How to Get More Greens in Your Diet

 

Dark greens are getting a lot of attention lately. These nutritious vegetables are frequently labeled as "superfoods" — and rightly so. Many dark leafy greens (like spinach, kale or collard greens) are packed with a host of beneficial nutrients, like vitamin A, C, E and K. In addition, they're high in a variety of minerals likeiron, magnesium and calcium. That's not to mention all the fiber and antioxidants they contain as well! Greens are definitely an item you should work to include more often in your diet. Whether you're unfamiliar with these greens and are unsure of the best ways to use them or you're looking for new ways to prepare them, there are many methods and recipes to help you increase the amount of greens in your diet.

Serve up greens in breakfast recipes. You may be surprised that breakfast can be a great meal time to include a serving of greens. Get your day off to a healthy and nutritious start by tossing greens (raw or cooked) into some of your typical breakfast recipes.

·      Sautéed greens work well as a base for poached or sunny side up eggs. They're also great mixed into scrambled eggs or into a frittata. Use olive oil to sauté the greens, and add a healthy fat.

·      If you love quick breakfasts, you can add sautéed greens into a breakfast burrito.

·      Raw greens can be pureed into a breakfast smoothie or juiced for a glass of nutrient-dense vegetable juice.

Blend greens into baked goods. Another way to add greens to your meals is by blending them into foods. Baked goods (both savory and sweet) are great vehicles to add greens to.

·      When you puree or chop greens and add them to baked goods, it's an easy way to get in an extra hit of nutrition and boost the overall nutrient content of the food.

·      In addition, if you have any picky eaters in the house, blending greens into baked goods is a great way to sneak them.

·      You can add pureed or finely chopped greens into foods like: meatloaf, meatballs, lasagna, mac and cheese, casseroles, burritos or enchiladas, muffins and quick breads.

Toss them into soups and stews. One of the great qualities about greens is that they don't require a lot of cooking time — especially if you mix them into already hot foods and liquids. If you're making a batch of soup or stew, consider throwing a few handfuls of greens at the end of the cooking process. 

·      Tossing greens into soups and stews is a very quick and easy way to add more to your diet. They wilt very quickly and become soft and very tender.

·      You can add both frozen and raw, chopped greens into soups and stews. Both work very well; however, you'll need to add much more raw greens than frozen as these have already been cooked down.

·      Consider adding greens to soups or stews like: white bean soup, Italian wedding soup, beef and barley soup, vegetarian chili or chicken tortilla soup.

Puree them into sauces and marinades. Greens do have a unique flavor — some are spicy, some are bitter and some even are a little sweet. These flavors lend themselves well to different sauces or marinades.

·      You don't always have to have greens as a salad or sautéed. They can add a lot of flavor to different sauces or marinades — just like herbs would.

·      To help dark greens blend seamlessly into different sauces or marinades, you'll need to puree them or process them in a food processor. Many times, as you're making the sauce or marinade, you'll need to use a food processor or blender. As you add in other ingredients, also add in your greens.

·      Ideas for dark greens include: pesto, chimichurri sauce, tomato sauce, salsa and salad dressings.

Bulk up the nutritional value of meals with greens. It's always a great idea to look for ways to add more nutrition to each meal. Since greens are so nutrient-dense, adding these to common meals and dishes can help boost their overall nutrient content.

· Think of foods where you could add a few vegetables or greens. Take advantage of that opportunity to add greens to your meals.

· For example, you can add a hefty handful of greens to your sandwich, sub, hamburger or wrap.

· You can also consider using dark greens (especially big leafy ones like kale or collard greens) as your actual wrap. Ditch the bread and use a nutrient-dense dark green for increased nutrition.

· Other opportunities to add greens to dishes include: sautéed greens on top of pizza, wilted greens tossed into spaghetti and chopped greens into grain salads.