Lean and Green

Green means go go go!

We all know that green foods are good for us, but why?  Well mainly it is due to their high nutritional content.  They may look garish in colour but these green veggies are packed full of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals.  They are generally low in all the bad stuff too.

So below are a few lean and green recipes that I tried over the last week along with the health benefits from their main ingredients.  They are packed FULL of green so they provide a quick easy way of getting a belly full of green goodness in one go.

Hope you enjoy.  Remember to comment let us know if you try any of them.  Perhaps post a photo of your dishes either here or on our Facebook page.

Broccoli and Mixed Greens Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 x broccoli
• 1 x bag of spring greens
• 1 x bag of spinach
• 2 x potato
• 2 x onion
• 2 x garlic cloves
• vegetable stock
• cream (as much or as little as you want)

Directions:

• Fry the onions until begin to soften.
• Add the broccoli and fry for a couple of minutes.
• Add the veggie stock and the chopped potato and spring greens.
• Season and simmer gently until the potato is soft.
• Add the spinach and heat until spinach wilts.
• Blend until smooth
• Add as much or as little cream as you like (you could use milk if you are being good)

Health benefits:

Broccoli is a super green food.  It has omega-3 which is a natural anti-inflammatory, as is sulforaphane which is also present in this superveg! Broccoli has soluble fibre in it which helps lower cholesterol.  Bone health can be boosted by eating broccoli thanks to vitamin K and calcium.

Green Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 x bag of frozen peas (kilo) 
• 1 x onion
• 1 x leafy green of your choice (e.g. spinach or watercress)
• 1 x tin of white beans of your choice (e.g. butter beans, canellini beans or haricot beans)
• vegetable stock
• Fresh herb of your choice (e.g. basil or mint)

Directions:

• Fry the onions until they begin to soften.
• Add the frozen peas and the veggie stock.
• Add the beans.
• Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the leafy green.
• Blend until smooth.
• Add herb and blend again.

Health benefits:

Peas are high in protein, fiber and micronutrients.  This slows down how fast sugars are digested!  The high levels of vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6 mean peas are good for your hearts health!

Pineapple and Spinach Smoothie

Ingredients:

• Frozen pineapple
• 1 x banana
• Milk (any type - I use unsweetened almond or soya)
• Spinach
• Wheatgrass powder (this is optional so don't worry if you don't have it)

Directions:

• What is there to say......... pop all the ingredients into the blender...... and blend.  Simple as that!

Health benefits:

Spinach really is a super food.  Spinach is high in vitamin C so great for keeping the immune system tip top.  Spinach is also high in beta-carotene which is know to help with reduce risk of cataracts, heart disease and cancer.