As promised, here are a few of my favorite recipes and tips to help you add more greens to your diet, to take advantage of their wonderful nutritional properties. This hearty potato soup, full of lightly cooked greens and garnished with fresh goodies makes a full meal.  A very basic recipe, it can become more Andean when you add edible lupine beans (“chochos” in Ecuador; “tarwi” in other countries of South America).  Whatever green or combination of greens you have available works perfectly, too.  Remember, heat partially destroys certain vitamins so try to cook the greens only slightly by adding them at the end. Ones with thicker leaves, such as cabbage or kale, require a few minutes more of simmering than thin ones, such as watercress or arugula, that really require no cooking at all - they wilt merely in the heat of the soup.
 

In many countries of the north, quinoa is acclaimed as a super food.  And yet, it’s incredible that in many countries of the south, only recently are people beginning to appreciate its fantastic nutritive and culinary properties.

When traveling to Peru as a public health nutritionist many years ago, I first discovered the fascinating history and incredible nutritional properties of quinoa.

Most Latin households have a special way rice MUST BE COOKED.  This “recipe” is really more an indication to do what you already do with your rice but do it both with quinoa and with rice.  That way the nutritional quality of the rice improves drastically – more protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.  It is amazing that the two grains cook in the same amount of time. Thus you can rinse them together and cook them together in the same pot or rice cooker.  Then you do what you most like to do with your rice.