THE KITCHEN DIVA

Does eating greens bring in the ‘green’?

For many people, the new year is a time for making resolutions and eating certain foods for “luck”. In some cultures, eating greens, blackeyed peas and cornbread are thought to bring financial reward. While I’m not superstitious, I do believe in the health benefits of eating greens.

Greens include any vegetable in the cabbage family that doesn’t form a compact head, like collards, mustards, turnips, spinach and kale.

There are several varieties of tasty and unusual types of greens, so be bold and experiment! Dark, leafy greens such as spinach, kale, collards and mustard greens are an excellent source of many nutrients. Greens contain high amounts of vitamin A and iron, as well as some calcium. Greens also are packed with antioxidants and are a wonderful addition to any diet.

If the stems of the greens are tough, don’t throw them away. There are nutrients in the stems, so chop them up into small pieces and freeze them. You can add the stems to soups and stews, saute them with your onions or add them to various dishes just the way you add in carrots.

Pot liquor, the highly seasoned liquid that is left after the greens are cooked, is full of vitamins and minerals and is a nutritious drink.

The practice of combining different types of greens is called a “mess of greens” in some American cultures. Cooking a mixture of greens along with pieces of pork is an integral part of African and African-american culinary history. During times of slavery, if greens were served one day, the leftover pot liquor and a pan of cornbread often made the meal for the next.

My vegetarian’s version for preparing a mess of greens retains the flavourful soul of the recipe, but is much healthier.

While I don’t personally believe in luck or eating certain types of food on the first day of the new year, a dish of dark, leafy, deliciously fresh greens makes me feel blessed all year long!