It’s clear to me that I’m becoming known for a particular piece of advice: eat your greens! I’m not alone. In a recent New York Times article, Michael Pollan, author of the bestselling book The Omnivores Dilemma, laments the changes from leaves to seeds in our diet. By seeds, he means grains like wheat and rice. He states:
“Put in the simplest terms, we’re eating a lot more seeds and a lot fewer leaves, a tectonic dietary shift the full implications of which we are just beginning to glimpse. If I may borrow the nutritionist’s reductionist vocabulary for a moment, there are a host of critical micronutrients that are harder to get from a diet of refined seeds than from a diet of leaves.
“There are the antioxidants and all the other newly discovered phytochemicals…there is the fiber, and then there are the healthy omega-3 fats found in leafy green plants, which may turn out to be most important benefit of all.”
He's right. We don't have to mine the seas to get our omega-3's. We need to eat our greens.
Last week, I met an M.D. who left a lucrative academic career when bioidentical hormone replacement dramatically changed her health for the better. She's now practicing holistic medicine. She asked me what fish oil supplement I used. The thing is, I don’t take fish oil, and I told her so. She was shocked. But once you eat like I do for as many years as I have, you may not need fish oil either. And the reason is the greens.
The most convenient way to prepare greens is to steam them. This is how I prepare them everyday. I use a pot with a steamer insert. Heat some water to boiling in the pot. Remove stems from greens like collards or kale other than the lacinato type. Chop the greens into bite size pieces. Remember one serving is the size of the eater’s fist, packed tightly. Place the greens in the steamer basket, cover with the lid and place the basket on the pot. Reduce heat to simmer.
Here are steaming times that work for me:
Bok Choy 3-5 minutes
Beet greens 5-7 minutes
Cabbage 5-7 minutes
Mustard Greens 7-10 minutes
Turnip Greens 7-10 minutes
Swiss Chard 10-15 minutes
Collard Greens 15-20 minutes
Kale 15-20 minutes
The simplest way to serve greens is with a sprinkle of umeboshi plum vinegar. Lemon juice is tasty with Swiss chard.
When I have a little more time or want something special, I might make a dish like steamed kale with sliced dates and toasted pecans. You can substitute any green for the kale. Currants and walnuts would be a good substitute for the dates and pecans, too. Get the idea?
Steamed kale with Sliced Dates and Toasted Pecans
2 bunches, about ½ pound, fresh kale or other dark leafy greens
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 TBSP grape seed oil
½ cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
¼ cup sliced pitted dates
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon salt
Rinse the greens. Cut out and discard tough stems. Chop the leaves into bite size pieces. Steam according to the chart above.
Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion and sauté until golden. Stir in the pecans. Add the greens to the skillet along with the dates, coriander and salt. Stir to distribute the dates and spices evenly. Cook for a few minutes more, until heated through, and serve. Serves 4.
Comments