This St. Patrick’s Day, get your green on with some of the best plants for the table! You might not find a four-leaf-clover, but you’re still in luck – these greens have nutrition worthy of a pot of gold!
Leafy greens top the charts in vitamins A, C, and K, and provide ample potassium and fiber with only 5 to 40 calories per cup – so you won’t need the luck of the Irish to maintain your waistline! Kale, collards, and cabbages are natural defenders against cancer; while kale, spinach, and turnip greens are high in lutein to protect your smiling Irish eyes!
But wait, your luck gets better – Cabbage, collards, kale, turnip greens, and mustard greens taste sweetest, and chard, spinach, and lettuces are at their peak, right now, during the cool months of spring! Greens come in many shapes, colors, and flavors, and can be used for far more than just salads; and don’t forget the honorary St. Pat’s day cabbage! Mix up different varieties for salads or slaw, sauté in stir-fry or side dishes, stir into pasta and casseroles, and bake into brownies, breads, and more! Want to get your greens at the Top O’ the Mornin’? Breakfast gets better when you add greens to eggs and smoothies!
Want more information about these amazing greens? Check out this link for a “picture guide” to types of greens and how to eat them!
http://startcooking.com/salad-greens-from-a-to-z
– By Morgan McManimon-Myers, Viterbo Dietetics Student
