Greens. We’re told they’re good for us and to eat more of them. But many of us are left wondering how to get them in and how much to eat. From a Nutritionists point of view, a serving of raw leafy greens is about 2 packed cups. Cooked leafy greens should be about 1 cup. Heartier greens such as broccoli or cabbage should be in 1 cup servings, minimum! Ideally when you look at your plate, it should be at least half full of greens. Some delicious and simple ideas include:
- Smoothies!! Toss in 2 cups of spinach or kale into a smoothie. You won’t even know it’s there. Add a dash a cinnamon to disguise it even moreJ
- Kale Chips. Premade or homemade, kale chips are an excellent snack choice!
- Collard wraps. Lightly steam and cut the stem ¾ of the way down. Makes an excellent alternative to grain based wraps.
- Cauliflower or Cabbage “rice” – Shred in food processor and sauté with coconut oil and garlic. Use as a base instead of regular rice.
- Raw kale salad – break the kale up into bite size pieces and massage it with olive oil and sea salt until it softens and looks almost “cooked”. Use your imagination for toppings – onions, tomato, olives, feta
- Hide greens in your soups and stews, puree into sauces
- You can even make spinach brownies!!
Here are a few recipe links to get you started:
http://www.glutenfree-foodies.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/
http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/
When it comes to greens, more really is better. Go Forth and Get Your Green On!
Written by: Krista Boulding, RHN & Sandy Davies, RHN