Give in to Greens

Simple humble green leafy goodness! 

The luster that greens add to the produce aisle, as well as our plates and bodies, is nothing short of seductive.

From the most delicate and gentle to chewy and hearty, these leaves of lusciousness are all welcome in my world!  Some, like kale, even benefit from a little massage to encourage them to relax and become more supple. Who doesn’t?

Experience has shown me that “greens” sadly play second fiddle in a lot of plate productions.  A sprig of parsley here, a leaf of obligatory iceberg on a sandwich there, it’s no wonder I started out with a misaligned lack of respect for a fundamentally intoxicating and vibrant vegetable that is also a foundationally healthy nutritional powerhouse.

I’ll admit that trying to enjoy my Grandma Leo’s cooked spinach as a kid was a challenge. Couldn’t do it.  And my salad days began by using chopped iceberg as a bed for all the foods that got me into trouble with my health in later life. Meat, cheese, eggs and unhealthy, fatty dressings.

Now that I know better, I can truly embrace my salad days, filling a bowl with a magical blend of green leafy goodness, adding grains, beans, other fresh seasonal veggies and even fruit and nuts, all adorned with an easy, creamy dressing in mere moments. A miraculous salad spectacle!

Greens are low in calories and high in nutrition, so they support health goals while seducing your taste buds in so many tantalizing ways.  Buy them prewashed and mixed for freshness, variety and crunch, frozen to add to soups or even grow them. They grow ridiculously fast, and regenerate quickly once cut so a big money saver once they get growing! 

Experiment with new ones, find your favorites and add to our meal repertoire, repeat!

• Top a bean burrito with a medley of shredded lettuce, cabbage, cilantro.
• Add fresh or frozen chopped greens, like spinach or turnip, into soups and stews.
• Mix bagged arugula into a gloriously colorful roasted beet, orange, walnut and fennel salad. Dress with mixture of orange juice, red wine or balsamic vinegar, olive oil and Dijon mustard.
• Toss dandelion greens into a salad or smoothy for a boost to your liver function.
• Massage sliced kale with lemon juice until soft, then add white beans, tomatoes, toasted walnuts and kalamata olives OR corn, black beans, avocado and crushed corn chips topped with your favorite salsa.
• Use whole large collard leaves as a wrap for a yummy filling like chickpea salad or Thai noodle salad.

Learn to love green leafies! They’ll get you glowing!