Veggie Makeovers

Seven Reason to Drink Green Smoothies

Green Smoothies provide a delicious, fruity way to get a nutritional boost from a frequently overlooked superfood: dark, green leafy vegetables.  Here are seven reasons to drink green smoothies and/or eat more greens:

1. Drinking green smoothies forms a good habit of eating greens.  Victoria Boutenko says she finds that after a few weeks of daily green smoothies, most people start to crave and enjoy eating more greens.  I have found this to be true after making green smoothies almost daily for 2 months.

2. Blending ruptures plant cell walls, making nutrients easily digested and assimilated by the body.

3. Green smoothies provide a concentrated source of valuable nutrients that people are often lacking: calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, omega-3 fats, and fiber. (Spinach and Swiss chard are not considered good sources of calcium due to their high oxalic acid content.)  Greens also contribute amino acids, the building blocks of protein.

4. Greens provide a good source of vitamin K, important for blood clotting and bone health.   (If you take blood thinning medication, keep your intake of greens consistent from day to day so the balance between food and medication is not disrupted.)

5. Green leafy vegetables are rich in beta-carotene, which improves immune function and is important for eye health. Greens also contain lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids which protect against cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

6.  Some studies have shown that adding one serving of green leafy vegetables a day lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hip fractures. (A serving is considered 1 cup raw vegetables or ½ cup cooked.)

7. Greens provide a variety of powerful antioxidants that have cancer-protective properties. 

 

Green Smoothies

Use this easy-to-remember ratio as a staring point: 1 part water: 2 parts greens: 3 parts fruit. Experiment and adjust the ratio to suit your taste.  Vary the produce, depending on what is in season.  Here's a basic recipe for starters.

½ cup water

1 cup spinach (packed)

1 fresh or frozen banana, peeled 

1 kiwi fruit, peeled 

Pour water into a blender.  Add spinach, banana, and kiwi fruit. Cover and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust if needed.  If it is too fruity, add more greens,  If it tastes too "green,"  add more fruit. Yield: 2 servings

Nutritional information per (1-cup) serving: 80 calories, 0.5 grams fat, 15 milligrams sodium, 19 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 1 gram protein 

 

Tips:

Greens: Start with milder greens such as spinach and romaine, and leaf lettuce.  Other greens to try include kale, Swiss chard, collards, beet, parsley, and wild edible greens. Remove kale stems if you don’t have a heavy-duty blender.  If you drink green smoothies daily, rotate the greens from week to week.  Otherwise, a build-up of alkaloids can occur in the body, causing unwanted symptoms such as dry mouth or nausea.

Fruit: Use a variety of fresh or frozen fruit such as orange, mango, peach, pineapple, papaya, plum, cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, apple, or pear.  Remove peels and seeds or pits as appropriate.  (When using dark-colored berries, use enough so that berry color dominates; otherwise the color will be an unappetizing brown.)

Use part frozen fruit for a colder, thicker smoothie.  Add frozen fruit gradually unless you have a heavy-duty blender.

When possible, use organic produce to get the most nutritional benefit. 

For easy cleanup, fill the blender one-third full with water.  Add a few drops of dish soap and blend briefly.  Drain and rinse.

 

Let me know what you think.  I'd love to hear about your favorite combinations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vegetable Confetti Salad with Quinoa and Toasted Pecans

I like to take this hearty make-ahead salad to potlucks.  I can make a meal out of this veggie-packed, high protein salad if I can't find any other gluten-free vegan fare on the table.

The trickiest thing about quinoa is learning to pronounce it (KEEN-wa).  Its high protein content, quick-cooking time, and slightly nutty taste make quinoa not only delicious, but nutritious, and expeditious.  It fits all three of my essential criteria for a good recipe.

You can vary this master recipe with different grains, vegetables, beans, nuts, and herbs, depending on what's in season and what you have on hand.  (See the variations at the end of the recipe.)  The one rule of thumb:  Aim for as much color as possible. This recipe uses a pressure cooker to save time and energy; if you don't have one, follow the stove-top method--it only takes 15 minutes to cook. And if you are short on time, skip the step of toasting the quinoa.

Vegetable Confetti Salad with Quinoa and Toasted Pecans

• 1 cup quinoa
• 11⁄2 cups water
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shelled frozen green soybeans
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1⁄2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1⁄2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 3 green onions, thinly-sliced
• 1⁄4-1⁄2 cup minced fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
• 3⁄4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans

Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly until water runs clear. Drain. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Place drained quinoa in the skillet and heat, stirring constantly until it is dried out, lightly toasted, and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.

Pressure Cooker Quinoa: Bring water and salt to boiling in a pressure cooker. Stir toasted quinoa into boiling water. Lock lid in place. Bring to high pressure over high heat. Reduce heat enough to maintain pressure and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow pressure to come down naturally 10 minutes. Quick release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid.Fluff with a fork. Transfer quinoa to a dinner plate to cool.

Stir oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in cooled quinoa. Stir in green soybeans, peas, bell peppers, zucchini, carrot, green onions, cilantro, and pecans. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until chilled. Keeps for several days in the refrigerator. Makes 16 (1⁄2-cup) servings. 110 calories, 6 grams fat, 160 mg sodium

Variations:

Stove Top Quinoa: Heat 1-3/4 cups water and salt to boiling in a medium saucepan. Stir in toasted quinoa. Heat to boiling; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Makes 3 cups.

Grains: Substitute 3 cups cooked millet, brown rice, or wild rice for quinoa.

Beans: Substitute cooked black beans, kidney beans, garbanzos, or cubed baked tofu.

Vegetables: Substitute lightly steamed broccoli or asparagus, chopped red or green cabbage, celery, spinach, cucumber, jicama, finely-chopped kale, halved grape tomatoes, corn, or roasted vegetables for the bell pepper, zucchini, and carrot.

Herbs: Substitute fresh basil, dill, or chives for cilantro or parsley.

Nuts: Substitute toasted slivered almonds, cashews, pine nuts, hazelnuts, shelled sunflower seeds, or pistachios for pecans.

Time-Saving Tip:  If you have a Vidalia Chop Wizard, use the small grid to quickly create vegetable "confetti" out of vegetables such as red bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, cucumber, or jicama.

 

 

 © Heather Reseck, R.D.