greens

Recipe – Greens and Olives

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Choose Your Olive Wisely

Olives and olive oil were not only an important component of the ancient Mediterranean diet, but also one of the most successful industries in antiquity. The olive also came to have a wider cultural significance, most famously as a branch of peace and as the victor’s crown in the ancient Olympic Games.

Although oil was a common product, it was not necessarily a cheap one and there were different grades of quality.

“Traditional fermentation is a slow process caused by the action of yeast and bacteria, and it produces a food that is brimming with healthy compounds and active cultures that are good for you. But in today’s ‘faster is better’ world, olives are much more likely to be treated with lye to remove the bitterness, then packed in salt and canned. ‘Processed’ olives are those that have been through a lye bath; the more ‘old-fashioned’ (and way better) method is to cure them in oil, brine, water, or salt. Those are known as ‘oil-cured,’ ‘brine-cured,’ ‘water-cured,’ or ‘dry-salted’ olives. …

“Olives and their oils contain a host of beneficial plant compounds, including tocopherols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, sterols, and polyphenols. Polyphenols are probably what give olives their taste; the polyphenols from olives have anti-inflammatory activity, improve immune function, help prevent damage to DNA, and protect the cardiovascular system. …

“The fat in olives (and olive oil) is largely the mono-unsaturated fat oleic acid, which has been associated with higher levels of protective HDL (“good”) cholesterol. A number of studies have shown that people who get plenty of mono-unsaturated fat are less likely to die of heart disease.” The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S., 232.

Recipe – Greens and Olives

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, sliced or chopped

8-10 cups torn/chopped mixed greens such as chard, kale, turnip greens, etc.

½ cup or more olives, cut in half

2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice, or more

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, optional

salt, to taste

Process

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add pepper flakes, if using. Cook and stir another minute. Add greens a handful at a time, tossing until wilted between additions; season with salt and cook until all greens are wilted and softened, about 3 or more minutes longer. Add olives and lemon juice and toss to combine; season with more lemon juice or salt, if desired.

Recipe – Winter Greens Salad

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Powerhouse Kale

Once upon a time there was a testing procedure used by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to determine the antioxidant capacity of fruits and vegetables. It was called the ORAC test (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity).

Researchers would look at all the different antioxidants and phytochemicals that are found in a plant food and determine how well they worked together as a team to fight cell-damaging free radicals. The foods were given what is called an ORAC rating. Kale consistently scored as number one among the vegetables. (The ORAC test has since been retired, but kale continues to score high rankings on virtually all the tests that have replaced it.)

Kale is actually a type of cabbage, which means that it has even more health benefits than its antioxidant power alone. Like others in the brassica family, it contains powerful phytochemicals such as cancer-fighting indoles. It’s also high in sulfur, and contains a compound known as sulforaphane, which helps give a boost to the body’s detoxification enzymes and may help fight cancer as well. Sulforaphane is formed when vegetables containing it are chopped or chewed, and it triggers the liver to remove free radicals and other chemicals that may cause DNA damage. Several studies—including one in the Journal of Nutrition—have demonstrated that sulforaphane helps stop breast cancer proliferation.

Kale is also loaded with calcium, iron, vitamins A, C, and bone-building K. It contains seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and 10 times as much lutein and zeaxanthin, eye-promoting carotenoids known to help protect against macular degeneration. And 2 cups contain about 4g of protein and 3g of fiber, making it an all-around nutritional powerhouse vegetable. Better Nutrition, February 2020, 17.

Recipe – Winter Greens Salad

Ingredients

1 large bunch curly green kale, ribs removed, chopped into small pieces, sprinkled lightly with salt, massaged for about 30 sec.

1 medium avocado, diced

Dressing

1/3 cup sundried tomatoes

¼ cup soak water

6-8 Tbsp. olive oil

Juice and zest of 1 medium lemon (¼ cup juice), or to taste

1 ½ Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast, optional

½ tsp. salt, scant

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

Process

Cover sundried tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes to rehydrate. Remove from water; reserve ¼ cup soak water; let cool. Transfer tomatoes and soak water to blender. Add oil, lemon juice and zest, honey, nutritional yeast and salt; blend until smooth. Stir in pepper flakes. Combine prepared kale and dressing; toss until thoroughly coated. Gently fold in avocado and enjoy.

Food – Kale, the Best of Greens

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Rising immensely in popularity over the last year, kale has changed the diets of healthy eaters around the world. Low in calories, high in iron, and filled with powerful antioxidants, this vegetable has it all. And while kale’s vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K help your body stay healthy, it also serves as a delicious addition to a variety of dishes.

The beautiful leaves of the kale plant provide an earthy flavor and more nutritional value for fewer calories than almost any other food around. Although it can be found in markets throughout the year, it is in season from the middle of winter through the beginning of spring when it has a sweeter taste and is more widely available. It is easy to grow and can grow in colder temperatures where a light frost will produce especially sweet kale leaves.

Kale is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the Brassica family, a group of vegetables including cabbage, collards, and Brussels sprouts that have gained recent widespread attention due to their health-promoting, sulfur-containing phytonutrients. There are several varieties of kale; these include curly kale, ornamental kale, and dinosaur (or Lacinato or Tuscan) kale, all of which differ in taste, texture, and appearance. The scientific name for kale is Brassica oleracea.

Curly kale has ruffled leaves and a fibrous stalk and is usually deep green in color. It has a lively pungent flavor with delicious bitter peppery qualities.

Ornamental kale is a more recently cultivated species that is oftentimes referred to as salad savoy. Its leaves may either be green, white, or purple and its stalks coalesce to form a loosely knit head. Ornamental kale has a more mellow flavor and tender texture.

Dinosaur kale is the common name for the kale variety known as Lacinato or Tuscan kale. It features dark blue-green leaves that have an embossed texture. It has a slightly sweeter and more delicate taste than curly kale.

Look for kale with firm, deeply colored leaves and moist hardy stems. Kale should be displayed in a cool environment since warm temperatures will cause it to wilt and will negatively affect its flavor. The leaves should look fresh, be unwilted, and be free from signs of browning, yellowing, and small holes. Choose kale with smaller-sized leaves since these will be more tender and have a more mild flavor than those with larger leaves.

To store, place kale in a plastic storage bag removing as much of the air from the bag as possible. Store in the refrigerator where it will keep for five days. The longer it is stored, the more bitter its flavor becomes. Do not wash kale before storing because exposure to water encourages spoilage.