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3 Reasons to Love Leafy Greens

Leta Shy — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:31:29 PDT

You've probably been told since you were a kid to eat your veggies, and perhaps none are as important as those leafy greens. And for good reason. Here are three important reasons to get more leafy greens in your diet.

They're packed with nutrition: Leafy greens pack a lot of nutrients in just one serving. For example, a cup of raw spinach gives you more than your daily recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which is crucial for healthy skin, eyes, and teeth (if you think that's impressive, check out the rest of this chart - a cup of romaine lettuce gives you twice the amount of vitamin A!). Other important nutrients you can find in greens include magnesium (an essential mineral that helps keep your body and mind feeling alert, relaxed, and functioning properly), iron, vitamin C, and cancer-preventing phytonutrients. Not only that but greens like spinach, kale, and bok choy give your body a healthy dose of calcium.

They're versatile: You don't have to chow down on a salad every day; leafy greens can be added to any number of meals. Sauté leafy greens in a bit of olive oil and seasoning for a healthy warm side, or steam the leaves for a few minutes to maintain even more of the nutrients. You can even sneak raw leaves into a juice or smoothie to get much-needed nutrients without having to go the salad route. For an indulgent way to sneak leafy greens into your diet, try making these vegan brownies with spinach baked right in!

They help you detox: The nutritious benefits of leafy greens don't stop at disease-fighting vitamins and minerals. Leafy greens like kale, spinach, and chicory contain high levels of chlorophyll, which help your body detox and alkalize. Cabbage and other cruciferous veggies like broccoli, kale, and turnips help detox your body by promoting better liver function.

Have we convinced you? Try these five fast and easy ways to sneak veggies into your diet.

Eat Your Spinach on National Spinach Day

Camilla Salem — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:42:31 PDT

Popeye may have been partial to canned spinach to give him his giant muscles, but we prefer the fresh stuff. Despite the numerous health benefits of spinach (it's loaded with antioxidants and vitamins), we love the earthy flavor that it brings to all kinds of recipes. The addition of a handful of spinach can take your morning smoothie up a notch, and it's the perfect bed for a piece of warm, perfectly cooked fish (like salmon), as it will start to wilt slightly and absorb all of the great flavors. For more of our favorite ways to eat up this leafy green, keep reading.

Sip on This: Green Juice Loaded With Antioxidants

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:52:51 PST

Fresh green juice might be the "next frozen yogurt" in terms of a trendy, healthy snack. What could possibly be better for you than a glass of homemade, fresh-pressed vegetables and fruits? This is a super easy, delicious, and addictive green juice recipe that you can happily indulge in to rake up your daily values. Apples are high in vitamin C and naturally sweeten the beverage. Antioxidant-rich spinach and parsley are also high in vitamin A and C and iron. Cucumber and lemon add flavor and immune-boosting phytonutrients. Warming and spicy ginger aids digestion.

See juice recipe.

Hate Squeezing Out Spinach? Use Cheesecloth

Susannah Chen — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:01:13 PDT

Grating onions, hauling out trash, squeezing out frozen spinach - when it comes to least favorite kitchen tasks, these have all been at the top of my list. A new kitchen technique I've recently learned, however, might've just changed that. Thanks to my friend, cheesecloth, I no longer dislike wringing out spinach.

I hate the idea of squeezing the moisture out of chopped spinach. How is it possible to wring out a mass of minced greens? Inevitably, everything falls apart and results in a mess. Then I was looking up spinach dip recipes online and spotted a picture of someone using cheesecloth. My life will never be the same again.

Have you ever had a lightbulb-kitchen moment like mine?

Burning Question: Why Does Spinach Make Your Teeth Gritty?

