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April, 2008
The #1 Food You Should Be Eating Right Now
When I was growing up I thought kale was a garnish. We ate greens-spinach, string beans, salad...but kale? I don't even think I knew it was called kale. It was just decoration, I didn't know people actually ate it! It wasn't until my freshman year of college at UMASS Amherst (a hippie town where eating kale was hip so everyone was doing it) that I learned that kale was not merely an ornament but a powerhouse of nutrients, easy to prepare AND tastes great. 7 Reasons To Eat Greens
- Fiber - A leader in blood sugar regulation, blood cholesterol regulation and bowel function.
- Calcium - Leafy greens are a great source of calcium which we need for development and maintenance of bones and teeth as well muscle contraction.
- Vitamin A - Essential for healthy eyesight, growth and tissue healing, healthy skin, and anti-oxidation.
- B Vitamins - Vital for human health and nourishes the nervous system.
- Vitamin C - Powerful antioxidants to supercharge the immune system. Great for strong muscles, bones and skin, too!
- Iron - This mineral aids in immune function, cognitive development, temperature regulation, energy metabolism and work performance.
- Chlorophyll - oxygenates your cells and keeps the good intestinal flora happy.
Now that you know WHY you should be eating them, here's what local celebrity chef (and my nutrition school buddy) Sandra Keros has to say about where to get them and how to eat them. Sandra teaches cooking classes all over the bay area, be sure to check her out!
What's in Season?
Always buy locally grown and/or organic greens to avoid the pesticide sprays that interfere with your Spring green liver/kidney detox. Organic greens don't cost much, usually under $2 a bunch and the taste and added nutritional benefit is well worth it.
If you don't do so already, try shopping for your greens at your local farmers market. In San Francisco, the most popular farmer's market is at The Ferry Building on Tuesdays and Saturdays and also the Alemany market where you can get organic and locally grown foods at a fraction of the cost of your local supermarket. Check out this website to find the nearest one to you if you live outside of San Francisco.
Check them out now: | Arugula | Kale | | Bok Choy | Mizuna | | Chard | Mustard Green | | Chicory | Nettles | | Collards | Radicchio | | Dandelion | Tatsoi | | Greens: Know How to Eat Them
It's important to always eat greens with a high quality fat such as organic cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil for the following reasons:
- Low quality or heat-processed oils are usually rancid before it hits your plate
- Fat-soluble vitamins like A and D can only be absorbed by your digestion system in the presence of bile, which only occurs when you eat fat.
- Oxalic acid, present in many greens, blocks the absorption of minerals like magnesium and calcium into your bones. The only way to compensate for this is eating them with a good quality low-processed fat.
- You'll feel more sated at the end of a meal.
Greens: Know How to Cook Them
Simple and easy without sacrificing flavor. Try these two methods:
Easy
1. Heat saute pan over medium heat and let get hot for about 1 minute.
2. Add enough olive oil to coat bottom of pan. Wait until oil starts to marble.
3. Add a big handful of rinsed spinach or chopped kale or other tougher greens
4. Saute and stir for two minutes, or until it bites the way you want it.
5. Add 1-2 pinches of unrefined sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and the juice from half a lemon or to taste. Yum!
Easier
Eat them raw with a little olive oil and lemon or other healthy fat like avocado. Baby spinach and mesclun greens work best for this but some people love chopped kale this way with lots of other veggies and goat cheese to top it off. Try out what looks good to you - be adventurous!
Tasty Tips: Find lots of excuses to add greens to your dishes, even if it's just to leftovers. For instance, throw a half handful or so of spinach or chopped hearty greens into soup or tomato sauce; the heat will cook the greens in 1-2 minutes. Also, when you're scrambling eggs, before you dump the eggs into the pan, take a leaf of kale, roll it up and chop it and then add to your saute pan and saute for a minute. Add eggs, stir and cook to your liking and breakfast is ready. Simple and easy as promised.
And now for one of my favorites...
Kale Chips: Click here for recipe
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Thank you for reading.
If there is a health topic or food you would like to see featured in Nourishing News write me! I would love to hear your ideas.
Sincerely,
Stacey
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