I am approaching Lent as part fasting as an exercise in frugality. Hence, I will focus on the simple and reduced variety of rice and beans and rice and vegetables instead of exotic treats and temptations.
But another tack I am using is the tradition to make some kind of improvement. So as far as the vegetables in the rice and vegetables go, I am challenging myself to eat five bunches of leafy green vegetables each week. Probably most dinners will be based around these greens and rice.
Why greens?
Simply put, everyone goes on and on about the incredible nutritional quality, how nobody eats enough, greens cure cancer, we should eat more etc. So I decided to make it a priority and see what happens. As I recovered from pneumonia and had little appetite I ate this way. It seemed to work, but when I recovered the richer treats became more and more appealing. I want to get back to the higher nutrient density diet, and here is my chance. I just read Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Super Immunity with an eye to improving my own immune system that apparently needs a little help. The purely selfish side of me is hoping that this could be my secret weapon for triathlon season by speeding up recovery and making me healthier and therefor faster.
Dr. Fuhrman’s Food Ranking System has Leafy Green Vegetables at the Top
I chose eight to choose from each week. They are:
- Kale: the heavyweight champ
- Collards: the Southern champ
- Bok Choy: the calcium champ
- Cabbage: the people’s champ
- Watercress: the underdog champ
- Romaine: the salad champ
- Spinach: the sailor’s champ
- Chard: the versatile champ
- Arugula: the gourmet champ
Some can be eaten raw or cooked, others I will only eat cooked. Fuhrman emphasizes the need to eat plenty of raw vegetables, which I lack, especially now in the winter. So some of these will become salads, others stir fry dishes, stews and soups. Will I turn green from all this like a baby that eats too much carrot baby food? We’ll see.
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