Eat Your Greens

This week our challenge is to eat leafy greens three times a day. Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, watercress, silverbeet and micro greens are amongst the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Per gram they have exceptionally high levels of essential nutrients. We also need them to help our bodies natural detoxification pathways through our liver and kidneys. 

But, not all of us are popeye. Some of us need some tips or pure trickery to get them into our diet. Here we’ve got some tasty recipes to make this challenge a little bit easier.

Have a read.

Leafy Green Recipes

• Green smoothie - Green smoothies are a quick and easy way to get your hit of greens. Because smoothies retain the fibre of the fruit and vegetables you are using, they also help to stabilise your blood sugar levels while keeping you full.  They’re a good option for breakfast or if you want a lighter meal or snack during the day.

       Find the recipe here.

• Green slaw - This salad is an incredibly versatile dish that can be had with protein to make a complete meal. It contains cabbage which is a cruciferous vegetable and great for detoxification. If you don’t add the dressing, this salad can be made in bulk and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Great for meal prepping for the week ahead. You can also substitute the dressing with mayonnaise for a healthy coleslaw!

       Find the recipe here.

• Poached eggs with kumara rosti and kale - This is a great balanced breakfast or brunch. Perfect to make in the weekends when you have a little bit of extra time up your sleeve. You can also substitute the kumara for carrot, beetroot or swede.
  
  Find the recipe here.

• Egg florentine with smoked salmon - This cafe style breakfast is rich in choline, Omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin D, b vitamins, iron and zinc from the combination of salmon, eggs and nutrient dense spinach. It also happens to be delicious.
  
  Find the recipe here.

• Kumara quinoa and kale fritters - These fritters are delicious hot or cold and can be made in bulk and frozen. Perfect for lunchboxes. They use the naturally gluten free grain quinoa which is also a complete protein. 
  
  Find the recipe here.

• Kale salad - Want to get on the kale bandwagon but not sure where to start? This basic salad recipe is tasty and full of nutrients. Give it a go.
  
  Find the recipe here.

• Scrambled eggs with greens and mushrooms - This recipe is great for using up any greens you have lying around. You can use silverbeet, beetroot leaves, broccoli, bok choy or whatever is in season at the farmers market.
  
  Find the recipe here.

• Chicken cordon bleu - This fancy-sounding recipe is actually really simple and uses fresh herbs in a delicious pesto alongside a green salad for a double dose of greens. Pesto is a great (and delicious) way to get in extra greens.
  
  Find the recipe here.

Quick and Easy Salad Combinations 

Salads are great, especially in Summer when our bodies are better able to digest raw foods easily. Salads are also handy because really anything goes! You can throw in whatever green leaves, colourful veggies, herbs and nuts or seeds you have lying around. So long as you have fresh veggies and a delicious dressing you can’t go wrong.

Basic Green Salad

• 3-4 cups of salad greens
• 1 spring onion (white and green part), sliced
• 1/4 cucumber, finely sliced
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh herbs e.g. parsley or mint
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds lightly toasted

Serve with a dressing of your choice.

Watercress Salad

• 3 cups of fresh watercress or rocket
• 1/4 - 1/2 red onion, very finely sliced
• 1 orange peeled, pith removed and divided into segments
• 1/4 cup of walnuts, roughly chopped
• The seeds of 1/2 pomegranate (optional)

Serve with Citrus Dressing.

Mediterranean salad

• 3 cups salad greens
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• ¼ red onion, finely sliced
• 1 cup cucumber, diced
• ¼ cup of olives, halved
• 50 grams feta, crumbled

Serve with Very Simple Dressing.

Dressing options

Dressings are just as important as the salad itself. We need good quality fat such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil or avocado to extract the most nutrients from our food. Some vitamins such as vitamins A, K and D are fat-soluble. Meaning we absorb them best when we eat fat with them.

Similarly acidic agents such as apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or orange juice can help to break down the walls of the plant structures. This makes digestion easier when we’re eating the leafy greens.

For all the dressings below, put the contents into a jar and shake well, or if needed, whiz together in a food processor.

Store your dressings in airtight containers in the fridge between uses.

Very Simple Dressing:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp vinegar (either balsamic or apple cider vinegar)

Simple Dressing:

• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Juice of a 1 orange
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Citrus Dressing:

• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• Juice of 1 orange
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp raw honey
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, finely chopped

Creamy Green Dressing:

• 4-5 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 cup rocket, watercress or herbs
• 2 tsp cream
• Salt and pepper