Leafy greens are some of the most nutritionally dense foods available, and while a green juice is delicious and healthy, we can’t survive on it alone. Enter Katrine Van Wyk, author of Best Green Eats Ever. Using versatile, wholesome ingredients, Van Wyk has devised a series of tasty, good-for-you eats. Below are two of our favorite dishes.
Swiss Chard With Lemon & Ginger I love this tangy and colorful side dish. It’s delicious on top of some grains, alongside fish, or even as a burger topping. Lemon and ginger help boost digestion, and the fiber in the greens is good for your belly. This dish is vegan, paleo, and gluten-free. Serves 4 Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1 bunch rainbow chard, trimmed, washed, and chopped into 1-inch strips
Juice and zest of ½ lemon
1 tbsp coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari
Salt Instructions
1. Add the oil to a medium-hot pan and sauté the onion for 3 minutes, or until it’s soft and translucent. 2. Add the ginger and sauté for another minute. Then, add the chard. Let the chard wilt down before adding the lemon juice and zest and the coconut aminos. Do a taste test and add a little salt if needed. 3. Toss together and serve hot.
Swiss Chard With Lemon & Ginger I love this tangy and colorful side dish. It’s delicious on top of some grains, alongside fish, or even as a burger topping. Lemon and ginger help boost digestion, and the fiber in the greens is good for your belly. This dish is vegan, paleo, and gluten-free. Serves 4 Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1 bunch rainbow chard, trimmed, washed, and chopped into 1-inch strips
Juice and zest of ½ lemon
1 tbsp coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari
Salt Instructions
1. Add the oil to a medium-hot pan and sauté the onion for 3 minutes, or until it’s soft and translucent. 2. Add the ginger and sauté for another minute. Then, add the chard. Let the chard wilt down before adding the lemon juice and zest and the coconut aminos. Do a taste test and add a little salt if needed. 3. Toss together and serve hot.
Arugula, Lentil, Goat Cheese, & Crispy Apple Salad
This is a filling — yet light and crisp — salad that I absolutely love. The lentils and goat cheese add a dose of protein, while the apples and currants provide some satisfying sweetness. The peppery arugula makes a perfect bed for it all. The lentil part of this recipe is absolutely delicious on its own and will keep in the fridge for days. It makes an easy, portable lunch option, or even a great breakfast. It's also vegetarian and gluten-free.
Serves 4 Ingredients For the salad
1 cup lentils
3 cups water
½ green apple, chopped
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 cup currants
½ cup chopped parsley
4-6 cups arugula
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
¼ cup crumbled goat cheese For the dressing
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp raw honey
Salt and pepper
1 tsp olive oil Instructions 1. Add lentils and water to a pot and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. The lentils should be tender but still chewy. Set aside to cool. 2. In the meantime, prepare your dressing for the lentils. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing except the olive oil. Add the olive oil last, slowly drizzling it into the other ingredients, stirring continuously to create a creamy, smooth dressing that doesn’t separate. 3. Once the lentils have cooled to room temperature, combine them with the apple, nuts, currants, and parsley. Drizzle on the dressing and mix well. 4. Add the arugula to a salad bowl and toss it with a tablespoon each of the oil and vinegar. Place the lentil mixture on top and sprinkle with goat cheese. Reprinted from Best Green Eats Ever by Katrine Van Wyk. Copyright (c) 2015 by Katrine Van Wyk. By permission of Countryman Press.
Serves 4 Ingredients For the salad
1 cup lentils
3 cups water
½ green apple, chopped
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 cup currants
½ cup chopped parsley
4-6 cups arugula
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
¼ cup crumbled goat cheese For the dressing
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp raw honey
Salt and pepper
1 tsp olive oil Instructions 1. Add lentils and water to a pot and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. The lentils should be tender but still chewy. Set aside to cool. 2. In the meantime, prepare your dressing for the lentils. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing except the olive oil. Add the olive oil last, slowly drizzling it into the other ingredients, stirring continuously to create a creamy, smooth dressing that doesn’t separate. 3. Once the lentils have cooled to room temperature, combine them with the apple, nuts, currants, and parsley. Drizzle on the dressing and mix well. 4. Add the arugula to a salad bowl and toss it with a tablespoon each of the oil and vinegar. Place the lentil mixture on top and sprinkle with goat cheese. Reprinted from Best Green Eats Ever by Katrine Van Wyk. Copyright (c) 2015 by Katrine Van Wyk. By permission of Countryman Press.