Part of the curriculum for the Holistic Health and Wellness Practitioner Program I’m currently taking is learning about the importance of adding more greens to our diets. Everyone knows greens are good for us, but did you know:

• It’s almost impossible to meet your nutrional needs without eating your greens
• Per calorie, greens are higher than any other food in protein, vitamins, minerals, and superfoods
• Cellulose (the main constituents of plants) has one of the strongest molecular structures on the planet
• Chlorophyll is a powerful detoxifier and molecular similar to human blood and helps cleanse organs, improve blood count, is antibacterial and antifungal
• Contain micronutrients (phytochemicals) believed to protect against cancer or other diseases
• …. They are the #1 most missing component in our diet!

The are countless delicious recipes to add greens to our diets…. Why not pick a kind you’ve never used before? Or prepare your favorite green in a new way? Here’s three of my favorite ways to enjoy greens:

1. Southern Style

Collard Greens and Caramelized Onions

From Greens Glorious Greens: More than 140 Ways to Prepare All Those Great-Tasting, Super-Healthy, Beautiful Leafy Greens, (c) 1996 by Johnna Albi and Catherine Walthers; St. Martin’s Press.

Serves 2 to 3

¾ Pound collard greens (6 or 7 cups chopped)

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 Onions, slices into Thin Crescents

3 Cloves Garlic, Minced

Salt to Taste

1. Wash collards, remove stalks ad stack4 to 5 leaves. Slice into strips, approximately ¼ inch wide. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet or cast-iron pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden and sweet. Take care not to burn. Add garlic and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes, until golden.
3. While the onions are cooking, bring 2 to 3 cups of water to a boil in a 10-to 12-inch skillet with a lid. Add collards, cover, and cook over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The greens are cooked when they are tender but still brightly green. Drain in a colander and set aside.
4. Add greens to onions and garlic. Season with salt to taste and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Serve hot, drizzled with additional olive oil if you dare.

I used this recipe as a side dish with home-made vegan biscuits, and seitan smothered in bar-b-q sauce- perfect if you’re craving a healthier version of southern comfort food!

2. Drink it!

Green Goddess

From Juicing for Life: A Guide to the Benefits of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Juicing, © 1992 by Trilium Health Products; the Penguin Group

Handful Spinach

3 collard leaves

4 carrots, greens removed

2 stalks celery

½ cucumber

1 apple seeded

Bunch of spinach and collard leaves, and push though hopper with carrots, celery, cucumber, and apple

There are countless variations of green juices… mix and match for your own glass of nutritional perfection!

3.  Raw Salad

Mediterranean Kale

From Raw Food Made Easy For 1 or 2 People, © 2005 by Jennifer Cornbleet

4 kale leaves, stems removed

1 ½  teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ red bell pepper, diced

1 tablespoon raw pine nuts

1 tablespoon sliced black olives

Dash black pepper (optional)

Stack 2 of the kale leaves with the stem end facing you. Fold in half lengthwise and roll tightly like a cigar. Slice crosswise into thin strips. Repeat with the remaining 2 leaves. Chop the kale strips crosswise a few times, so they aren’t too long. Place in a mixing bowl along with the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Toss well with your hands, working the dressing into the greens. Add the red bell pepper, pine nuts, and olives and toss gently. Marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. Season to taste with black pepper, if desired. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Mediterranean Kale will keep for three days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

I eat this every week! It’s so delicious and I feel like a million bucks after.

Bon Appetit!