The Skinny on Green

I am forewarning you! This maybe more information on Green than you want...so enter slowly.

Back in the spring (the beginning of the green season of the year) Debbie of Wagon on Wheels gave out her green smoothie recipe.  Since I am usually a regular consumer of greens (salads are regular for me, or as my daughter-in-law says, rabbit food) it became very easy to add more green to our diet with green smoothies.  I was doing great with this new information when my teen son broke my blender and slowed down the smoothie-making factory. Spring just yells....."eat green", while winter seems more like comfort food.

Since buying baby leaf spinach in bags at the grocery store is very convenient, it has become a staple in my grocery cart... but not on the week prior to my doctor visit.  We eat it in salads, smoothies and I drop it into soups, casseroles, lasagna and even roast spinach.  I was defending myself before the doctor with my appeal of how much spinach and greens I usually put in our diet when she informed me to rarely eat spinach raw... instead to eat it cooked.

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Well, I am one of those who rarely takes anyone's knowledge and makes it my own without investigation.

Like most information you research on the internet or books, you can find two sides to every story.

Here is some great information:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/497467-nutritional-value-of-fresh-vs-cooked-spinach/ - cooked -vs-raw

http://www.livestrong.com/article/476539-what-are-the-benefits-of-green-smoothies-for-weight-loss/ - benefits of green smoothies

Since I like raw spinach the best, I will continue to add it to our diet, while also venturing out to find ways to add cooked spinach, too.  It seems that we can gain a lot of nutritional value in cooked spinach...so here we go, Popeye!

This year, I am also making homemade hummus (dried chickpeas are cheap) and adding quinoa to our diet.  I enjoy new adventures and cooking can get old unless you add some new twists. This year, my new twists will not only be more creative, but creative through enhancing our variety with healthier choices.  I am enjoying learning through Pinterest, which is very inspirational in many areas.

This week GREEN meant there was enough GREEN in the bank to go buy some raw GREEN, and for that I am just tickled GREEN....thank you, God.

In 2012, what new foods are you adding to your table or taking away from it?

Adding new foods and eating healthier makes my Sally List...joining My Place to Yours