Super Salad

Super Salad
Perfect for lunch
Number of Servings
Serves 1
Ingredients
  • 1 cup red leaf lettuce
  • 1 cup baby arugula
  • [q:1/4] cup diced baby carrots
  • [q:1/2] cup cucumber, chopped
  • [q:1/2] avocado, sliced into quarters
  • [q:1/2] cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 hard boiled egg, quartered
  • [q:1/3] cup chopped beets
  • [q:1/2] cup halved grape tomatoes
  • sliced leek for garnish
Directions
  1. Mix together in a serving bowl.
  2. Garnish with sliced leek.
Nutrition Info
354 Calories, 12 g Protein, 160 mg Cholesterol, 39 g Carbohydrates, 15 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 14 g Fiber, 20 g Total fat (4 g sat), 159 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, [nutrition:3] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin E, Phosphorus, Potassium, [nutrition:2] Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B3 (niacin), Iron, Magnesium, [nutrition:1] Vitamin B12, Calcium, Zinc

Drink Your Greens

Drink Your Greens
It's a great way to increase your daily veggie intake!
Melissa Jellie
A green smoothie

We all know fruit and vegetables are good for us. They help lower our risk for obesity, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes. Yet, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about one in every 10 Americans eats enough of them. If you’re interested in optimal health, that’s a lot of missed opportunities!

Maybe you always intend to eat more fruit and veggies, but your busy schedule stands in the way. Eating whole foods is ideal, but if you’re falling short on the recommended five to nine servings, drinking a couple of servings might work well for you.

Way Beyond V8

When you’re making a green drink, start with a base of dark green, leafy veggies. Think of spinach, kale, collards, and bok choy as your go-to powerhouses. They’re rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. They also supply the B vitamin folate, which contributes to cell repair and heart health, and vitamin K, which can help prevent osteoporosis and decrease the risk of inflammatory diseases.

Mix raw ingredients in a blender, as opposed to a juicer. This way, the final product retains more fiber, helping you feel full longer and doing a better job of balancing blood sugar levels.

You can make green drinks by mixing in a blender, for 1 to 2 minutes, the following ingredients: 1 or 2 handfuls of leafy greens, 2 cups of coarsely chopped fruits and/or vegetables, and about 1 1⁄2 cups of liquid such as water, nut milks, or coconut water. Add powdered greens to incorporate superfoods into your drink. Here are some high-impact ingredients to try.

Powdered Greens for Your Next Smoothie

  • Spirulina

    A blue-green algae, spirulina contains protein and carotenoids, antioxidants needed for cellular health. High in gamma linolenic acid and potassium, spirulina helps stabilize blood sugar levels, reduce cholesterol, and strengthen immunity.

  • Wheat & Barley Grasses

    Research suggests that these grasses can improve symptoms of fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. Humans can’t digest whole grasses, but these green foods are available as juice and powdered extracts.

    Wheatgrass juice is 70 percent chlorophyll, contains 92 minerals, and is packed with vitamins B, C, E, and K. Because it has a unique and potent flavor, most enthusiasts prefer to take it as a powdered supplement—the perfect way to boost the nutritional value of any green drink.

    Be aware that these grasses may cause a reaction in those with gluten allergies or sensitivities.

  • Matcha Green Tea

    This green tea contains a high concentration of L-theanine, a stress-reducing amino acid that promotes brain health and helps regulate mood and alertness.

  • Beets

    This root vegetable adds sweetness to a drink. Its nutrients can improve blood flow, lower blood pressure, boost stami-na, and enhance cardiovascular health.

  • Superfruits

    Sure they’re sweet, but strawberries and blueberries also contain anthocyanins—compounds that lower blood pressure and increase the elasticity of blood vessels.

Sources

“Dark green leafy vegetables,” US Department of Agriculture, www.ars.usda.gov

“Eat blueberries and strawberries three times per week,” Harvard Health Publications

“Ergogenic and antioxidant effects of spirulina supplementation” by M. Kalafati et al., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise

Green Smoothies for Every Season by Kristine Miles ($16.95, Ulysses Press, 2013)

“The microalga Spirulina platensis presents anti-inflammatory action . . .” by I.P. Joventino et al., Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine

“Only 1 in 10 Americans eats enough fruits and veggies: CDC,” www.nlm.nih.gov/MedlinePlus

You might also like...

