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FOOD making carbs count
The Winter Revolution
How seasonal greens can help you stay healthy during
the cold months. By Judith Ozkan.
As the days shorten and the nights lengthen, the
healthy eating habits of spring and summer
don't need to vanish in the autumn mists.
As winter approaches, a new and nutritious
assortment of seasonal leafy vegetables emerges. Packed
with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, these winter
greens not only provide a chance to nourish yourself
throughout the cold season, but they also add colour to
your plate. From the hearty texture and colourful leaves
of chard to emerald-green kale, this group of closely
related vegetables are ready to enrich your diet and
fortify your body over the winter months.
Winter greens are nutritional marvels. They are an
exceptional source of vital nutrients and can elevate your
diet and help add variety to your plate, whether you sauté
them, add to stir fries, blend them into smoothies, or
incorporate them into hearty soups. They can be served
as a side to meats and mains, either with a dab of butter, a
sprinkling of oil or a creamy cheese sauce.
Although collards, chard, kale, and rapini (also known
as broccoli rabe), all belong to the same botanical family -
the Brassicaceae or Cruciferae family - each has its own
unique characteristics that set it apart from the others.
What they all have in common is being highly nutritious,
versatile and a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants.
They are also a good source of fibre that promotes
digestive health and may help in reducing the risk of
developing chronic diseases. The different appearances,
textures and flavours make them a good choice for a
whole variety of meals. If you have a vegetable patch, they
are all easy to grow yourself in the UK.
Collards have large, dark, smooth leaves and a slightly
bitter taste. They are known for their toughness and
require longer cooking times compared to kale which can
be used in salads, or smoothies without cooking. Rapini is
also slightly bitter, with small leaves and tender broccolilike
stems. Chard is the most flamboyant of the bunch
with its dark green leaves and red stems. It has an earthy,
slightly salty taste and can be used in a variety of dishes,
from salads to sautés.
Understanding these differences can help you choose
the best leafy green for your culinary needs, whether
you're looking for a robust addition to a stew (collards),
a hearty and nutritious salad base (kale), a slightly bitter
accent to your pasta (rapini), or a versatile green that
lends itself to various cooking methods (chard).
Eat more greens!
Adding winter greens to your diet is simple, here are
some suggestions to incorporate these nutrient-dense
vegetables into your daily meals.
• Sauté chard with garlic and olive oil for a flavourful side
dish.
• Add collards to soups, stews, or stir-fries for an extra
boost of nutrients.
• Blend rapini into a hearty winter smoothie with fruits
and yogurt for a vitamin-packed treat.
• Lightly blanch, or sauté any of the greens and add them
to poke bowls for a nutritional boost and colour.
• Steam all four and drizzle with garlic/herb infused
olive.
• Add seasoning to shredded kale leaves and bake for 20
minutes for healthier crisps.
The availability of all these greens can vary. Collard
greens are typically in season during the cooler months
and are often harvested from December to April. Kale is
a hardy plant and is usually available throughout the year
in many regions but is at its best from autumn through
to winter. Rapini and chard can be found from Autumn
onwards. All four of these greens - kale especially - are