Leafy greens are a powerhouse of nourishment! They are loaded with fibre, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, folic acid, carotenoids, chloryphyll and much more. They are an absolute must in everyone’s diet. So here are two very easy recipes that you could use for all leafy vegetables. These recipes are green for those who need regulate the blood glucose levels, are vegans, are looking for fresher, younger skin and hair, and post natal women.

Recipe #1: Saag

This recipe is inspired by Dadi’s “Aalan ka Saag”. From what I remember, she would simply blanch mixed greens, blend them into a puree and temper it. The secret to a good saag is the texture and that comes from besan or chickpea flour towards the end. The recipe below is one that I use. I’ve made some tweaks in the recipe for ease for amateur cooks like me.

Mixed Greens Saag

There is a simple formula you use to get this saag right. For every 1 part of bitter or spicy leaves, you add 1.5 parts of bland ones. That's it!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

• 200 grams Spicy/Bitter/Pungent Leaves like Sarson, Kale, Arugula, Radish, Fenugreek, Moringa, etc.
• 300 grams Bland/Sweet Leaves like Spinach, Red Amaranth, Poi, Bathua, etc.
• Handful Coriander Leaves
• Handful Mint Leaves
• 2 inch Ginger
• 3 Green Chillies, medium spicy
• 3-4 cloves Garlic (optional)
• 1 Tomato
• 1 Onion
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• 1 tbsp Chickpea Flour / Besan or Chana Sattu
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Hing or Asafoetida
• 1 Bay Leaf
• To Taste Salt
• To Taste Lime Juice
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• 1 /2 tsp Red Chilli Powder

Instructions

 

• Boil water in a pot.
• Once the water comes to a boil, switch off the flame and immerse the leaves (Without cutting) into the water. Cover the pot and let them sit in the water for 7-8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop cut the ginger, garlic and chillies into chunks.
• After 7-8 minutes, strain the leaves. Don't throw the water, it contains a lot of nutrients. Let the leaves cool a bit. Place some ice cubes on the leaves to cool faster. This will also keep them vibrant looking.
• Next, blend them alongwith the ginger, garlic, chilli, coriander and mint leaves.
• In a pan, heat 1 tbsp Ghee. Add cumin, hing and bay leaf. Now add the chopped onion, cook till transparent, add the tomato, cook till it goes slightly mushy.
• Add salt and the dry masalas and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the pureed vegetables and a few spoons of the water we have kept aside. Let this boil for a few minutes.
• Once it is cooked thoroughly, add 1 spoon of besan and mix really well. Let the besan cook for a minute or two.
• At this point you can also add things like paneer, chicken, potato, mangodi, mixed vegetables, etc.
• Taste the saag and adjust for salt, lime and chilli.
• Garnish with a dollop of raw ghee.

Notes

My go-to combinations:

1. Red Amaranth, Chana Leaves & Spinach
2. Radish, Bathua and Poi
3. Sarson, Bathua & Palak
4. Palak, Gathgobhi Greens and Mangodi
5. Kale, Palak, Carrot Greens with Tofu

You can also add dill / sua for flavour. I have also added imli instead of the amchur and lime and that tastes brilliant too. 

Accompaniments:

• Missi Roti
• Steamed Rice
• Bajra & Sesame Roti
• Khapli Wheat Laccha Paratha

Keyword calcium-rich, diabetes-friendly, gut friendly, indian, local foods, vegan, women health

Recipe #2: Andhra-style Leafy Greens Vepudu

This recipe is inspired by Chef Thomas Zacharias. He had shared this recipe on his Instagram profile months back. This dish has become a regular feature in my kitchen ever since. We cook pretty much any leafy vegetable in this style. Hope you enjoy it too.

Thotakura Vepudu

An andhra-style stir-fried greens vegetable. The addition of tamarind and sesame seeds imparts am an interesting depth to the flavour.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Andhra, Indian, South Indian

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

• 400 grams Leafy Greens - red amaranth, green amaranth, spinach, fenugreek, etc. remove the fibrous stems of the leaves before adding them.
• 4 tbsp Sesame Seeds
• 1 Onion
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2 inches Ginger, crushed
• 2-3 Green Chillies, crushed
• 1 tsp Filtered Sesame Seed or Groundnut Oil
• 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1/4 tsp Hing
• 5-6 Curry Leaves
• 1/2 tsp Urad Dal
• 1/2 tsp Roasted Chana Dal or Daalia
• 2 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
• 1 tbsp Dates Puree or Jaggery
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• 1 tsp Amchur Powder
• 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder

Instructions

 

• Heat a pan. Dry roast the sesame seeds. Cool them and powder.
• In a hot pan, add the oil. Once the oil is smoking, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves and hing. Follow this up with ginger chilli paste and let this cook till golden brown.
• Add chopped onions. Let this cook for a few minutes till just short of caramelization.
• While the onions are cooking, chop the leaves into chunks.
• Add the leaves to the pan, sprinkle some water, cover and let this cook till they become soft. You may need to stir this from time to time.
• Add salt and all the dry masalas.
• Once the vegetables are thoroughly cooked, mix in the tamarind pulp and dates puree.

  Lazy Tip: I simply add sweet chutney to avoid the hassle of making all of this fresh
• Finally, mix half the powdered sesame into the vepudu.
• Garnish with the remaining sesame seed powder.
• Your Leafy Greens Vepudu is ready!

Notes

My go-to combinations:

1. Red and Green Amaranth
2. Poi, Red Amaranth & Bathua
3. Spinach & Sarson

Accompaniments:

1. Steamed Rice
2. Roti
3. Neer Dosa

Keyword anti-inflammatory, calcium-rich, fibre-rich, gut friendly, high protein, quick recipes, vegan

FAQS

Can this be prepared in advance as part of my weekly meal prep?

The basic saag can be made in advance for sure! You’ll need to do a fresh tempering each time, but the greens mix can be blanced and pureed in advance.

How do I make this meal even better for Type 2 Diabetes?

This meal is already great for Diabetics. It will keep your glucose levels stable for hours.

Do share images of your preparations with me on Instagram! I love to see all those amazing images & messages from you guys. If you are currently working on managing your Type 2 Diabetes or putting it into remission, then I can be your partner in this. I work very closely with Diabetes and am working on eradicating this disease altogether. You can book an exploratory call with me to understand how I work & if we are a good fit!

Have a good day!