Mean GREEN March!

So here we are...MARCH!  The thought of longer days and Springing forward in these parts makes me giddy!  The past couple of days have felt more bearable, with temperatures in the 30s and we may even hit 40 (gasp) today!  The sun has been shining a little brighter these past couple of days and with that, I'm looking forward to all that Spring has to offer!  

One thing I start to crave more?  GREENS!  I love the delicious options that are tasting more yummy and fresh!  We love incorporating a mix of Spring Greens, Arugula, Kale and Baby Spinach whenever we can and I'm happy to say that because of their love of the freshest stuff from our past gardens, my girls also love them!  The other night I made a simple pasta with sauteed garlic, chicken and greens, adopted from this recipe.  

Health Benefits of Eating Those Greens...

Kale is a leafy green cruciferous vegetable that is chock-full of essential vitamins A, C and K as well as minerals like copper, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus. A cup of fresh kale has only about 40 calories but packs almost 3 grams of protein.

One cup of cooked kale has over 1000% more vitamin C than a cup of cooked spinach and unlike spinach, kale's oxalate content is very low which means that the calcium and iron in kale are highly absorbable in the human digestive system.

Spinach! Dark leafy greens like spinach are important for skin and hair, bone health, and provide protein, iron, vitamins and minerals.

The possible health benefits of consuming spinach include improving blood glucose control in diabetics, lowering the risk of cancer, lowering blood pressure, improving bone health, lowering the risk of developing asthma and more.

Arugula! Along with other leafy greens, arugula contains very high nitrate levels (more than 250 mg/100 g). High intakes of dietary nitrate have been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce the amount of oxygen needed during exercise and enhance athletic performance.

Take that Popeye!  Happy Wednesday Friends!