Simple Ways to feed your Family more Greens!
You’ve heard it before, vegetables are arguably the most health-promoting food group. But statistics show that over 60% of Canadians are not consuming the recommended 5-7 servings per day. Eat your veggies, folks! Leafy greens, specifically, are nutritional powerhouses! Rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and water, leafy green vegetables some of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet.
Check out our segment on CTV Morning Live this morning!
Benefits of Leafy Greens
– Chlorophyll, which helps to detoxify the liver, chelates heavy metals, and reduces inflammation in the body
– Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytonutrients.
– Fiber, important for weight loss, and helps control your hunger. Also lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, and helps to temper blood-sugar swings.
– Rich sources of Potassium, important to balance sodium levels in the body and combat acidity.
– Excellent source of folate, important of course for expecting Mamas. And since folate contributes to the production of serotonin, it helps to ward off depression and improve mood.
– Rich source of calcium, which helps keep your teeth and bones strong and reduces your overall risk for osteoporosis.
– Potent source of antioxidants like vitamin C, lutein, and zeaxanthin important for healthy vision and immune system. Vitamin C helps keeps your skin and hair healthy and beautiful.
– A one-cup raw serving of any of the leafy greens has at least your daily requirement of vitamin K, with kale providing more than six times your needs, dandelion greens five times and Swiss chard about three and a half times.
– High water content, keep you hydrated and contributes to beautiful skin and hair.
3 Creative Ways of Incorporating more Greens!
Instead of sticking with only salads, find creative ways of increasing your intake of leafy greens by adding them to simple recipes. If you or your kids refuse to eat greens, these recipes are a great place to start…you won’t even taste them!
Glorious Green Smoothie
This 5-minute smoothie is a perfect energizing breakfast or snack that even kids will love!
Ingredients:
1 banana
1 cup frozen organic berries
1 ½ cups Water or almond milk
2 cups fresh baby kale
1 tsp coconut oil
Option: Add vegan protein
Directions:
Simply combine ingredients in a high speed blender, and blend until smooth!
Green Hummus
Hide your greens in this calcium-rich hummus and share with you family for a healthy snack!
Ingredients:
2 cups canned organic chickpeas
1 cup green or red swiss chard
1 cup arugula
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tbsp tahini
1 clove garlic
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp raw honey (optional)
Sea salt / cracked black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Wash and prepare greens.
- Roughly chop garlic clove.
- Combine ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender, and blend until smooth.
Tip: Make this recipe ahead and allow to sit in the fridge overnight for even better flavour!
Sensational Spinach Brownies
Spinach, that’s right! These brownies are loaded with leafy greens and still taste amazing!!
Ingredients:
¾ cup raw cacao
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
3/4 cups Gluten-free all-purpose flour
(I like Bob’s Red Mill Brand)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
½ tsp xanthan gum
2 eggs
3 cups fresh spinach
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cups pecans/walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt coconut oil in a small saucepan and blend with raw cacao; set aside and allow to cool slightly.
- Add coconut sugar to the cacao/oil mix and stir until combined.
- Blend eggs, vanilla and fresh spinach in a high speed blender.
- Add chocolate mixture to eggs/spinach mix and blend until smooth.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: GF flour, sea salt, xanthan gum, and baking soda.
- Add wet ingredients from the blender to the dry ingredients, and stir to combine.
- Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Pour into 8×8 inch greased glass pan.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly; cut into squares and eat while warm or freeze for later.
- ENJOY!!
