We know that filling our plates with plants is key to being our healthiest. But just as important as getting our five-a-day is mixing up the plant foods we eat on a daily or weekly basis. So, we were thrilled to find the new cookbook Eat More Greens, which makes this easier than ever.
“We can all get into a rut when it comes to our eating habits. Our lifestyles are busy, and the time we spend on creating meals can be limited,” says author Fern Green. “This book is full of tips on how to increase your weekly intake of plants with delicious, simple recipes that you will enjoy.” These tasty dishes take recognizable recipes and load them with plants for maximum nourishment. Enjoy!
Potato Salad
Serves 2
1 lb. 2 oz. new potatoes
1⁄2 oz. basil leaves
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 small garlic clove
4 1⁄2 oz. frozen peas
4 1⁄4 oz. sauerkraut
1⁄2 tsp. ground turmeric
6 sliced radishes
2 sliced scallions
1 oz. mixed greens
1⁄2 oz. parsley leaves, chopped
1. Add the potatoes to a large saucepan of salted water and bring to a boil. Using a slotted spoon, add the basil leaves to the boiling water for 2 seconds to blanch, then lay on paper towels and squeeze out the excess water.
2. Whiz the basil, oil and garlic in a blender until smooth.
3. Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until tender, adding the frozen peas for the last 3 minutes for cooking.
4. Drain the peas and potatoes and add them to a bowl. Pour over the basil oil and stir through. Mix the turmeric into the sauerkraut. Divide the radishes, scallions, greens, sauerkraut and chopped parsley between two bowls and top with potatoes. Season and serve.
Per serving: 434 calories, 9g protein, 55g carbs, 13g fiber, 8g sugar, 22g fat
Mac and Cheese
Serves 6
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 large leek, chopped
14 oz. broccolini
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 1⁄4 cups 2% milk
6 oz. grated Cheddar and Parmesan cheese
1 3⁄4 oz. baby spinach
1 3⁄4 oz. chard leaves
1 3⁄4 oz. frozen peas
1 lb. short pasta
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and cook the sliced garlic, chopped leek and broccolini until softened.
2. Stir in the flour, then slowly add the milk. Simmer until thickened. Add the grated cheese, spinach, chard and thawed peas, and cook 2 minutes. Blitz in a blender until smooth.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 5 minutes. Drain, then stir pasta into the blended sauce. Pour pasta into a 10 x 14″ baking dish. Sprinkle with the slivered almonds. Bake 30 minutes, until pasta is slightly browned on top and almonds are toasted. Serve warm.
Per serving: 633 calories, 28g protein, 78g carbs, 6g fiber, 13g sugar, 24g fat
Fruit Crumble
Serves 2
6 ripe plums
3 tbsp. pomegranate seeds
1 tsp. brown sugar
1⁄4 cup mixed nuts
1 cup steel-cut oats
1 tsp. pumpkin seeds
1 tsp. sunflower seeds
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tbsp. melted unsalted butter
1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Halve the plums and remove the pits, then arrange the plums in a 12 x 8″ ovenproof dish with the pomegranate seeds and sprinkle with the brown sugar.
2. For the crumble, pulse the nuts roughly in a food processor, then add the steel-cut oats, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Pour in the maple syrup and melted butter and stir to combine. Sprinkle the fruits evenly with the crumble mix. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 20 minutes.
3. Uncover and bake for a further 20 minutes, or until the fruit is soft and the crumble is deeply browned. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Per serving: 394 calories, 8g protein, 56g carbs, 6g fiber, 32g sugar, 19g fat
