The last of the greens from our kitchen garden are featured here in a hearty Curried Chard Soup from THE MCDOUGALL QUICK AND EASY COOKBOOK. Both John McDougall, M.D., and Caldwell Esselstyn, M.D., author of PREVENT AND REVERSE HEART DISEASE have been our trusted guides in Whole Food Plant Based Eating with no added oil. From McDougall we have learned the importance of adding lots of satisfying starchy foods like rice, potatoes and beans to our diet. From Esselstyn we have learned the power of dark green leafy vegetables.
What’s so special about greens? They have high ORAC VALUE (Oxygen Radical Absorptive Capacity). In other words, dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, collards, swiss chard, turnip and mustard greens, bok choy, arugula, Brussels sprouts and spinach are powerful natural antioxidants that accelerate resolution of heart disease. Dr. Esselstyn explains that eating a portion the size of one’s fist (after cooking 5 minutes and seasoning with a splash of balsamic vinegar) 6 times throughout the day literally bathes the delicate endothelial lining of the blood vessels in antioxidants. These antioxidant-rich greens break down the “cauldron of oxidated inflammation” which makes up the blood vessel plaque all of us have from years of consuming THE STANDARD AMERICAN DIET of meat, dairy and refined foods.
So let’s say a bowl of this delicious soup counts for at least 2 servings of greens! Just 4 more to go! That’s no problem when you get in the habit of adding greens to everything—soups, salads, smoothies, sandwiches, pizza, pasta and even your breakfast bowl! You bet!
Enjoy in good health.
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Dorothy Greet invites you on a journey to amazing good health and vitality through Plant-Based Eating.
A heart attack turned her life upside down at age 70.
Now, with a Cornell Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition, this retired clergywoman teaches free classes to community groups upon request.
To contact Ms. Greet, email dgreet@aya.yale.edu.
For more information on plant-based eating go to greetplantbased.blogspot.com.
