The green, green hills of health

Written by Robin Glowa
Monday, 15 March 2010 16:54

“When Irish eyes are smiling,

Sure ‘tis like the morn in spring.

In the lilt of Irish laughter

You can hear the angels sing.

When Irish hearts are happy,

All the world seems bright and gay.

And when Irish eyes are smiling,

Sure, they steal your heart away.”

— Chauncey Olcott and George Graff Jr.

The greening of spring and the festivities of St. Patrick’s Day provide much inspiration in the kitchen. This is a wonderful time of year to explore the luscious life-sustaining advantages of cooking with dark, leafy greens.

These greens should be a more significant part of a healthy diet, as they are some of the most invigorating foods you can give your body. Besides purifying the blood and working to eliminate depression, greens are high in fiber content, aiding digestion, stabilizing blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, boosting immunity and helping to prevent heart disease.

There is an amazing array of greens to enjoy that offer a full complement of wellness benefits. Cabbage, spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli rabe, beet greens, bok choy, kale, collard/mustard greens and arugula are packed with antioxidants as well as iron, folic acid, chlorophyll, magnesium, vitamins A and C and beta carotene.

When buying greens, consumers should choose organic as often as possible, not only for a fuller more concentrated flavor but to avoid pesticide residue. Be sure to choose greens with the most intense vivid color and bright crisp stalks, with no yellowing stalks or leaves.

There are so many enticing ways to prepare dark, leafy greens. Kale and Swiss chard are delicious torn into soups; added to frittatas; or sautéed with olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper. Beet greens are fantastic when steamed and drizzled with apple cider vinegar. Cabbage works well as a crispy crunchy coleslaw, or main component of hearty cooked dishes such as a traditional Irish colcannon.

Colcannon is a delicious part of any Irish-inspired meal and makes good use of life-sustaining greens such as parsley and kale, in addition to cabbage. May the road to preparing a delicious life rise up to greet you.

Spring colcannon

Serves 6

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (peeled, washed and chopped)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon butter (try Irish butter now available in supermarkets)

2 large sweet onions, peeled and diced

4-5 cups savoy cabbage, shredded

2 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth

4 cups kale, washed and chopped

1 cup chopped Italian or curly parsley

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add potatoes. Cook potatoes until tender, approximately 20-30 minutes. Drain, saving 1 cup of cooking water. Season potatoes with salt and pepper, then mash the potatoes, using as much cooking water as necessary to reach desired consistency.

Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large frying pan, and sauté onions until translucent.

Add savoy cabbage to pan with 1/2 cup of water or broth. Cover pan and cook over medium-low heat until cabbage is tender. Set aside.

In a stockpot, bring remaining 2 cups of water or broth to a boil. Add the kale and cook for a few minutes, just until tender. Season with salt. Remove kale from pot and drain well in a colander.

Stir cooked kale, cabbage, onions and parsley into mashed potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer mixture to a casserole dish. Dot with 1/2 tablespoon of butter; and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until piping hot. Serve immediately.

Robin Glowa, HHC, AADP, is a passionate food and wellness enthusiast who earned her certification in holistic health counseling from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and Columbia University Teachers College.

She specializes in teaching healthy cooking classes for children and adults, as well as cooking presentations and wellness workshops for many local organizations.

For more information go to theconsciouscook.net or call 203-393-1037.