Supercharge Mom’s health EVERY day of the year.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday and what better gift (besides all your love, of course) is there to give Mom than the gift of health? If you’re planning a Mother’s Day feast and you’re burned out on spinach and kale, I have the perfect lesser-known leafies to use in that homemade meal.

These four powerhouses are packed with nutrients that all females need to be eating—plus, they’re delicious and have the versatility to be incorporated into a cookbook worth of meals!

Your New Lettuce Go-to

Escarole is a leafy green of the endive variety that is less bitter than others in the genus. Its green leaves contain ample amounts of vitamins A, B-9 and K, as well as folic acid and fiber. Research suggests that the high inulin and fiber levels in escarole help play a role in reducing glucose and LDL-cholesterol levels in those with diabetes.

This delicious plant is the perfect base for a tasty salad or used as a hearty and healthy staple in soups. I also love to prepare it braised with lemon juice and garlic for an easy meal that’s full of flavor.

The Healing Garnish

Watercress—considered a healing herb for centuries—is more nutrient-dense than kale and arugula, and just so happens to be my favorite vegetable. This fiery garnish contains folates, phytonutrients and antioxidants, and is loaded with vitamins. The most prominent is vitamin K, along with vitamins A, C and B-complex. This detoxifying green serves as an immune booster and cancer preventer, plus it supports your thyroid, retina health, and the strength of your bones.

You can truly pair watercress with nearly any entrée. Whether it’s on the side of a pasture-raised organic steak, used as a topping for a fresh, crispy salad, or mixed into a yummy lettuce wrap or quinoa dish, it will provide that perfect extra kick.

A Crunchy Nutrient Powerhouse

Pea shoots are popping up everywhere. These crunchy delights boast numerous nutrients, including manganese, dietary fiber, phosphorous, folate, magnesium, iron, potassium, choline, zinc, and vitamins B1, C and K. To give you an idea of their antioxidant power, pea shoots contain about seven times as much vitamin C as blueberries. They’re great to tamp down inflammation, lower blood sugar levels, and boost the health of your cardiovascular system.

Perfect on any Asian-inspired recipe—like a salad, stir-fry, or alongside a juicy organic pasture-raised chicken—pea shoots can be found at farmer’s markets, as well as grocery stores.

Easy Antioxidants

Last but not least, cilantro is a savory herb known in alternative medicine circles for its heavy-metal chelating properties. Contained in its dark green leaves are antioxidants, dietary fiber, and even essential oils.

I love to use cilantro instead of basil for homemade pesto. It’s also a flavorful garnishment in dips, soups, salads, slaws, grilled meat—really anything! You can easily add flavor and nutrition to almost any meal with this little, but powerful leaf.

Green Goddess

Mom can also be a Green Goddess by adding a scoopful of Daily Greens into her smoothie. These organic non-GMO greens provide an easy nutrient boost that can be “hidden” in a smoothie for those who struggle to work enough veggies into their diets.

This formulation contains no sea vegetables, with the exception of hydroponically grown broken cell chlorella (which is free of heavy metals, chemicals, and radioactive residues that can be contained in other sea veggies these days). This formulation also doesn’t contain any fructose-laden fruit juice or fruit juice concentrate. It does contain, however, 11 unique greens which were chosen with exquisite care for their superb nutritional values.

Here’s the breakdown on this breakthrough blend.

• Alfalfa Grass – Anti-inflammatory; chlorophyll rich to purify and oxygenate blood; protein dense for satiety, blood sugar balance, and muscle fortification
• Wheat Grass – Contains SOD as antioxidant and liver support, full spectrum of B vitamins, lots of A and C for adrenal health and immune support and every mineral known to man; helps remove heavy metals
• Barley Grass – Sodium rich to help produce HCL and support adrenals; contains anti-inflammatory enzymes; gut bacteria friendly and helpful in treating ulcerative colitis; antioxidant rich to protect against radiation
• Kale – Magnesium rich to reduce blood pressure and soothe anxiety; fiber rich for improved elimination
• Parsley – Flushes excess fluid; volatile oils and flavonoids protect against carcinogens; helps lower homocysteine to protect the cardiovascular system
• Chlorella – Hydroponically grown to prevent contamination; removes heavy metals; helps eliminate mold in the body; promotes growth and repair of tissues; pH balancing
• Oat Grass – Mineral and vitamin rich; potent detoxifier; speeds wound healing
• Collards – Immune modulator, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties by potentating Interferon-gamma receptors
• Spinach – Contains Glycoglycerolipids to help protect the lining of the digestive tract from damage, especially damage related to unwanted inflammation and neoxanthin and violaxanthin—two anti-cancer epoxyxanthophylls that are found in plentiful amounts in the leaves of spinach
• Celery – Mineral rich; protects the digestive tract and liver; heals stomach ulcers; phthalides manage blood pressure by reducing excess fluid and relaxing smooth muscle
• Broccoli Sprouts – Fights H. pylori bacteria to prevent and heal ulcers; helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure; contains high levels of sulforaphane to target cellular health

As a special Mother’s Day courtesy, UNI KEY is offering 20% off Daily Greens to all ALG fans. Simply use the code MDG20 at checkout. Please do note that this code may not be combined with any other offers and is good through Monday, May 9, 2016.

Wishing you a wonderful and healthy Mother’s Day.