Our Harvest Home Farmers Markets are bursting with fresh leafy greens like spinach, kale, collard greens; salad greens like romaine, red leaf lettuce & microgreens. Leafy greens provide vitamins A, C, and K as well as fiber. They help prevent chronic diseases, regulate blood sugar, and boost your natural immunity. Crisp, tangy, peppery, or slightly sweet, these greens can add new flavors to your meals, plus they are low in calories! Eat them raw in salads, make interesting side dishes, or toss them, cut up, into soup, stews, or casseroles.
Pan-fry them, stir-fry, or steam them for the best nutrition. Just don’t boil them. Boiling removes a lot of taste and nutrition. You can start simple and then get creative.
Simple Side Dish:
Pour about a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, add a few cloves of garlic, chopped, & about ½ of an onion. Cook until the onion gets soft. Add chopped greens and cook for about 3 minutes. Add whatever spices you like... serve!
Smoothies: A delicious way to get a quick meal (breakfast or lunch) or a satisfying snack. Simple & flexible, smoothies use four kinds of ingredients with lots of choices to create the taste you like
Mild leafy greens like spinach, kale, or romaine
Naturally sweet fruit: Berries, mango, pineapple, bananas
Healthy fats for creaminess: Avocado, nut butters (almond or peanut)
Plant-based milk, coconut water, or plain water
Using fresh seasonal veggies & fruits gives you the best taste. (Now is the season of spinach, berries & kale.)
Crispy Kale Chips: An easy-to-make, low-calorie snack!
Heat oven to 300° and set out a rimmed 9x13 oven pan
Remove kale leaves carefully from thick stems using a knife or kitchen shears; tear into bite-sized pieces.
Wash; if possible, use a salad spinner. Dry completely. Cooking the leaves with moisture makes the chips soggy.
Drizzle kale leaves with a Tablespoon of olive oil; toss to coat. Spread leaves in an even layer on the baking sheet without overlapping; sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until the EDGES are brown. Remove & let cool
Try a whole meal: Even kids will like kale in this Nacho, Kale & Black Bean Bake (recipe below).
Simple Beans & Greens
Recipe: Nacho, Kale & Black Bean Bake
INGREDIENTS:
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 1/2 cups of fresh tomatoes, finely chopped, or 28 oz can of tomatoes
2 14-oz cans black beans
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more to taste)
1 bunch kale or milder Swiss chard (4 cups packed), ribs removed & chopped
3.5 oz (1 1/2 cups) organic tortilla chips
3 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 400°
TO MAKE:
In a 9” X13” baking dish, spread kale.
Preheat a medium non-stick skillet on low - medium heat and brush with olive oil. Add onions and sauté until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add diced tomatoes, beans, cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes; stir and cook for a few minutes. Top evenly with bean mixture & tortilla chips
Bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Adding Meat: Add small pieces of cooked chicken or pork in the last 10 minutes of cooking, just enough to heat the meat. Great for leftovers. Meat must be cooked before adding.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Leafy Greens Storage: Wash greens and pat gently with a paper towel or a dry dish towel. Make sure the greens are very dry. Wrap lightly in a paper towel. Place it in a plastic bag and loosely close the bag. Store in your fridge drawer. They will last for 10-12 days.
Smoothie Combos:
Spinach or Kale & avocado
Berries, banana & 1 1/2cups of spinach
Spinach, banana & peanut or almond butter
For more protein, add Greek yogurt
Seasonal Favorites: Spinach, Strawberries & Asparagus. Eat these now because they have a short growing season.
Strawberries: Pop them in your mouth for a refreshing, juicy taste. Delicious with spinach in salads. Don’t forget ice cream & strawberries
Asparagus is only available for a short time. Look for “fat” stalks for a smoother, juicier taste.
Heat oven to 400°. Line cookie sheet with foil.
Lay asparagus in a single layer with all the stalks pointing the same way.
Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder if you like.
Bake until crisp-tender. 12-15 minutes for average stalks; 16-20 minutes for fat stalks.
Spinach: Leaves are wonderful in salads. To cook, steam it. Add it to smoothies.
