It's Easy Eating Green
All vegetables are good vegetables, but the leafy greens are superstars. Spinach, swiss chard, kale, mustard or collard greens—take your pick. What to do with them? Steam a green (we're using quick-cooking baby kale here), sauté up a topping (it will take you 10 minutes, tops), and toss. It's that simple.
Scroll down for instructions for each component.
1. Boil 8 oz. of baby kale until tender but still crisp (about 30 seconds), or steam for about 2 minutes. Drain well, then toss with any of these six toppings.
(Note: Calories and other numbers are for one-quarter of the kale-plus-topping.)
2. In a large skillet, sauté ½ lb. sliced cremini mushrooms in 2 Tbs. olive oil until well browned, 5-7 minutes. Add 1 Tbs. reduced-sodium soy sauce and 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute.
110 cals; 1 g sat fat; 160 mg sodium; 9 g carbs; 2 g fiber; 4 g protein
3. Sauté 3 cloves sliced garlic with 1 cup drained and diced no-salt-added canned whole peeled tomatoes in 2 Tbs. olive oil for 3-5 minutes. Garnish with ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
110 cals; 2 g sat fat; 110 mg sodium; 10 g carbs; 2 g fiber; 5 g protein
4. Slice 5 cloves garlic, then sauté in 2 Tbs. olive oil with ¼ cup pecan pieces until garlic is lightly golden, about 1 minute. Season with 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar, freshly ground black pepper, and ¼ tsp. salt.
110 cals; 1 g sat fat; 150 mg sodium; 9 g carbs; 2 g fiber; 3 g protein
5. Slice a large onion. In a large skillet, sauté the onion in 2 Tbs. olive oil until golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Season with 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar, ¼ tsp. salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with ¼ cup walnut pieces.
110 cals; 1 g sat fat; 150 mg sodium; 9 g carbs; 2 g fiber; 3 g protein
6. Remove 4 oz. chicken or turkey sausage from the casing, or use a meat substitute, sliced. Sauté with 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes in 1 Tbs. olive oil, breaking sausage up into small pieces, until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
140 cals; 1.5 g sat fat; 190 mg sodium; 7 g carbs; 2 g fiber; 8 g protein
7. Whisk together 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil, 1 Tbs. reduced-sodium soy sauce, and 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar. Garnish with 2 Tbs. sesame seeds and 2 tsp. grated ginger or a ½-inch piece of ginger cut into thin matchsticks.
100 cals; 1 g sat fat; 160 mg sodium; 9 g carbs; 3 g fiber; 4 g protein
CSPI TV
Watch Kate prepare healthy and delicious dishes at youtube.com/cspitv or nutritionaction.org/healthycook.