Getting Your Greens - Dietitian Live

“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver” – Mahatma Gandhi

Skipping out on your greens? Did you know that green fruits and vegetables have many health benefits! Green nutrients are known for keeping healthy vision, strong bones and teeth, and heart health.

Here are 3 ways to get some more greens in your diet!

1. Hiding Them

Not everyone enjoys munching on plain greens. A good way to incorporate them into your regular diet is hiding them in some of your favorite foods or drinks. For example, smoothies are a great place to start. Although some people may not think this because of the color, most of the time you can’t even taste the greens you added in!

Greens you can add into your smoothie/juices:

Spinach (vitamin E, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, etc…)
Kiwis (vitamin E, folate, antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, etc…)
Green Apples (iron, manganese, fiber source (working as a prebiotic), etc…)
Kale (vitamin A, low calories, folate, vitamin K, etc…)
Cucumber (vitamin K, magnesium, low calories, hydration source, etc…)
Wheat Grass (fiber, iron, vitamin K, vitamin A, etc…)

2. Incorporating Them Into Your Desserts or Baked Goods

Many people don’t associate greens with desserts or baked goods, but they can actually be a great addition to some of your favorite things to eat! Did you know that you can make things such as kale brownies, vanilla spinach cake, and lime avocado popsicles?

Here are two examples:

Zucchini Bread (Gluten Free):

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
In a large bowl, mix 3 eggs and 3/4 cup sugar
Add 1/2 cup melted coconut oil (or unsweetened applesauce), 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tbsp molasses
Whisk until creamy consistency and add in 2 cups gluten-free flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt
Fold all ingredients and then fold in 2 cups grated zucchini with skin on and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Into a 9×5 non-stick pan, pour in mixture, top with more walnuts, and bake for 50-55 minutes

Green:

Zucchini (high amount of antioxidants, vitamin C, B-Carotene, etc…)

Avocado Lime Popsicles:

Cut two ripe avocados and add into a blender with 15 oz coconut milk, 3 tbsp maple syrup, and 1 tsp vanilla extract
Blend all ingredients until fully combined and pour the mixture into popsicle molds
Freeze until solid (recommended for up to 6 hours)
Whisk until creamy consistency and add in 2 cups gluten-free flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt

Green:

Avocado (healthy fats, fiber, low sodium, etc…)

3. Adding Them to Meals

Adding greens to your meals may be easier than you think. Greens can be added to things such as pasta sauces, scrambled eggs, sandwiches, you name it! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all great meals to incorporate green nutrients. Don’t be fooled by the colors, try it before passing it up.

Spinach Pasta:

In a small pot of boiling water (25mL), soak 30g cashews and 2 tbsp sunflower seeds for 5 minutes
In a pan, drizzle olive oil and add 3 cloves of chopped garlic (cook for about 2 minutes)
Add in a large handful of spinach, and a dash of salt
Once spinach is dark, add to a blender with the soaked cashews, sunflower seeds, and soaking water then mix on high until fully combined
Add 50mL choice of milk, 1/2 juice of lemon, and 2 tbsp nutritional yeast into the blender and blend until smooth
Cook pasta in boiling water and add in 60g frozen peas 1 min before pasta is done cooking
Set aside 1 cup of pasta water and drain pasta and peas
Add pasta and peas back into pan with sauce and gradually pour in pasta water

Green:

Spinach (vitamin E, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, etc…)
Peas (vitamin C, fiber, protein, iron, magnesium, etc…)

Conclusion:

Don’t forget about your greens! If your meal is missing some color, think about the green foods you can add to what you typically eat. Along with that, don’t forget to check the benefits of each green under the recipes above. Knowing the nutrients in each green can help you determine which ones may be most beneficial to you!