Glorious Greens!

Courtesy of sweetonveg from Flickr

Spring is finally here! And, in my opinion, there is no better time to talk about the importance of dark, leafy green vegetables. This is one of the first things I work on with my clients, and they are always amazed at how much easier, tastier, and less expensive it can be to include them in their diets than they ever imagined.

Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine. Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upward to the sky, absorbing the sun’s light while producing oxygen. Members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli.

How do greens benefit our bodies? They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Their color is associated with spring, which is a time to renew and refresh vital energy. In traditional Asian medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.

Leafy greens are the vegetables most missing from the American diet, and many of us never learned how to prepare them. Start with the very simple recipe below. Then each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try. Soon you’ll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.

Sautéed Kale with Pine Nuts and Raisins:
Yields: 1-2 servings

1/8 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, diced
1/2 bunch kale, chopped
1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/3 cup raisins

Directions:
· Toast pine nuts on a cookie sheet in a 325-degree oven for 3-5 minutes. Careful to watch them until you figure out the right time for your oven – nuts can burn quickly and you don’t want them to turn black! Set aside.
· Heat olive oil in sauté pan.
· Add garlic and sauté for 15 seconds.
· Add greens, sea salt and raisins. Stir and cook 5 minutes or until greens are bright and just wilted.
· Turn off heat, add in pine nuts and transfer to serving dish.
· Note: You can try this recipe with any leafy green you enjoy, or try a mixture of different kinds as well!

The Big Zucchini

I was visiting with an old, dear friend of mine this past weekend who I don’t think will be surprised at all to see this story appearing on my blog!   I hadn’t seen her in over 3 years, and much has changed for both of us since then.  It was also absolutely incredible to get to visit with her now 7 year old son who was so loving and welcoming.  But aside from hearing the regular tales of his childhood, I was incredibly excited to be informed about the opportunities he has been given to get in the garden this summer, and how much he has loved growing vegetables.

Sitting at the kitchen table, I was presented with the fruit of his labor.  It was a BIG (and I mean big!) zucchini.  And while many kids might look at a guest as an opportunity to have mom serve up some special (i.e. unhealthy) treats, he wanted nothing more than to slice open that zucchini so that we could all enjoy it together.  This moment truly warmed my heart in more ways than I could possibly express.

Do kids really hate vegetables?  Or is it just that, in our modern society, we have all lost a connection to food that can be translated to the next generation?  Are we giving up and giving in to the relentless marketing that comes with “kid food” on the shelves?  What would happen if more of us were to take our kids to visit a farm, to start a small garden in our yards and have them help tend to it, or even use window boxes if a garden isn’t practical?  Kids love to play – and let’s face it kids love to play in dirt.  What if we could turn this “inconvenience” into a learning opportunity to help them understand and even participate in the process of how we get our food?  What if we could give each child a chance to grow their own big zucchini and experience the pride that comes with sharing that success with their family members and guests?

I may not have children of my own, but I feel an immense passion and obligation to help educate today’s youth about healthy eating.  I can only imagine the frustration of the parents who try and try to get their children to eat fruits and vegetables, but end up having to give into junk food just to simply get them to eat.  I don’t envy the challenges they face in battling the cartoon characters on sugary cereal boxes and the commercials for junk food permeating their kids’ favorite TV shows.  So maybe it’s time to stop fighting this battle on the TV and in the supermarkets.

Consider what it might mean for your children if they were to visit a farm and pick their own food.  Or better yet get to grow it while playing in the backyard?  What a gift it could be for both of you to experience this together, and what a moment it could be for you as a mom or dad to have your child ask at the next snack time to slice up that big zucchini.  It may not replace the calls for chips and cookies and soda, but it’s a start.  Let’s do all we can to provide our kids today the knowledge and experiences around food that might just support the choices they make in the future, and might make dinner time just a little bit easier!