I mentioned on facebook that I want to eat kale with every meal for at least the month of January. This sparked a discussion, mostly, could I really eat that much kale? Will I turn green? Will I get sick of kale? I figure that since kale is the most nutrient dense of the vegetables (well kale and collards) I can't go wrong with eating a lot more kale. I won't JUST be eating kale, but I will be eating it with each meal in some way or another, for at least a month, just for fun really and to come up with new ways to eat kale.
With the new year coming up, you may want to get healthier or get more green - like really get more green by eating lots more greens!
So this year, resolve to eat more green foods! Maybe you can't eat kale at every meal, but what about something green with each meal? Here are 10 green foods to include in your eating this year:
1. Kale: Put it in salads, smoothies, soups, stir fry, tofu scramble! Kale has tons of great nutrients! I really can't get enough of this leafy green. I really have been enjoying putting it in the slow cooker with about 1/2 -1 cup of water and a few spices and letting it cook down a bit, it turns out nice and fluffy and is great for these cold days!
My favorite kale recipe: Bean and Kale Scramble
2. Collards: Also packed with nutrients! Try putting collards in boiling water for a couple of minutes, and then taking them out and stuffing them with shredded veggies, brown rice and spices and making a wrap. Skip the processed breads and reach for collards instead.
My favorite collard recipe: Collards stuffed with red beans and rice.
3. Celery: Celery is a great food to snack on. Just plain or maybe with a nice side of oil free hummus. I also enjoy putting celery in salads and chopped up in soup.
My favorite celery recipe: Garlicky cream of celery soup. (I use whole grain flour in this)
4. Green grapes: When grapes are in season, they are my favorite thing to snack on. My favorite thing to do is freeze them or make a tasty frozen drink with just frozen grapes and a sprig of mint.
My favorite green grape recipe: Green Grape Granita (wow that is a lot of G's!)
5. Broccoli: Great raw or cooked, brocoli is packed full of great vitamins and nutrients. It is a food that takes a lot of effort to eat which is great for people wanting to lose weight! It's hard to binge on a bowl of broccoli (but by all means, if you want to try, you certainly can!)
My favorite broccoli recipe: Buddha's delight
6. Green Pepper: I LOVE green pepper. Green peppers add such a nice flavor to any dish. Try adding it in your winter soups or raw in your summer salads. I also like stuffing them with quinoa, tomato, black beans and chopped up squash.
My favorite green pepper recipe: Black bean and quinoa chili (I use this to fill green peppers with)
7. Asparagus: I've never been really into asparagus. But recently I discovered they are really tasty just steamed with some lemon. Also, if you are into gardening at all, asparagus is a great veggie to grow on your own! It is a member of the lily family and it grows easily and because it is a perennial it can yield a harvest for years to come!
My favorite asparagus recipe: Asparagus Pesto Pasta Salad
8. Bok Choy: Want calcium? Eat bok choy! This delightful leafy green is great in stir fry, scramble and soup and is a great source of good calcium.
My favorite bok-choy recipe: Ginger Bok choy
9. Cucumber: This is by far my favorite go to food when I think I'm hungry. I just slice up a cucumber and have it with a little balsamic vinegar, and it always does the trick! It's a great addition to any salad. It's also great with hummus.
My favorite cucumber recipe: Cucumber hummus
10. Zucchini: I recently made this recipe and it was a huge hit. It's a great way to get kids to eat more healthy. Who doesn't like dipping things in tomato sauce? Zucchini is also great sliced thin and used as a noodle substitute in lasagna, or you can make spirals from it, and enjoy raw spaghetti! Just top it with chopped tomato, garlic, basil and a little bit of ground up cashews, and you have a delightful raw dish. I also like stuffed zucchini, I cut them in half (length wise) , scoop at the middle and then make a filling with tomato, brown rice and stick it in the oven again.
My favorite zucchini recipe: Creamy Zucchini and Basil Soup
So this year, how about including a green food every day for the entire year? I'd love to see some 365 photo projects around this or even some blogs. Focusing on greens is a great way to make 2011 a great year!
Have a wonderful GREEN New Year!
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Natala Constantine is certified in plant-based nutrition through Cornell University. She has a passion for helping people go vegan and getting healthy after she reversed diabetes and so far has lost over 150 pounds. She travels full time with her husband around the country speaking about plant-based nutrition and pursuing her passion for photography. You can check out her websites: veganhope and Constantine Arts and you can find her on twitter @veganhope or here on facebook!
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