 cup grated ginger or carrot or almonds
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds (or any seeds you love!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Wash broccoli, cut off and peel the outside of the stalk, slice into pieces and put aside.
Cut the florets into bite-sized pieces.
Warm the oil in a pan, add stalk pieces and sauté for a few minutes.
Add broccoli florets, then sauté for about 2 minutes.
Add 3 tablespoons of water and grated carrots. Cover and allow the broccoli to steam for about 3-4 minutes and remove from heat.
Add toasted sesame seeds, sea salt and black pepper.
Bon Appétit!