Susannah Chen — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:50:00 PDT

Not too long ago, I enjoyed my favorite steakhouse side, creamed spinach, with a reliable hunk of aged meat at the House of Prime Rib. I hadn't had the dish in a while, and when I took my first bite I instantly remembered what it felt like to have "spinach teeth" - a gritty, uncomfortable sensation that one experiences after eating spinach. Why, I wondered, does spinach leave your teeth feeling rough?For starters, spinach grows best in sandy soil, so the grittiness may very well come from actual sand if it's not been thoroughly washed. But on top of this, the plant's leaves contain a high amount of oxalic acid crystals, which spread onto the teeth during the chewing process, resulting in a chalky sensation in the mouth. Spinach teeth may be enhanced when the vegetable is eaten with iron-rich substances like milk, which explains why the phenomenon is so detectable with creamed spinach.

Got a burning question? Join the Burning Question group in the YumSugar Community! It's your place to post the most pressing questions about the culinary world.

A Reader Recipe: Summer Solstice Berry Smoothie

Fit Community — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:02:26 PDT

Start your day off with this smoothie recipe from FitSugar reader AllieNic, who shared it in our Healthy Recipe group.

The sun is out; the breeze is warm - it’s definitely Summer out there! My favorite breakfast on a warm Summer morning is a nice, brain-freeze-inducing smoothie packed with spinach and berries. There’s just something about getting a green veggie in the a.m. that makes my day 100 percent better!

Summer Solstice Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 handfuls of raw spinach
1/2 cup frozen blackberries
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 frozen banana
1-2 cups So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk

Check out the rest of this post on my healthy living blog, Frisky Lemon Nutrition

Have a great recipe to share? Don't forget to post it in our Healthy Recipe group. It might end up on the FitSugar home page.

Wash Greens Without a Salad Spinner!

Katie Sweeney — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 04:03:22 PDT

I love salad spinners. They're one of my favorite kitchen tools, but sadly, I don't own one. I have to wash greens, like spinach and arugula, the old-fashioned way. Here's how it's done:

Place a large handful of greens in a colander. Rinse well with water.
Roll out a long sheet of paper towels and place on a clean kitchen surface. Alternately, spread out a clean dish towel.
Lay the greens in a single layer on top of the towels. Cover with another layer of paper towels or another dish towel. Repeat, creating layers of greens and towels, until all the greens are washed. Use immediately.

Do you have a tip for washing vegetables? Share it with us below!

Easy, Healthy Killer App: Hot Spinach Dip

Susannah Chen — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:10:53 PDT

This year, several friends and I started an informal dinner party club. Each month, we take turns hosting; the hostess makes the entrée, and everyone else is assigned a supplementary dish like a salad, appetizer, or dessert. Most recently, I was assigned the appetizer to go with a baked cheese and sausage ziti.

What to serve, I pondered, with a hearty pasta and a rich frozen dessert? The answer turned out to be a hot, creamy spinach dip, made healthier with the addition of reduced-fat sour cream and a greater proportion of spinach. Light yet indulgent, it was a nice, green start to what would be a filling meal. I can't wait to serve it again during March Madness playoffs. Want a killer app that's at once both sinful and guiltless? Just keep reading.

Meet My New Favorite Spinach Salad

Katie Sweeney — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 04:09:08 PDT

During the work week, I try to eat a veggie-packed salad for lunch everyday. Yesterday's was so delicious, I snapped a photo and decided to share the recipe with you. It's a spinach salad with roasted red peppers, garbanzo beans, and sautéed eggplant.

The thing that makes it especially flavorful is the vinaigrette - it's a mixture of sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, and smoky harissa. Although you may have to hunt down the harissa (or you could make your own), this salad is worth it.

Since I like to have something crunchy at all my meals, I enjoyed a handful of toasted almonds on the side. For a more substantial meal like dinner, offer the salad with chicken or fish. Ready for the recipe? Read more.

Think Green For St. Patrick's Day

Katie Sweeney — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 06:30:02 PST

If cooking up a traditional Irish meal isn't how you want to spend your St. Patrick's Day, why not make something that's the holiday's official color? Green! It's also the color of Spring, so many of these delicious dishes use the season's outstanding produce. Here are 10 awesome recipes for you to enjoy now.