Rae Udy

RECIPES: Steamed Fresh Spinach and Other Greens, Confetti Green Salad, Fresh Tomato Napoleon

By Rae Udy

Spring is the time for eating fresh greens. Inexpensive, quick and easy to cook, greens are great sources of vitamins A and C, potassium and calcium. Greens also provide a small amount of protein and iron.
Among the many benefits of eating green leafy foods are improved body detoxification, hormone balance, and better protection against oxidation.
Fresh greens appear to keep hormone balance healthy and may be particularly good at reducing the risk of hormone related cancers such as breast cancer, prostate cancer and ovarian cancer.
When young and tender, greens can be eaten raw in salads or lightly steamed for side dishes. Look for brightly colored leaves when buying and use as soon as possible. Wash and rinse well just before serving.
The variety of spring greens available offers a delicious taste for everyone. Beet greens, chard, collards, kale, mustard greens, spinach or turnip greens are just a few to try.
Seasonings for steamed spinach and other greens include; basil, garlic, mace, marjoram, nutmeg, oregano, mushrooms, cheese, hard-cooked eggs or vinegar.
Try these recipes for delicious greens to include more of these powerful cancer-fighting foods in your diet.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinach
http://web.cancernutritioninfo.com/main.cfm?id=1336&display=yes&RequestTimeout=500
SEASONED FRESH SPINACH OR OTHER GREENS
1 pound fresh spinach or other greens
1 Tablespoon butter, melted
¼ (one-quarter) teaspoon salt
Sort and trim greens. Remove veins, coarse stems, and roots. Wash leaves thoroughly, lifting out of water after each washing. Steam spinach in covered saucepan in one-half inch water for three to five minutes until wilted. Drain well. Pour butter over greens and sprinkle with salt. Yields six servings.

CONFETTI GREEN SALAD
Dressing:
¼ (one-quarter) cup olive oil
½ (one-half) teaspoon salt
½ (one-half) teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
2 teaspoons mustard
½ (one-half) teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine
SALAD
1 pound salad greens or fresh spinach
1 avocado, peeled and cut into large cubes
½ (one-half) cup black beans, cooked and rinsed (canned without salt works great)
½ (one-half) cup corn kernels, cooked or canned and drained
½ (one-half) cup tomato, chopped or sliced
Combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Place prepared salad greens, avocado, black beans, corn kernels, and tomato in salad bowl. Pour dressing over salad and serve. Yields 6 servings.

FRESH TOMATO NAPOLEON
4 medium-sized fresh tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ (one and one-half) tablespoons lemon juice
¼ (one-quarter) teaspoon mustard
¼ (one-quarter) teaspoon salt
¼ (one-quarter) teaspoon sugar
1/8 (one-eighth) teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups mixture of bite sized salad greens
½ (one-half) cup crumbled Feta cheese
Use tomatoes held at room temperature until fully ripe. Cut a thin slice from top and bottom of each tomato and discard. Cut tomatoes into four slices each and set aside. In a small bowl, mix oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt and sugar until well blended. In a medium bowl, toss greens with about one-half of the dressing. On each of four plates, place a tomato slice and sprinkle lightly with cheese and greens. Repeat layering three more times ending with a tomato slice on top. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve as an appetizer or a salad. Yields four servings.