Green foods are great for renewing and rejuvenating the body and helping you look and feel your best. Diego Baldi of the Inner Wellness Studio tells us why it’s important to eat your greens and shares some energy-laden recipes.
Founder of Inner Wellness Studio, a holistic practice focusing on wholesome and natural living through self-care and mindfulness, Diego’s name has become synonymous with integrative nutrition and helping others create a balanced and sustainable lifestyle through the integration of diet, cleansing and rejuvenating practices, mindfulness and yoga.
A specialist in stress management, women’s health, digestive health, detox and rejuvenation, Diego is passionate about encouraging people to add more greens to their diet.
“Adding more greens into our diet is a fun and delicious way to gently cleanse the body and mind. It flushes the body with chlorophyll which is deeply healing and alkalizing to the body’s PH level. Green vegetables provide the most energy, nutrition, and fibre out of all vegetables,” he says.
And if you’re stumped at what greens to choose for the best possible nutrients, Diego says the deeper the shade of green the better. “Darker greens have higher levels of vitamins and minterals, in particular vitamins A, C, E, phytochemicals and carotenoids.”
“Green foods are a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, helping to neutralize
harmful free radicals in the body. Chlorophyll carries magnesium and oxygen to the cells and
organs. The natural fibre in the green diet may assist in weight loss, lowering blood sugar and insulin levels, and can help to eliminate bad cholesterol in the body.”
Green Energy Menu
Poached pears in coconut milk with mint
You will need 4 pears, de-cored and halved, 125g sultanas, 4 cloves, 2 star anise, 1⁄4 cup green or rooibos tea, a small bunch of mint, 180ml coconut milk and some pumpkin seeds and fresh mint to serve.
Method
Pre- heat oven at 180. Add pears, sultanas, spices and green tea into an oven dish. Allow pears to bake/poach in the oven for 10min. Meanwhile blend the coconut milk with mint in a blender. Pour over pears half way through and bake for another 10 minutes or until soft.
Serve with pumpkin seeds and fresh mint.
Avo and miso dip/dressing
You will need 2 ripe avos, 1 teaspoon of Miso Paste, 2 tablespoons olive oil and some water.
Method
Blend all the ingredients into a preferred consistency, either thicker for more of a dip consistency or add more water for a thinner salad dressing consistency.
Serve your dressings smothered over a green salad.
Millet and Mung Bean Risotto
3 Servings
You will need 1 tablespoon cooking coconut oil, 1 large onion diced, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, 1/2 cup split yellow mung beans, 1/2 cup raw millet, 4 cups vegetable stock, 1/2 cup sugar snap peas or fresh green peas, 3 medium sized zucchini, sliced, 1/4 cup chopped basil or parsley for garnish, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt or to taste, 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper or to taste
Method
Sauté onions till translucent in coconut oil then add thyme to create the base flavor. Toast millet and mung beans in the onion base, a few minutes, till fragrant. Add vegetable stock, once it starts to simmer, reduce to a medium heat to cook. Once the millet and mung is half cooked add zucchini and peas. Cover and steam till veggies are cooked. Add lemon juice and fresh herbs to serve.
Wellness Workshop
Don’t miss Diego’s Daily greens for optimum balance at Founder Foods in Kloof on 27 March from 9am to 12pm where he will discuss the amazing anti-inflammatory and antioxidants benefits of plant based food, greens in particular. Learn how certain foods can potentially affect the body’s Ph level and its ability to cope with everyday stress. He will also share the scope of whole, natural dairy as a source of nourishment.