Contributor
The Taste for Life Staff
Tags
superfoods
green tea
beets
barley

Future Sidebar Content

Watch this space!

Roasted Cumin Beets

Roasted Cumin Beets
Number of Servings
Serves 2
Ingredients
  • 6 or 7 small beets, peeled and cut into eighths
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • [q:1/4] cup green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Sea Salt, to taste
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 °F. Toss beets with coconut oil and cumin in bowl; season with salt if desired.
  2. Spread beets on a baking sheet, and roast 30 to 40 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through and stirring beets occasionally.
  3. While beets are still hot, transfer to large bowl, and stir in green onions and lemon juice.
  4. Serve immediately!
Nutrition Info
142 Calories, 3 g Protein, 0 mg Cholesterol, 18 g Carbohydrates, 12 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 5 g Fiber, 7 g Total fat (6 g sat), 464 mg Sodium, [nutrition:4] Folate, [nutrition:2] Vitamin K, [nutrition:1] Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium

Detox Juice

Detox Juice
Number of Servings
3
Ingredients
  • 1 tsp chia seeds (optional)
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 large orange, peeled and quartered (use as much pith as possible for maximum nutrients—some people even juice with the peels on!)
  • 2 medium apples, cored and quartered
  • 3 medium beets, quartered
  • [q:1/2] inch knob of ginger—or to taste
  • 3 medium carrots, sliced lengthwise, tops removed
Directions
  1. Measure chia seeds, if using, into the bottom of the juice receptacle.
  2. Juice remaining ingredients. If you don’t like pulp, place a fine-mesh strainer over juice receptacle first.
  3. Whisk juice and chia seeds together. Let sit for five minutes so chia gel can form before enjoying.
Nutrition Info
With chia seeds: 175 Calories, 5 g Protein, 0 mg Cholesterol, 39 g Carbohydrates, 26 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 11 g Fiber, 2 g Total fat (0 g sat), 143 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, [nutrition:4] Folate, [nutrition:2] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium, [nutrition:1] Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B3 (niacin), Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus

Sautéed Beet Greens & Garlic

Sautéed Beet Greens & Garlic
Ingredients
  • 2 bunches beet greens, stems removed 
  • 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • [q:1/4] tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
  2. Add beet greens and cook uncovered until tender, about 2 minutes.
  3. Drain in a colander, then immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process.
  4. Drain well and chop.
  5. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir about 1 minute until pepper is fragrant.
  6. Stir in greens and gently toss until evenly coated with oil and garlic.
  7. Season with salt and pepper.

Red Velvet Paleo Cake

Red Velvet Paleo Cake
Number of Servings
1 cake (Serves 8)
Ingredients
  • [q:1 1/4] cups Just Like Sugar Table Top natural chicory root sweetener
  • [q:1 1/4] cups medium-shredded unsweetened coconut flakes (not coconut flour)
  • [q:1/4] cup arrowroot powder
  • [q:1/2] tsp baking powder
  • [q:1/4] tsp unprocessed salt
  • 1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 1 Tbsp pure cacao powder
  • 1 large beet, cubed and lightly steamed (170 grams)
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • [q:1/4] tart apple, unpeeled, cored, and cut into chunks (50 grams)
  • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • [q:1/2] tsp almond extract
  • 1 Tbsp raw yacon syrup (optional, for a caramel flavor)
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and lightly dust with coconut flour or arrowroot powder two 8-inch round cake pans or a 12-cupcake pan.
  2. In a dry food processor fitted with the “S” blade, grind the sweetener to a very fine powder.
  3. Add  shredded coconut to the sweetener in the food processor. Spin it for a minute until a very fine powder. Open the lid, stir the bottom, replace the lid, and grind again until the powder is uniformly fine.
  4. To the ingredients in the food processor, add arrowroot, baking powder, salt, nutritional yeast, and cacao powder. Mix well and pour into a large mixing bowl.
  5. For wet ingredients, it is better to use a blender for a smooth red color. Place in blender the beet, eggs, apple, vanilla, almond extract, and yacon syrup (if using).
  6. Blend very well until beet and apple are liquefied and smooth.
  7. Pour  wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir briefly until smooth.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan(s). Bake cupcakes for 20 to 25 minutes, or 8-inch layers for 25 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan(s) on a rack.
Nutrition Info
157 Calories, 4 g Protein, 80 mg Cholesterol, 12 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 3 g Fiber, 11 g Total fat (8 g sat), 141 mg Sodium, [nutrition:1] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Phosphorus

