Verdant Vitality: Eat Your Greens!
The old saying “Eat your greens” is good advice. Green vegetables are particularly rich in antioxidants.
They are high in many phytonutrients, for example, Vitamin C, B-group vitamins, folate, fibre and minerals. There are different phytonutrients in different green vegetables but they are all beneficial.
Get green protection by eating vegetables such as leeks, beans, peas, broccoli, green capsicums, cucumbers, celery, cabbage, courgettes (with skin on), Brussels sprouts, asparagus, leafy greens including Asian greens and salad leaves.
Try these quick and easy suggestions:
- Steam or microwave bite-sized pieces of broccoli. Cool and add strips of roasted red capsicum, sprinkle with sliced almonds and drizzle with vinaigrette.
- Include raw celery sticks in lunchboxes, serve with nachos, dips or place on a cheese board.
- Add sliced silverbeet or spinach leaves to a hot pasta sauce before pouring over the hot pasta. The heat of the sauce will wilt the leaves.
- Stir fry a finely diced onion in a little olive oil with a sprinkling of Chinese five spice. Add finely shredded cabbage or bok choy and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Rocket and watercress will add a zing to sandwiches or rolls. Use leaves with cream cheese, sundried tomatoes and shaved ham.
- Stir fry a mix of sliced courgettes, leeks, celery, beans, asparagus, cabbage, Brussels sprouts or capsicum, broccoli or cauliflower florets, peas or beans. Heat 2 Tbsp honey, 2 Tbsp vinegar, 1 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger in the microwave until the honey is melted. Pour over the cooked greens.
- Slice a telegraph cucumber lengthwise into thin ribbons with a potato peeler. Serve as is, or on a bed of mixed salad greens with herbs, and a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar.
- Get a green bonus with your white cauliflower by cooking the green stalks.
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