Colorful, dense, Nutiritious… this basically sums up your Vegetable Value System right? Well.. I hope if you are reading this you have put SOME kind of value on the food that goes in your mouth? Irregardless, The grocery isle and farmers market abound with Vegetables that will help nourish and sustain your body and mind, but there are some hidden gems that you probably are overlooking! Leafy Greens lie in grey area for most cooks and shoppers because A) you dont know how to look for them B) You dont know how to cook with them. Lets break down a couple today and get you on the right track.
Vegetable Greens are by-products of the vegetable which is usually growing in the ground. Modern cuisine here in the US puts little value on the stems and greens attached to the things we can mass produce and consume. Other cultures, especially Asian cultures use ALL of the plant and we often need to begin our journey to hunting down good greens in Asian markets.
The crazy thing about discarding greens is that they often have as much, if not more nutrients than the root or veggie they are attached to!. Lets take a look.
1. Beet Greens.
It is winter time which means that its all about roasting veggies. Pop on the Oven, and let heat break down the starch and proteins in the meat of the veggie. Nothing says winter time roasting for me than beets. But rarely do I see anyone cooking with the greens of the beets! The chard colored leaves are discarded and opportunities are missed. Beet Greens are packed with Magnesium, Iron, Zinc and of course FIBER.
You can prepare Beet greens just like Kale or Chard, with some olive oil and herbs for a sauté or have them finely chopped in a salad. Obviously all veggies are more nutrient dense when consumed raw but beet greens have a spicy taste so sauteing the greens adds a more subtle flavor.
2. Watercress.
Like you, often the only time I see Watercress on my plate is in a Bougie restaurant on a salad or as a topping for my protein. This Super food has been long known to be a Superfood. Asian Cultures have eaten watercress for memory and cancer prevention. Watercress is PACKED with Vitamin K. Vitamin K plays a pivotal role in blood clotting, bone strengthening and regulating calcium levels in the body. Anyone who wants strong bones and muscles long into their future should be paying attention to Vitamin K and Watercress. Normally this Aquatic plant is harvested in the summer months from small farms and in the tropics it can be grown year round.
Cooking with water cress is easy and can be added to any salad or dish raw. It has a great crunch and mellow taste compared to other greens.
3. Red cabbage.
There are many European Cultures that have made Cabbage a staple in their year round diets. Before the production of greens like spinach and kale, there was cabbage. This hearty green is one of the best foods for keeping your heart clean and healthy. Cabbage itself is an anti-inflammatory that is high in Vitamin A and K. Another benefit of red Cabbage is that its High Fiber content helps keep cholesterol low and feeds the beneficial bacteria in your GUT. You can often find Organic Red Cabbage in the store and it makes a great addition for color and texture to your normal boring salads. Try it diced fine on your next taco night!!
Diversity is crucial for keeping your Micro-biome healthy and inhibiting overgrowth of certain types of bacteria. If you are accustomed to eating 90% of your veggies from Costco then there is some serious need to diversify what is going into your GUT. Seasonally you should try out these types of greens as our bodies metabolism and hormones change throughout the year.
Our food is our fuel and is the best medicine to prevent and cure many ailments. Always look for ways to keep things fresh especially in the veggie department. So go and reassess your vegetable value system and invite in a few new players to the game. Ill be her to support you the whole way!
Love,
Eric
Programming Notes 12/30-1/3 ***Im carrying over the strength progression cycle to this week with a Front Squat Test day on Wednesday. Sprint Conditioning on the Bike and Rower round out Monday and Thursday.
12/30
Baseline:
4X
250 M Row
10 KB Hip Hinge
10 KB Goblet Squat
10 KB Single Arm Presses
Row Conditioning:
3 Rounds
:90 @ 1:45-2:00 pace
:60 @ 1:35-1:45 Pace
:30 @ 1:30-1:40 Pace
-Rest :90 between Each Interval-
Gymnastic WOD:
5 Rounds For Time
8 Strict Pull Ups
12 Dumbbell Alternating Snatch 50/35
16 Piked Box Handstand Push Ups
12/31
Baseline:
400m Run
3X
10 Banded Pass thru
10 Banded Press
10 Banded Pull Aparts
10 Banded Good Mornings
10 Birddogs
Hamstring Primer
3X8
Romanian Deadlift 135/95
Pendlay Row
Strength Complex:
4 Rounds
10 Body Weight Floor Press
10 2X Bodyweight Deadlift
*Change weight in between each round
Conditioning:
20 Minute AMRAP
5 Ring Muscle Ups
10 Plate Push Up and Walk Over 45/25
10 Plate Ground TO Overhead 45/25
12/1
Baseline:
Begin with ,
20 Hip Circles
20 Fire Hydrants
20 Hip Swivel Kicks
200m Run
3X
10 Barbell Good Mornings
10 Barbell Squats
10 Barbell Front Rack Side Lunges
200m Run
Squat Flow: Kang Squat, Internal Rotation, Hip Bridge, Ankle Roll Outs, Boot Straps, PNF, Squat W/ T Spine Rotation
Strength:
Front Squat
10X 1
*building Each rep
12/2
Baseline:
5 Minutes Easy bike
3X
10 Deadbug Ipsalateral Reach
10 Side Plank Knee To Elbow
10 Inchworm Push Ups
10 Elbow TO Instep Lunges
Bike Conditioning:
12 minute AMRAP
Min 1- 18 Cal Bike
Min 2- 15 Cal Bike
Min 3- 12 Cal bike
Min 4- Full rest
Gymnastic WOD:
2 Rounds for Time
800m Run
400m Overhead Weight Plate Carry 45/25
12 Burpee Box Jump Overs
*Weight plate carry can be waiters carry with one arm
12/3
Baseline:
Row 500m
3X
10 banded Pull Aparts
10 Banded Pass Thru
6 Push Up With Shoulder Tap
6 Scorpion Dynamic Stretches
Shoulder Prep W/ 5# Plates:
-Bent Scarecrow + External Rotation
-Bent Reverse Flys
-Bent Scarecrow + Press
-Bent Supermans
-Standing Corkscrews
-standing front Raises
-Standing Lateral Raises
-Standing Y Press
-Standing Cross Over Presses
Jerk Complex:
*From The Rack
A) Pausing Push Jerk *Holding Pause in Dip &Catch
3X2
B) 3-Dip Drive + 1- Split Jerk
4X1 of complex
C) Split Jerk From Rack
4X1
HERO WOD;
‘HolleyMAN’
30 Rounds For Time
5 Wall Ball Shots
3 Strict Handstand Push Ups
1 Power Clean 225/155
