Coconut and Berries

Healthy, Vegan Recipes by Emma Potts

Greens 24/7 Review, Recipe & Giveaway

Hi folks, long time no speak! I started a new job this month with pretty crazy hours and unfortunately blogging has had to go on the backburner…

I’ve been trying to be ultra organised and do a lot of food prep at the weekends as I get home after 8pm most evenings during the week and am usually too tired and hungry to cook a meal entirely from scratch, let alone come up with creative recipes to share with my readers.

I’m making good use of my cookbook collection though and have been making a few new recipes a week. 

Greens 24/7

Greens 24/7 is one of the latest additions to my collection and has been proving perfect for healthy, satisfying meals during these busy times. We all know that greens are incredibly good for us but despite knowing that it can still be hard to eat them as much as we should.

Luckily I love green vegetables so chowing down on a ginormous leafy salad isn’t a hardship for me but I know not everyone feels the same way. Author, Jessica Nadel of Cupcakes and Kale makes it easy for everyone to eat (and enjoy!) more greens and shows us how to incorporate them into all our meals – breakfast, lunch & dinner, as well as snacks and special occasion treats.

Hello Sunshine Smoothie | coconutandberries.com

Hello Sunshine Smoothie

Though I eat a good quantity of green vegetables, what I struggle with is reaching for my old green favourites over and over again – broccoli (my no.1!), kale, avocado, etc. But variety is key when it comes to a healthy diet and Greens 24/7 has been pushing me to go beyond the familiar and cook with vegetables I don’t use often enough.

The “Green fact files” give us the lowdown on the most frequently used greens in the book, including what makes them so good for us, as well as top tips for preparation. You’ll also find a brief introduction to “The other greens” and “The other ingredients”, and a few “Typical day greens meal plans” in the front pages before the 100 recipes.

Chard, Coriander and Cashew “Cheese” Pizza | coconutandberries.com

Chard, Coriander and Cashew “Cheese” Pizza

The recipes themselves are fantastic. I love that they manage to be fairly simple and not too time-consuming while still being creative and tasty. I’ve made quite a few already but have many more near the top of my “must try “list. The Chocolate Superfood Shake and Hello Sunshine Smoothie are both delicious. They’re supposed to serve 2 but I like a bigger breakfast so I drink both servings or have them as a snack or dessert. Next recipe to try from the Breakfast chapter is the Cinnamon-Courgette Waffles!

Shredded Rainbow Salad with Lemony Avocado Dressing | coconutandberries.com

Shredded Rainbow Salad with Lemony Avocado Dressing

From the Soups and Salads chapter I made the Shredded Rainbow Salad which is filled with some of my favourite things – red cabbage, kale, edamame, avocado and carrots but the dressing fell a little short for me. I’ve got my eye on the White Bean and Three Green Soup and the Beetroot Greens, Pear and Maple Walnut Salad.

Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes with Broccoli, Swiss Chard and Hummus | coconutandberries.com

Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes with Broccoli, Swiss Chard and Hummus

The Green Main Meals chapter is probably my favourite – I want to make every single one of the recipes! These stuffed potatoes were a super filling and tasty meal. Broccoli & Swiss chard get a zingy gingery makeover which works wonderfully with the sweet potato and creamy homemade hummus – don’t forget the hot sauce!

My favourite recipe so far has been the Chard, Coriander and Cashew “Cheese” Pizza. I love making my own pizza at home and pesto-topped ones are a really nice change from the usual tomato-based versions. There are a few components here – the pesto, cashew cheese and vegetable toppings so it’s better for a weekend, especially if you like to make your own pizza dough like me. Definitely worth the effort.

Next to try from this chapter are the Ginger Bok Choy and Sweet Peas with Miso-Glazed Tofu and the Spinach and Mushroom Galette.

I’m yet to delve into the Green Sides and Small Bites and Green Cakes and Desserts chapters but it’s only a matter of time. Pesto Polenta Fries and Vanilla-Mint Cheesecake are calling to me.

 

The publishers have generously allowed me to share a recipe from the book with you all and give one copy away! Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below.

Print
Hello Sunshine Smoothie

Hello Sunshine Smoothie

Ingredients

  •  1 sweet apple (e.g. Gala, Fuji)
  • 1 kiwi
  • ½ English cucumber
  • ½ banana
  • 1 cup (35 g) Swiss chard leaves
  • 1 cup (250 ml) coconut water
  • 3–4 ice cubes

Instructions

  1. 1. Peel, core, and quarter the apple. Peel the kiwi.
  2. 2. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately with a slice of kiwi to garnish.

Notes

Calories (per serving ) 103 Protein 1.1 g Total fat 0.4 g Saturated fat 0 g Carbohydrates 21.6 g Dietary fiber 4.1 g Sugars 17.6 g Vitamins A, B6, C

Greens 24/7 by Jessica Nadel, with photography by Jackie Sobon. Published by Apple Press. 

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2015/01/31/greens-247-review-recipe-giveaway/

Other things to note:

- All recipes are vegan, many gluten-free and most with an easy gluten-free option.

- There are 2 versions of the book – UK and US. The UK version helpfully includes gram and millilitre measurements for those who aren’t used to cup measurements.

- Nutritional information is included for each recipe.

- In most recipes greens can be mixed and matched to adapt for availability and seasonality.

- About 50% of the recipes are accompanied by pictures.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What’s your favourite green vegetable and way to prepare it? 

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Comments

  4. That’s a tough one for me, but at the moment I’d have to say roasted asparagus. I can easily eat a whole pound by myself, lol!

