how to fall in love with greens...
The other morning, I had some kale with umeboshi vinegar and flaxseed oil, and I thought, "My God, if people aren't eating this, they are crazy!"
If you haven't been using the ume-flax combo on greens, you are missing out! It is just so delicious. Of course, sometimes greens like kale, collards, or bok choy are good on their own – especially for superheroes. But when you feel like your greens need a little extra kick, you must put a tad of umeboshi vinegar and a bit of flaxseed oil on them. Yum! The Bok Choy and Ume Vinaigrette recipe in my book (p. 264-265) will do the trick, and ume-flax dressing is insane with cabbage, leeks, and toasted sunflower seeds too.
Also, if you are afraid or new to greens, and they sound disgusting to you, this will cure you! Try some greens with my Tahini Dressing (p. 263), Basic Ume Vinaigrette (p.172), or the Ume Sesame Dressing (p.262-263) from my book – I'm pretty sure if you hate greens, and you put one of these sauces on them, you'll love "˜em. And, of course, your body will too!
Remember to eat greens at least once a day – the dark leafy ones. Iceberg lettuce doesn't count! I'm not talking Swiss chard or spinach, I'm talking Chinese cabbage, kale, bok choy, or collards. Swiss chard and spinach are fine for vegans but not something superheroes want to eat frequently (no more than 1-2 times per week). For info on why, see p. 64 of The Kind Diet.
There is whole world of green goodness waiting for you, so try dressing up your greens with umeboshi vinegar and flaxseed oil ASAP!
What's your favorite way to prepare greens?
41 comments
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Kale is one of my ultimate fav foods! i dont usually cook them at all because it takes a lot of the nutrients out, but like if i make rice or noodles or beans ill put kale in right at the end so it gets a little softer yumm! Oh and ume is a MUST have!
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Ooops, forgot to add:
I cut my collards into big pieces and blanch them for no more than 3 minutes in boiling water and they're fine.
I also like my greens with a sprinkle of umeboshi vinegar and a pinch of smoked paprika. heaven!
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Eden Foods sells a fantastic umeboshi vinegar, along with umeboshi paste and whole plums. It's $3.41 for a 10 oz bottle, but there is shipping, so you may want to stock up on it or other amazing vegan foods to lower the per-item cost for shipping. Sorry to always sound like a shill for them, but they are (literally!) a lifesaver!
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Personally I think it's true to say "My God, if people aren't eating this, they are crazy!" about some greens... Personally I really love salads, for me the only thing is to take care of choosing a dressing without any vinegar, like the one on p.116 of "The Kind Diet"... Apart from that I think there are plenty of great vegan recipes I would like in your book, if there's no magic trick that could make me lose weight as fast as I took it...
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Tonight I am making sauted cherry tomatoes and garlic with wilted arugula and barley...cant wait!
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Just had steamed baby bok choy and Chinese mustard greens topped with your ume vinaigrette and seaweed gomashio--yummy!
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i love kale! i used to eat collards all the time but now prefer kale..its quicker to make and I just steam it and add a bit of agave to sweeten it up..love the kale chips too!
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We LOVE greens! Our favorite way to eat greens is blanched with a little ume vinegar or lemon. Last year we even made a funny video about greens.http://macromom.ca/2010/10/25/greens/
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Maybe someone needs to cook them for me, they always turn out pretty gross. Especially collard greens..
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I love my greens. I could eat them ALL the time. Sometimes my boyfriend gets annoyed with all the veggies I eat, but, it's my perogative
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No joke, I put umeboshi vinegar on everything. Everything! And, I just found out that my favorite local organic cafe/market/catering spot uses it in a few of their dishes. Sweet!
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My new favorite way to prepare greens (especially kale) is to lay large pieces flat on a cookie sheet and lightly salt them with sea salt and a tiny bit of garlic powder and bake them in the oven for about 8 minutes. They become green chips!! I eat them like candy for breakfast lunch and dinner. My husband and co-worker make fun of me. But yum!
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My favorite way to make collards comes from Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/11135?section=. It's super easy. For swiss chard, I chop up the stems and leaves and saute in olive oil and shallots. Sometimes I add a little maple syrup and a tablespoon of water.
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I'm definitely going to try the umeboshi vinegar and flax seed oil combination- that sounds like a great way to add some variety to steamed greens! I just posted two new recipes on my blog that include a variety of fresh vegetables, juicy mangoes- and loads of flavor! Can't beat that. :)
Thai Mango Noodle Noodle Salad and Mango Guacamole
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I love love LOVE making kale chips. They are so good! Drizzle some kale leaves with olive oil and sprinkle them with sea salt, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and bake them for around 20 to 25 minutes, depending on your oven. Delish!
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@ Allison-Yeah, its with the plums at whole foods :) I love that its inexpensive and a little goes a long way. I use it as salad dressing and I thought the bok choy/ume/flax recipe was DELICIOUS!
Thanks for the post Alicia...just reminded me to eat my greens today!
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Amy, I don't know about Trader Joe's, but Whole Foods carries umeboshi vinegar labeled as "UME vinegar."
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You can order it from eden foods (see below). I bought umeboshi plums in Whole Foods in the Asian and Seafood Vegetable isle, so maybe they carry the umemboshi vinegar in that isle too.
http://www.edenfoods.com/store/product_details.php?products_id=109330
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Can anyone tell me where to find umeboshi vinegar? I've looked at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's and have not found it. Unfortunately, those are really the only stores around me that would probably carry it. I live in NW Ohio.
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I sautee chopped onions and quartered brussel sprouts in extra virgin olive oil, then add turmeric and a little kosher salt. Then add chopped greens, like kale, chard and/or spinach. Add some cooked brown/wild rice and vegetable broth and cover for about 10 minutes. It is sooooo good!! I'm on my second batch this week already!
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yes this is sooooo good! I eat or juice kale daily even before I went completely vegan. Flaxseed oil is the best and even better when you mix it with Braggs apple cider vinegar! This has been my daily salad dressing for over 10 years..... the best!!! That plus some flax seeds on top and you are good to go! S
I am 46, and since I went full-on vegan about 2 1/2 months ago all people ask me is what have I done for my skin???? I tell them VEGETABLES!!! LOL too funny. Even my little adorable 17 yr old.......
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Kale is my new favorite veggie since starting TKD. Steamed, sauteed, raw. It works really well if you make it the way the sicilian collard greens are made (which is my fav recipe in tkd!). I usually alternate between collards and kale when I make it.
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I love my greens with some lemon and hemp oil, mmm... so good! I've gotta try that umeboshi stuff though!
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