HER LIFE Magazine

herlife | culinaryLearning to LoveGreen, Leafy Vegetablesby carl johnstonIremember when I was about six years old, asking my mother, “Whatcan I have to eat?” One day (probably out of pure exasperation),she did something that might get you arrested these days. She gaveme a knife and a salt shaker, and said, “Eat anything you want in thegarden.” And so my affair with vegetables began. I ate tomatoes andcucumbers, carrots and radishes, turnips and squash. I didn’t knowchildren weren’t supposed to like vegetables. I was in heaven!As I’ve grown older, I see study after study about the benefitsof vegetables, especially green, leafy vegetables. Now we know whatour mothers did but couldn’t explain in a scientific manner. Mothersdidn’t know about the nutrients and vitamins in those morsels. Theyjust knew that they were good for us and we should eat them. Collardgreens, turnip greens, Swiss chard, kale, arugula, cabbages and lettucesare packed full of Vitamins K and A, calcium and fiber. (The newbuzzword seems to be “superfoods.”) All of the things essential to ouroverall well-being, which unfortunately are now sold relentlessly andendlessly to us in pill form, can be found in the garden.When our first child was on the way, I remember thedoctor explaining to us the necessity of green, leafyvegetables in our diet, and how Vitamin K was essential to a pregnantand nursing mother. From that moment on, my wife craved greens…and sweet potatoes. Fortunately, I don’t think I ever visited my grandmotherwhen there wasn’t a big pot of turnip greens (my favorite) andcornbread on the stove. So I knew how to cook greens, and it’s aboutall we ate for nine months. Luckily for my wife and child, we listenedto the doctor. I’m sure all the greens were a benefit to both of thembecause my wife stayed healthy and active until our chubby, perfectlyhealthy little son was born. (With our second child, my wife onlycraved Skittles, but that’s another story altogether!)Nowadays, our diets are so full of salt and sugar because of the“prepared foods” we consume. As a chef for over 20 years, I understandthat restaurants aren’t as concerned with the amounts of salt,sugar, cream and butter that go into the food theymake—they only want you to like it. So what’sthe answer? Scientists say the key is to cookmore meals at home. They could have given18 HERLIFEnewyork.com