Greens

Eat the rainbow, they say! Eating a colorful array of fruits and vegetables is essential to obtain crucial vitamins and minerals. We have all heard that before, but implementing that idea into daily life is different. It requires planning and commitment but is more accessible than most expect. Let's start with greens.

Greens help you detoxify, keep you regular, help to regulate glucose levels, and are packed with minerals, vitamins, fiber, potassium, iron, magnesium, and so much more.

Eat them raw, cooked, or in smoothies.

Here are a few examples of how versatile the nutritional content of greens can be:

• Collard greens contain calcium, folate, and vitamins A, C, K

• Kale contains potassium, copper, calcium, and vitamins A, K, B6, and C

• Romaine lettuce contains beta-carotene, potassium, and water

• Spinach contains magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and folic acid

Here are some ideas on how to incorporate greens into your diet.

• Prepping your greens and vegetables makes integrating them into your daily diet easier.

• I mix my greens in a big glass container and prep individual portions for the on-the-go days.

• Combine a variety of greens into your salad mix. I like mixing kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and purple cabbage. Sometimes, I'll add baby chard and collard greens to it. What I love about this hardy blend is that it can be used for stir fry, added to soups and casseroles, or eaten as a salad.

• I keep my soft leaf greens like Butter lettuce, Romaine, sprouts, micro-greens, and watercress separately, and sometimes I'll include them in the blend above for making milder salads.

• Include carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, and beets.

• I prep delicate vegetables like roasted veggies, avocado, tomato, cucumber, and fresh herbs in separate containers and add them to my salad the night before or right before eating.

• Prep your proteins, grains, nuts, and dressings. They can transform your greens into a whole different meal. Choose a theme for your salad and mix and match accordingly.

• Make it a Chinese chicken salad by adding canned mandarin orange slices, sesame seeds, wonton strips, and Asian dressing. Make a Fiesta by adding corn, tortilla chips, black beans, avocado, cilantro, and chili flakes. Southwestern homemade salad dressing: In a blender or by hand, mix avocado, yogurt or mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, and salt.

• A salad with a salad - top your greens with a chickpea or chicken curry salad. Mix celery, carrots, raisins, apples or grapes, mayonnaise, curry powder, and chicken or chickpeas. This curry salad lasts 3-4 days in the fridge.

• Smoothies. Pineapple helps to cut through the bitterness of some greens. Basil and lemon help to enhance the flavors and the greens.

• Have fun with it!