Is Your Family Getting Enough Greens?     Leafy green vegetables are one of nature's richest sources of a full spectrum of nutrients. So look beyond spinach and broccoli and get familiar with kale, collards, swiss chard, arugula, bok choy and other greens you can find at your grocery store, specialty stores and of course farmer's markets depending on the season. Regardless of your diet, greens should be an essential component of your day. Depending on your taste, there are many ways to get more green veggies into your diet. Through different preparations and by the very nature of vegetables, greens offer a very unique flavours and textures. From side dishes to mains and even in smoothies and juices there are endless ways to add more leafy green vegetables into your family's diet. It is very common to get overwhelmed when it comes to greens. My suggestion is to start basic. Pick one new green to "play" with until you have found a way for you and your family to enjoy it. Try smoothies, sauces, chickpea stew, chunky vegetable soup, grain dishes or simply dressed with olive oil and sea salt for example. Sure, greens can be bitter or odd, especially if they are new to your palette, however once you find a way to get them into a meal there is no turning back. Greens can help increase your energy, aid in weight loss and offer your family many health benefits that are well worth the time to experiment with. Let's take a closer look at a leafy green that has made its way into the spotlight over the past few years. Kale is a nutrient packed hearty dark green leaf that can be readily found at most major supermarkets. Benefits of kale include: Blood purification through antioxidants Contains calcium to support bone health Contains magnesium, iron and fiber Compliments anything on your plate and will boost the nutrients in any meal Kale is especially fantastic when it is just lightly steamed, sautéed or chopped up and marinated raw into a salad. Still getting your family to try something new can be a challenge, which is why we are starting with introducing kale as a snack. Kale makes a super healthy "chip" that is both kid and adult friendly and will help change your family's views on vegetables. Zesty Kale Krisps Ingredients: 1 bunch of kale, washed and torn (you can use any variety of kale, curly kale tends to turn out the best) 1/4 cup tahini 2-3 tablespoons tamari 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup water 1 clove garlic 1 juice of half a lemon 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (can add more for a "cheesier" flavour!) Procedure: Place kale in a large mixing bowl. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth to get a thick consistency. You may have to add more water. Pour over kale and mix thoroughly with your hands to coat the kale. You want this mixture to be really glued onto the kale. In Oven: Place on parchment paper on a sheet tray, and bake on a low temperature for about 30 minutes. Keep and eye on them and turn them often to make sure they dry evenly.