Food Changes—Going Green

Are you getting enough green food in your diet? Do you feast on huge quantities of lettuce, spinach, broccoli, and kale? Or does your green food consist of lime jello and M&Ms? Have you ever had a green smoothie? Or is your choice of green beverage a cold green bottle of Sprite? Green beans or green jelly beans?

I will admit I like green M&Ms, or any color of M&Ms for that matter, and I will eat lime jello if it has pineapple and a dollop of Cool Whip and pear Jelly Bellies are my favorite. But I also like the real greens. In fact, I have had a life-long love affair with green food, but mostly in a decorative sense. Let me explain.

I have to have something green on my plate, or food does not look appetizing to me. There are a few exceptions to this—dessert and…well dessert. Seriously. My daughters and husband even include some kind of green item on the plate when they make my annual breakfast-in-bed for Mother’s Day. Of course it is usually something like an entire broccoli crown or head of lettuce (aren’t they so funny). I even order at a restaurant based on my need for green on the plate. If the meal comes with a salad, then I’m usually good, but I’ll even ask for extra garnish just to make sure I get my green. Are you wondering, why?

Is it the taste?—sometimes. For example, I LOVE the flavor of cilantro and basil and spinach and I add extra amounts to everything I cook (my family doesn’t love them as much as I do), but I’m not a huge fan of celery. Is it the smell?—sometimes. I love the smell of cilantro. I would like to roll in a cilantro meadow and I wish that sheets could be made with a light hint of cilantro fragrance. I do not, however, like the smell of spinach and broccoli. Is it the appearance?—yes, I think that most of the time that is what it is. Somehow, green on my plate equates fresh on my plate and fresh equates yummy to my brain. And green food looks so clean and clean is always good, right?

Over this past year, however, I have transitioned from the idea of green food as decoration to green food as good. I start most mornings with a green smoothie and I really like them. Really! I have found a great way to cook broccoli that my entire family enjoys. Really! And I think I could live on spinach and feta cheese salad garnished with strawberries and candied nuts. I could eat this every day. Really!

So, maybe today is a good day for you to think about the greens in your diet—are you getting enough of the good ones? If not, try some of my favorite green food recipes. If so, I would love to try some of your favorite green food recipes. Please share.

Now, you must visit Robyn at Green Smoothie Girl for lots of great ideas and information on green foods, whole foods, and raw foods. She will convince you to try green smoothies and lots of other good foods. Robyn is my green food guru.

Then, find this blog button on my sidebar and click on it to read Robyn’s blog. What a great button!

Meanwhile, I will be studying the first photo in this post to see if I can come up with a cilantro dress….