SAVOURY GREEN SAUCE-FAMILY FRIENDLY RECIPE TO INCREASE GREEN FOODS
While I am fully aware that "Green Smoothies" are all the rage these days (and I do admit I do enjoy a tasty green smoothie), I tend to be someone who likes to buck the trend and to be an early adopter or experimenter of new things. In the case of eating more greens, I have to be honest, I sometimes prefer to simply keep my sweet and savoury foods separate. If I am eating my greens, I often choose to have them in abundance and in creative ways with my main meal as opposed to always also being combined with fruits in a smoothie.
When it comes to my adoration for preparing real food for my family that is both nutritious and delicious this desire to be an experimenter could not be more true. Now not all my experiments actually work out such as the time I altered a gluten-free cookie recipe and the cookies were tasty but crumbled to pieces. But occasionally I fall upon a winning recipe that is full of nutrition and everyone gives it a thumbs up and then gobbles it up. This is true of the savoury green sauce recipe I am going to share with you that is affectionately and quite simply called “green sauce” in my house.
Reminder of why increasing “greens” in your diet is important
First of all research is showing now that increasing the amount of plant foods foods in general is beneficial in preventing chronic diseases, decreasing inflammation and supporting healthy immunity. Green plant foods specifically such as green leafy vegetables (i.e. chard, kale, collards) or culinary herbs (i.e. parsley, cilantro, basil, sage) are packed with phytonutrients that are alkalizing to the blood, filled with strengthening minerals and in the case of culinary herbs they are often contain medicinal properties that improve your body’s digestion, urination and detoxification. Plus culinary herbs also add so much flavour and pizazz to any dish.
Pro Tip: Individuals with thyroid conditions should minimize or steer clear of eating greens that are specifically from the Brassica family (i.e. broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, cabbage, brussels sprouts) especially in the raw form as they can interfere with thyroid hormone function.
Diversify your greens by adding more fresh culinary herbs
While kale and broccoli are now mainstream and popular “greens” to eat, I also encourage my patients to try to include more culinary herbs to provide a greater diversity of nutrients and healing effects from their diet. And whose to say you can’t also just combine a variety of greens and culinary herbs into one tasty dish!
Cilantro One of the culinary herbs that people either adore or abhor is cilantro or coriander. It has a unique flavour with a fragrant mix of parsley and citrus. Breakthrough genetic research now actually explains why some people strongly dislike cilantro Read this fascinating article https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/why-does-cilantro-taste-bad-like-soap_n_7653808 I love cilantro and add tons to guacamole when I make it. As a naturopathic doctor, I was always taught that cilantro is not only high in vitamins A, C, E, K, calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium but also effective at chelating (or pulling out) heavy metals that may have unfortunately accumulated in our bodies such as arsenic, cadmium, aluminum, lead, and mercury. These toxic heavy metals can be associated with disease processes so flooding your body with foods that could help pull it out is a wise strategy.
Basil Of course the classic green sauce that traditionally contains basil is “pesto”. The basil plant is part of the mint family and contains Vitamins A, K, C and Manganese. While it’s known as an anti-inflammatory herb, one of its most notable actions is as an anti-microbial that fights a range of bacterial, viral and fungal infections.
Parsley I think we underuse parsley as a garnish when it can play such bigger role on our plates. Parsley is particularly rich in Vitamins K and C. It’s anti-bacterial properties have made it popular as a breath freshener but where this herb really shines is in its powerfully diuretic effect which helps your body excrete excess water. Therefore basil can decrease digestive bloating and may improve bladder health or prevent bladder infections.
My Savoury Green Sauce Recipe
I clearly remember our dear friends Nadine and Ron, who are true innovators in everything they do at www.livinglibations.com, once serving us a scrumptious savoury green sauce with dinner years ago. That inspired me and got my creative recipe juices flowing with green sauce recipes. I started exploring new variations of flavour combinations to perfect an easy, delicious, test-tasted and repeatable recipe for the family which I could also share with my patients.
Here is what I came up with and what is taking over our blender these days. We pour this on rice, on sweet potatoes, on other greens like steamed broccoli and on almost anything else savoury. (I had it on an avocado the other day!)
2 handfuls of cleaned cilantro (or basil or parsley or a combination) with tough part of stems removed
1 handful of any leftover greens either cooked or fresh
5 Tablespoons or more of Apple Cider Vinegar or more (to adjust taste or texture)
Fresh Lemon Juice from 1/2 or a whole small lemon
2 Tablespoons of sesame seed butter (tahini)
1 Tablespoon of Soy-Free Vegenaise (dairy-free mayonnaise, we like Earth Island brand)
3 Tablespoons of Soy-Free Coconut Seasoning Sauce (tastes like soy sauce, we like Coconut Secret brand)
2 pinches of sea salt
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of maple syrup
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until a smooth consistency and add more apple cider vinegar if needed so sauce is thin enough to drizzle on food. TADA that’s it!!!
The photo attached to this blog is an actual image of what our green sauce looked like just the other night and I hope that gorgeous fresh green colour gets you as excited as we get when it’s ready to eat.
Please leave a comment. I would love to know what ideas or inspirations this blog post gave you.
Tell me what are the creative and tasty ways you increase greens in your diet? Have you ever made green sauces?
Be a good friend- share or forward this to someone you care about who could really benefit from this blog :)
Wishing you Well,
Dr. Christine Matheson, ND
christine@christinemathesonND.com
Hi, I’m Christine Matheson. I am a licensed naturopathic doctor (since 2001), an Arvigo ® Practitioner and a certified Kundalini yoga instructor. I have a special focus on natural and holistic solutions for women’s digestive, pelvic and fertility health with an emphasis on stress-relieving self-care strategies. My signature service is my 'Belly Be Well Program' which combines individualized naturopathic care with the benefits of Arvigo®Therapy (an external massage technique to align and decongest the abdominal and pelvic organs). I also offer naturopathic care for children and families. My goal is to help every patient shine in their lives through supporting their most vibrant health! www.ChristineMathesonND.com Follow me on Instagram Facebook
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DISCLAIMER: This blog post is intended for informational purposes only. Any health related information that may be posted is not intended to be a substitute for individualized professional medical advice provided to you by Dr. Christine Matheson, ND or another qualified health care provider. Information is general in nature and may be helpful to some persons but not others, depending upon their personal medical needs. Do not utilize the information in this blog to diagnose or treat a health concern without first consulting with a qualified health care practitioner and reviewing your individual medical needs. For instance, when making any changes to your diet, exercise or health regiment, you should always consult with a qualified health care practitioner first. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.
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