Caramelized Beets

Caramelized Beets
Ingredients
  • 3 large beets
  • 1 large purple onion
  • 2 to 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp sea salt
Directions
  1. Peel the beets and cut them into large chunks.
  2. Peel the onion and chop it into thin slices.
  3. Mince the garlic.
  4. Toss the beets, onions and garlic with the oil, sugar and salt in a glass baking dish.
  5. Bake the beets at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring them every 15 minutes so that the beets cook evenly.

Beet Quinoa Salad

Beet Quinoa Salad
Prep Time
20 minutes prep time, 1 hour cook time
Number of Servings
Serves 4
Ingredients

Salad

  • 1 bunch of beets, including greens
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 scallions, white and light green parts
  • 1 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled
  • 1 small avocado, diced
  • [q:1/4] cup sunflower seeds, toasted

Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon agave nectar
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • [q:1/8] teaspoon salt
  • [q:1/4] teaspoon pepper
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 450. Cut the greens from the beets at their stem. Rub a bit of olive oil on the skin of the beets, sprinkle with salt and wrap them all in a foil pack. Cook for 45 to 55 minutes until you can easily piece through with a knife. Set them aside to cool.
  2. Clean and dry the greens. Chop off and discard the stems. Chop the greens.
  3. Make the dressing:
    1. Whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, vinegar, agave and water.
    2. Mix in the garlic, salt and pepper and drizzle in the olive oil while whisking.
    3. Mix in the chives.
  4. Peel and dice the beets. Add the beets, beet greens, scallions, quinoa and avocado to the mixing bowl and toss with a generous amount of dressing. Sprinkle in the sunflower seeds and toss again.
Nutrition Info
460 Calories, 13 g Protein, 0 mg Cholesterol, 50 g Carbohydrates, 10 g Total sugars (1 g Added sugars), 13 g Fiber, 26 g Total fat (3 g sat), 244 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Folate, Phosphorus, [nutrition:4] Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, Magnesium, [nutrition:3] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), [nutrition:2] Vitamin B3 (niacin), Vitamin C, Iron, Potassium, Zinc, [nutrition:1] Calcium

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
Prep Time
25 minutes
Number of Servings
Serves 4
Ingredients
  • [q:1/2] lb golden beets, peeled and cut into [q:1/2] inch wedges
  • [q:1/2] lb red beets, peeled and cut into [q:1/2] inch wedges
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • [q:1/4] cup goat cheese, crumbled
  • [q:1/8] cup chopped parsley
  • 1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
  • 1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
  1. Carefully place beets into a steamer set over boiling water. Cover and steam until beets are tender when pierced with a fork, approximately 15 minutes.
  2. Remove beets from heat. Transfer to a large glass bowl and allow to cool 10 minutes.
  3. Season beets with salt and pepper to taste. Top with goat cheese, parsley, and sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
  4. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately.

Vegetarian Beet Borscht

Vegetarian Beet Borscht
Ingredients
  • 2 medium onions, sliced into half-moons
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 1 lb beets, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt to taste
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 white cabbage, shredded
  • Pepper to taste
  • Sour cream (optional)
  • Finely chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Directions
  1. Peel and cut the onions, carrots, and beets  and sauté over medium heat in the olive oil with a pinch of salt in a large soup pot.
  2.  Bring the vegetable stock to a boil.
  3. Add the shredded cabbage and the hot stock to the softened vegetables.
  4. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 to 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
  5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  6. Serve with freshly grated black pepper, a dollop of sour cream, and chopped parsley, if desired.
Subscribe to beets