“It’s not easy being green.” -Kermit the Frog
I love green vegetables!
There is just something so fresh and tasty about those great green foods that grow this time of the year. Oh no! This is the point where I tell you that we should all be eating our fruits and veggies!
Believe you me, I love eating junk food myself every now and then but nothing can really compare to the way your body feels when it gets all those green vegetables inside after having a whole season of eating heavier winter foods. I usually feel lighter and taller.
When I first started experimenting with food, I was a little hesitant to try new things. I love to eat but still had to be convinced that once I started eating more healthy food that I wasn’t going to be completely converted to one of those really, REALLY healthy eaters who would never go near a chocolate chip cookie.
I happen to make a mean chocolate chip cookie from scratch and that wasn’t something that I was ready to change.
I was willing to try though and my choice of recipes was “Kale with Cranberries and Toasted Pine Nuts.” Nothing too daring there. I already knew that I loved cranberries and pine nuts were no problem in my book. Kale, on the other hand, I wasn’t really sure in the beginning what it even looked like. After gathering all the ingredients, I started washing trimming and then cooking the kale. No biggie there. Pretty simple actually.
After an easy water saute, I had read that you could save the pot water, or “pot liquor” as it was called, and drink it after it had cooled- something to do with some vitamins and minerals leaching out into the water during the cooking process.
I decided to be brave and try it out.
After a few sips, my entire world turned green. Not literally, but after drinking what I thought might be inside a lawnmower on a rainy day, my energy levels went through the roof.
After that fateful day, kale and it’s other green relatives became my stimulants, my uppers. If I ever dragged through the day, all I needed to do was turn towards my green friends for a little pick me up.
Try it for yourself. Turn your world green however and with whatever screams out to you. There is a lot of energy hidden in those green stems and leaves. Take some for yourself!
While I absolutely love kale and what it’s wonderful greenness does for me, the springtime is not always the best time of the year for finding the best crops of kale.
No fear though, kale has plenty of springtime cousins that you can joyfully munch on to get that incredible springtime energy.
Here are some green options for you.
- alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, brussel sprouts
- asparagus
- bell peppers, hot peppers
- cabbage, chicory, endive, lettuce, swiss chard
- celery
- collard, kale, dandelion, or mustard greens
- green beans, peas
- parsley, watercress, spinach
