Are you one of the many of people who aspires toward healthier eating habits and yet feels completely overwhelmed by where to begin? Having a healthier daily diet contributes to greater energy and mood as well as overall vibrant health in mind and body. So why does it seem like it is one of the most difficult changes to implement: to begin choosing your health over convenience?

Luckily, increasing your nutrient density intake does not have to be difficult! Using the 4 S’s of Cooking you can get more Greens into your life TODAY! The most efficient way to incorporate more nutrition, and therefore more energy, vitality and greater health, is consuming more dark leafy green vegetables. So how do you go about accessing the power of leafy greens into your life? Follow the 4 S’s of Cooking to supercharge your health in a super delicious and nutritious way!

Leafy greens offer a plethora of nutritional benefits including the minerals: iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium. Leafy greens are loaded with fiber as well as folate (an important B vitamin), along with vitamins A, C and K. It is true, leafy green vegetables are just where it’s at nutritionally. If you start by simply adding in just ONE serving of leafy greens per day you will be taking a powerful step to improve your health and wellbeing. In the Standard American Diet (also known as the SAD diet), it is not possible to maximize the nutritional needs of your mind and body to feel vital and healthy on a daily basis. The research within the world of nutrition points very specifically to the benefits of eating more veggies on a daily basis and if you are stumped as to how, check out these 4 S’s of Cooking to begin improving your health today!

The 4 S’s are: Soup, Salad, Stir-fry and Smoothies.

1.     Soup. Soups are such a great way to pack in a ton of leafy green veggies. You can chop and add, or blend in green vegetables like broccoli, spinach or kale to any soup. Or you can incorporate them to a delicious nourishing stew with proteins and veggies. For summer you might prefer a lighter cold soup such as a cold cucumber-spinach soup for refreshment on a hot day. No matter what, soups can be an amazing way to pack in the leafy green veggies!

2.     Salad. While salad may seem like an obvious method of consuming your greens, they really are one of the best ways to pack in a ton of nutrition. If you are looking to go beyond the basics with salad (no boring salads here!) start with a base of your favorite dark leafy green such as spinach, arugula or kale, and then create a rainbow salad, bringing in as many colorful veggies and even fruits as possible. Top your salad off with other delicious flavors such as nuts, seeds, beans, cheese and your favorite protein. Now your salad will offer your body a nutritional boost improving how you feel both physically and mentally in one satisfying and delicious meal!

3.     Stir-fry. Stir-fry is a great way to create a one-dish meal. You can cook once and eat twice! Begin with a base of onions, garlic, peppers and carrots, and your protein of choice. Add in an extra cup or two of chopped broccoli, bok choy or mustard greens for an extra punch of leafy green nutrition! Top off with your favorite stir-fry sauce or make your own. Serve over quinoa, rice, or cauliflower rice for a filling, delicious and super healthy meal!

4.     Smoothies. Smoothies are my personal favorite way to amp up my leafy green intake. They taste like an amazingly delicious treat while beginning the day with loads of leafy green nutrition! I enjoy a variety of flavors such as strawberry-banana-cacao or pineapple-cucumber-ginger, and then I add 1-2 cups of spinach or kale to get the amazing health benefits of dark leafy greens.

Feeling inspired to eat a leafy green? Head on over to the resources section of my website and check out some delicious recipes inspired by the 4 S’s of Cooking. Want to learn more? I have a chapter dedicated to this topic along with recipes in my book Wholistic Food Therapy: A Mindful Approach to Making Peace with Food. Keep me posted on how you are adding in your leafy green vegetables!!