  5. Whew, I hear you on the job issues. Heading out early and coming home late with no time - or creativity - to come up with new recipes for the blog or even just creative dishes for yourself? Same here. Weekend meal prep is my saving grace.
    The book sounds fantastic. Thinking about it many of my favourite vegetables are green. Kale is my current favourite and I’m sad the season is almost over. I’ve been adding it to basically every dish but my favourite probably still is the vegan phyllo pastry I posted last year. It convinced my parents kale is delicious in another way than the classic (non-vegetarian) one eaten around here so that’s a winner.

  9. I love so many green veggies. Lately, I have been roasting broccoli and Brussels sprouts or adding spinach to smoothies!

  10. I love roasted asparagus and brussel sprouts! Or kale prepared any way….steamed, raw or juiced!

  12. I love avocado, in guacamole or on top of a salad, but my favourite is a simple avocado/tomato sandwich.

  13. I love broccoli and Brussels sprouts which I could eat everyday, cooked al dente.
    This sounds like a beautiful book and I only wish I could win it 😉
    Thanks, Emma!

  14. Spinach :) Because it’s so versatile. I love it in my green smoothie :)
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    Cheers,
    Annie

  16. Hi Emma! I’ve been wondering how you’re getting on with the new job and guessed that the new job was probably the reason why I haven’t been alerted to new blog posts. I hope you’re enjoying the job and I do sympathise regarding the recipes, my hours have been pretty similar over the last year, it’s not easy to do both!

    The book looks fantastic I’d LOVE to win a copy! I have 2 favourite greens - watercress and spring cabbage! I add watercress to most salads and the collard greens - well I just like to slice it extremely fine and steam it!

    Have a lovely week xo

  17. I’ve just bought a Nutribullet and love doing various mixutres of leafy greens and fruit in it. My favourite veg. to use so far is kale x

  18. I have started juicing this weekend so have been mixing various greens in together so not sure about individual favourites there. However my favourite greens in cooked meals are peas and cabbage.

  19. To many to choose from - but I love juiced broccoli and stir fried tenderstem broccoli the most

  21. Cabbage. I love it all different ways, boiled/stir fried/in casseroles! I suppose my favourite is boiled though -although the kids say I’m gross as I like it with a dash of vinegar

  22. I’m sorry your new job is so hectic! Are the hours likely to settle down or is it a company where working late is standard? I hope you’re enjoying it at least, and it’s great you’re able to prepare meals in advance. Having these kinds of dishes ready for you mid-week really does make all the difference!

  24. At the moment, I’m loving dry frying cavolo nero served with a little olive oil and a sprinkling of garlic breadcrumbs

  25. My favourite is still spinach. I have been drinking a green smoothie from the oh she glows cookbook recently, with peanut butter and cinnamon. It feels great to be able to drink all the nutrients you need for the morning in 3 minutes as you run out the door!

  27. Thanks for this wonderful giveaway !!!
    I love all the greens, so it is difficult to choose just one. However, kale is one of my favorite. I use it everywhere possible; smoothie, fresh juice, dressing, salad with avocado, tomatoes, pepitas, shredded carrot and a creamy dressing, soups, stews, savory pie, dessert, pesto, hummus, etc. Yummm !!!! Salad and smoothies are probably my favorite way to enjoy it.

  29. Hey Emma! I hope the new job’s going well and that you’re enjoying it (despite those long hours!) This new cookbook sounds really inspiring. Everything you’ve made so far looks absolutely delicious, and I can’t wait to try the Hello Sunshine smoothie recipe. It’s hard to pick one favourite green vegetable as there are so many I love! The one I crave most often and eat multiple times a week is roasted Kale - I can literally a whole tray’s worth all by myself (I really dislike raw kale though!)

  31. My favourite green meal ever is zucchini noodles with chiffonade swiss chard tossed in a bright basil/cilantro/lemon pesto. It’s a green bowl of greatness!

  32. asparagus - warmed staffordshire oatcake with cream cheese spreadon it & asparagus wrapped in it mmmmmmm

  34. I absolutely love kale and spinach, whether in salads, smoothies, mixed into items like spaghetti or creamed as a side dish. Yummy!

  37. I love broccoli and I love it raw with a little olive oil, coconut oil, salt and pepper. The crunch of the broccoli is great. Thanks

  38. When it comes to green foods, my favorites are the leafy ones. I love spinach, kale or Swiss chard sauteed in a little oil, garlic optional. It’s such a quick, easy, and delicious way to load up on greens. When I’ve got a little more time and energy, there’s nothing better than creamed spinach or kale, made with cashew cream and a touch of nutmeg.

  39. collard greens, steam boiled for a few minutes. The “stems” taste to sweet to me anything on it would ruin it.

  40. I love so many green vegetables, but I think kale has to be my ultimate favorite, at least for the moment. I usually just steam it and eat it plain alongside whatever else I’m having for dinner - I honestly love it that way!

  42. Baby spinach! It’s good cooked, it’s good raw, it’s good in smoothies, you can even make cupcakes out of it. It’s the best!

  45. Oh gosh I know how you feel. Right now I’m so busy that even if I do come up with something awesome and share-worthy, its too late at night to take decent photos, or I don’t have the time/energy to set everything up and take photos, and most importantly of all I’m usually just too HUNGRY to not just wolf the food down! Its very frustrating xD

    That cookbook looks awesome and especially the pizza! I think for me it’d be a tie between spinach and broccoli. I throw spinach into just about everything, and broccoli, either roasted or stir-fried is basically a comfort food xD

  47. I love brussel sprouts, boiled with a little bit of butter. They are my favourite part of Christmas dinner.

  52. My favourite green veggie is zucchini hands down. I eat it every single day, whether in a smoothie, roasted with chocolate sauce, steamed with lemon juice, or just gazed at lovingly as it comes out of the oven in the shape of a brownie or cake. It’s so incredibly versatile, but roasting it is definitely a favourite!

    (I hope this is open internationally! *fingers crossed*)

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