Leafy Greens...You Know You Want to Read This Post!

If you watch TV, read the news or access information from the internet in any fashion, then you've probably heard about the benefits of leafy greens. This sounds interesting, but what exactly are leafy greens? Do you currently eat any? Spinach counts. But you might think leafy greens is part of the lettuce family.

Not exactly, although eating different lettuces is a good thing. Leafy greens include things like Swiss Chard, Spinach Beet, Collard Greens, Kale and Bok Choy. What? Don't be intimidated by these names. They don't quite capture the heart like the names of some desserts, do they? My personal favorite: Sweet Chocolate Bread Pudding. Ahhh. They are worth getting to know, however.

Why is that? Well, leafy greens contain valuable phytochemicals that are like cancer-fighting ninjas. They play "a crucial role in fighting disease by stimulating the body's enzymes defenses against cancer-inducing substances" (The Cook's Guide to Healthy Whole Foods).  It's believed that a diet high in leafy greens (as well as cruciferous veggies) may halve the risks of certain cancers. Meet your new best friends.

Tonight, as I write this blog post, I am steaming Collard Greens. I bought a bag of them at the store; it comes one size: 32 oz of Collard Greens! This doesn't intimidate me. I'm going to walk you through my process of preparing and storing Collard Greens. Maybe you'll be brave enough to try it.






 



First, I steam the greens in about four batches, due to the size of my pan.









Then, I let them cool in the sink in a collander. My bag of greens was already chopped up, but I still have to pick through them after they are cooked and rip out the "rib" that is the middle of the leaf.  You can safely eat this part, but it is very tough and probably isn't a wise choice for newbies -- or kids.

The leftover water at the bottom of my steaming pot will be used to water plants, after it cools off of course. They will love the nutrient rich liquid. It's their only treat from me, really, as I forget to water them on a regular basis. 

Then, I put the greens in ziploc snack baggies, freeze most and put a few baggies in the fridge. I now have steamed greens that I can add to any soup or sandwich, and I won't have to steam greens again for a while. I often have a baked sweet potato, with greens and beans on top. It's actually really good. I swear!

All the while, I am smelling the aroma of this really wonderful chili cooking in my big soup pot. I'll freeze at least half of this. First time making this recipe; I didn't know it would make so much. Who would complain about having extra chili? My husband will eat this all week long. The kids will probably complain about the food being mixed together, but we'll trudge through. (Recipe from The Engine 2 Diet book.)





I wanted to give you an idea, also, of the portion sizes I give our daughters. Whole Foods are very filling, especially beans and whole grains. Here's a pic of their two bowls:

This is one ladle full. We'll also eat a fresh, whole grain bread from the infamous breadmaker with this. One of the benefits of a whole foods diet is that you are consuming calories that count. They are not empty calories, like chips for example, that are extremely palatable but don't fill you up or provide any valuable nutrients. If the girls like it, they might eat more, but this should hold them until the bedtime snack.

I'm awaiting stories of how you incorporate leafy greens into your diet. No step is too small. Don't despise small beginnings. That's my motto lately.