Jill Greenwood - Superfood Slaw: Vegetable Solutions for Busy People

First published in the United States of America by Chronicle Books LLC.
Originally published in the United Kingdom in 2017 as SuperSlaw by Ebury Press.

Text copyright 2017 by Jill Greenwood.
Photography 2017 by Lara Messer.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

This book is written as a source of information only. The information contained in this book should by no means be considered a substitute for the advice of a qualified medical professional, who should always be consulted before beginning any new diet, exercise, or other health program.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.

ISBN 978-1-4521-8493-7 (hc)

ISBN 978-1-7972-0142-9 (epub, mobi)

Cover design by Sara Schneider.
Interior design by Pamela Geismar.
Typesetting by Maureen Forys, Happenstance Type-O-Rama.

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Dedicated to

My Chimp,

Madison Harry Barlow,

who was built on Superfood Slaw.

You are, without a doubt, my proudest creation.

+

In memory of Lara the Ladybird.

Fly high, little lady. x

Opening a near-empty fridge after work one night, I noticed a common theme had emerged.

First, I had returned home after a long day at work, feeling like a woman possessed with food rage. Making sensible and balanced food choices at a time of hanger is a challenge. When our blood sugar is low, our mind tends not to be our own, and we generally do not make the rational decision to take the time to prepare some vegetables to meet our healthy living goals. This is never a great time to stop off at the supermarket. You will return with most of the store, but probably nothing that actually constitutes a full and balanced meal.

Second, I found myself bored by the need to prepare a meal that covered the full range of nutrients my body needed. I had reached a crisis point. I had become stuck in a veggie rut, using the same monotonous vegetables and salads each night, through pure habit and a lack of imagination. I wanted something new. Steamed kale and broccoli no longer hit the spot for vegetable excitement. I needed to act.

As a personal trainer, I advise my clients to try to prepare their meals in advance, but as I also have a second job that involves work in front of a computer for very long hours, I know what its like to struggle to find healthy choices while stuck in an office. To make it even harder, prepping veggies and salads seemed to be a dull and laborious task. I noticed my fitness clients often ended up filling lunch boxes with expensive green powders, bored with mundane salads and baby carrots. What we all lacked was time and inspiration. How else could we plan and prepare interesting vegetables ahead of time without it being tedious?

So, returning to my food rage moment, with a need for extra nutrition, a few green veggies sitting alone in my fridge, and a lack of time and patience to prepare, a light bulb moment struck. Noticing my food processor gathering dust in my kitchen cabinet, I wondered how I could create an easier method for mixing my greens into a healthy meal. I began experimenting by chopping away with haste. I soon found myself using condiments, herbs, and spices that would otherwise have remained untouched in my kitchen. Supermarket shopping became more vegetable-focused and recipe ideas soon started flowing.

Introducing the concept of Superfood Slaw to clients and fellow coaches scored an overwhelming victory for those who needed extra vitamins from the stress placed on their bodies following endurance-based or extreme training schedules. Those who were looking for extra fiber or greens for a weight loss plan were also excited by the ease at which Superfood Slaw could be added to everyday meals.

This was the moment Superfood Slaw was born. It was a solution to my troubles. I hope it will now be a solution for you, too.

One of the biggest problems with health is that we overlook it, taking it for granted until one day it starts to fail. Signs and symptoms of disease begin to show. Usually at this point we lean on the medical profession for drugs and quick-fix solutions so that we can get back to our superfast life with the same ferocity. Others may try the latest detox for a week of self-loathing, living off celery juice, committed to a life of repentanceuntil the next indulgence calls and they are back to square one! Tiredness is seen as normal. Energy is seen as something that happens in a gym or following a caffeinated drink.

Health and happiness are interconnected. This is why when our diet is unhealthy, void of proper nutrition, or loaded with chemicals, we get mood fluctuations. Have you ever seen a child devour a giant bag of candy? I am willing to bet you will see a change in their mood that is not usually restaurant-friendly. Have you ever grabbed a quick pick-me-up (in the form of the same bag of sweets)? What did you notice about your energy in the aftermath? My guess is a stimulated synthetic fix, followed by a low-level mood slump. Am I close?

Conversely, when our diet is rich in vitamins and minerals, there can be a positive mood change and a stable supply of energy. Our skin, hair, nails, and personality have a natural glow. Medical treatments now increasingly look to diet as an essential aspect of treating severe health-related conditions. Ask anyone who has ever suffered with high blood pressure or high cholesterol what was the first thing their physician asked them about, and diet will be top of the list.

Hormones are pivotal in driving our mood, and food plays a key role in driving our hormones. Its all a cycle of chemical reaction: Thats just how the body works. What we eat influences our mood and thereby influences our overall happiness. It is increasingly up to us to manage our own health through good nutrition. So, as busy as we are, we need to handle it.

If I had the answer to this question, I would be up for a Nobel Peace Prize in nutrition. There are infinite responses, theories, and diet books that profess their nutritional approach is the best way to slim down or gain energy or become a brighter, tighter human being.