Sunday, September 21, 2008

Wearing Green, Eating Green, Living Green Drinking Green?

March 17th 2008

Volume 1, Issue 6


"Never iron a four-leaf clover because you don't want to push your luck."      -Author Unknown

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Although this holiday has, in some opinions, centered around green beer, leprechauns and parades, there is much more to this holiday than meets the eye.

For me, St. Patrick's Day has always meant that spring was right around the corner.  Just think about it, a whole day devoted to the color green.

If I think green, I think of green grass, leaves growing on trees, plants sprouting out of the ground and just generally having weather conducive to spending a little bit more time outside.  I think spring!

The springtime is the best time to start re-introducing yourself to greens.  I'm not talking just about asparagus, broccoli or green beans, but also of that whole wide group of salad greens!

Not only are they easy to prepare, but they are delicious and can be used in a never-ending list of tasty recipes.

Salad greens or leafy greens offer you a laundry list of benefits.  Such as:

  • Excellent sources of minerals such as Calcium & Iron
  • Rich supplies of Folic Acid
  • Lots of Vitamins, especially A, C, & E
  • Rich source of Carotenoids
  • Fiber, fiber, fiber!
  • Huge antioxidant powerhouses
  • Preventative cancer fighter & protector, according to recent studies
  • Contains dozens of phytochemicals & micronutrients currently being studied for their positive benefits on immune function
Eating your greens is one surefire way to get all of these great benefits.  But if salads aren't your thing, consider all the other options you have.

There are a wide variety of "Green" drinks out there.  Great if you enjoy the taste of freshly mown grass!  Not great if you don't.

To be honest though, I do enjoy them myself...

There are also vitamin, mineral and green supplements out there although I wouldn't recommend relying on these entirely.  Everyone's body digests food and supplements differently.  Some will get the full benefit of these supplements, some will not.  Because of this, I would always go the whole food route because at least you'll get the fiber benefit along with the vitamin benefit.

So you're going to try greens!  Great!

Now what?

Not sure what to do  with those greens once you've gotten them home from the supermarket?

Easy!

My all-time favorite greens cookbook is one that I think EVERYONE should own.

"Greens Glorious Green!"  written by Johanna Albi & Catherine Walthers

This book contains everything you'll ever need to know about choosing the best greens, what to expect when you bring them home and how to prepare them in a way that will not only be simple, but taste incredible as well.  Over 140 different recipes!


Our Food Focus: Salad Greens

Red & Green Leaf Salad Recipe

Yields: 4 servings

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Salad:
2 cups red leaf lettuce
2 cups green leaf lettuce
1 carrot, shredded
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup raw mushrooms, sliced

For the Dressing:
1 clove finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Cooking Instructions:

1. Wash the lettuce, pat dry and set aside.

2. Mix together the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl with a whisk or in a small food processor.

3. Toss the lettuce with the dressing and transfer the salad to 4 serving plates.  Garnish with shredded carrots, sliced mushrooms and tomatoes.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving, about 1 cup Salad

Calories: 85 calories
Total Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Protein: 2 g
Total Carbohydrate: 13 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Sodium: 440 mg
Percent Calories from Fat: 35%
Percent Calories from Protein: 10%
Percent Calories from Carbohydrate: 55%


Make it Fancy:

Add 2 tablespoons of crumbled goat cheese or 1 1/2 tablespoons of shredded Gruyere cheese.  Even though this will add more fat to your salad, it will also help add another layer to the flavor and the extra fat will help to keep you satiated longer.

Make it a Meal:

Add roughly cut or chopped lean, cooked chicken breast or turkey breast.  This will up your protein intake without adding a lot of extra fat.

Make it Creative:

When shopping for produce to make your salad, experiment with different salad greens.  Different greens offer different flavors- some sweeter, some more peppery, some more crisp and watery.  

Don't be afraid to mix and match.  You've got your different lettuces, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, broccoli rabe, frisee, arugula and so many more!

The possibilities are endless!


(c)  Annette Nack, Bee Balanced Health & Wellness

This article was first published March 17th, 2008

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