Good Greens and Rice

Green herbs like parsley and sage are a wonderful healthy way to make spinach and mustard greens taste good. Take some green onions and shallots and saute them together in some olive oil. Then add the roughly chopped parsley, spinach, and mustard greens and toss in some cooked white rice, lemon juice and lemon zest. This a great tasting dish to go with chicken or fish, and a delicious way to increase your intake of dark leafy green vegetables that are so rich in anti-oxidants.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup flat parsley leaves roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh mustard greens roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped scallions, including tender green tops
2 shallots finely sliced and roughly chopped
3 or 4 fresh sage leaves roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons of fresh basil roughly chopped
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

In large saucepan, bring water to boil, stir in rice and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat. Fluff with a fork. Set aside.

Put one tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and saute the chopped scallions and chopped shallots for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chopped parsley, spinach, mustard greens and chopped sage leaves and saute for 1 to 2 minutes more stirring constantly until the greens begib to wilt.

Add the wilted greens to the cooked rice. Stir in the 1/4 cup of lemon juice and the lemon zest. Taste and check seasoning, adding salt if necessary. Scatter the chopped fresh basil on top of the rice and serve.