30 Missions

Mission #17: Pack a Nutritional Punch

Dear Vegan at Heart,

Today your mission is to be sure to eat plenty of healthy dark leafy greens.

Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of Eat to Live and Disease-Proof Your Child says that the foods that pack the biggest punch nutritionally are dark, leafy greens. We’re talkin’ collard greens, kale, spinach, bok choy, mustard greens, swiss chard, etc. If your childhood introductions to these foods were anything like mine, they were either non-existent or their healthful qualities were canceled out by the bacon with which they were overcooked.

But now there are lots of ways to get creative and add greens to your diet. You can steam them and sneak them into pasta dishes or add them to soups, wraps, and stir-fries. One of my favorite ways to get greens is to add them to smoothies. The smoothie's fruit flavors will often mask the flavor of the greens, so you won't even notice they're there.

They're tasty a side dish too. Here are 3 quick-and-easy recipes to check out:

Kale with Raisins and Pine Nuts (five stars – kale kicks nutritional ass!)

Braised Collard Greens (so simple and savory!)

Bok Choy with Ginger Vinaigrette

1.) Add greens to your shopping list.

2.) If any of the above recipes strike your fancy, add them to your “recipe box” and put the ingredients on your shopping list.

Chlorophylly yours,

Marisa

 

 

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My favorite way to cook greens Saute onions in extra-virgin olive oil (don't let it get smokey!), add a bit of ground rosemary and/or fresh or dried basil, toss in the leaves, cover, and let them heat gently for a minute or two. I usually turn them once or twice, depending upon how many I've dropped into the pan. If I have fresh parsley, I add a few chopped sprigs with the leaves. If I'm feeling particularly creative, I chop a half a sweet pepper (I prefer red or orange when I can afford them) and add it about a minute or so before adding the leaves. I don't add water because it just steals vitamins and makes everything soggy. The water in the onions and the leaves will provide any moisture needed for the steaming process..

MP (Tue, 9th Sep, 2008)

Sweet! I'm going to try the raisins with the kale. I also like cooking greens with lemon juice, salt and papper, or olive oil and red pepper flakes with balsamic.

AK (Thu, 28th Aug, 2008)

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