Crisp, leafy greens are overflowing at our harvest home markets. Collard greens, kale, and Swiss chard delight your mouth while boosting your health and helping your budget.  Crisp, tangy, peppery or slightly sweet, these greens can add new flavors to your meals.

What do they do for your health? They are the nutritional powerhouse at a low cost. Leafy greens are low in calories, high in fiber, vitamins and minerals which help lower the risk of diabetes while boosting your immune system.  Greens are rich in iron, calcium and vitamin K for strong bone support and protect the eyesight with Vitamin A.  

Eating healthy can be delicious 

With greens there are so many tasty ways to eat:  

• Slip greens into meals: Chop them up and toss into soup, stews, stir-fry, eggs

• Roast up a side dish: Brussel Sprouts, kale, and Swiss chard get crispy and flavorful. Turn your oven on to 425, grab a cookie sheet, and chop up greens (quarter Brussel sprouts) dump the veggies on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle on a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands. Cook 15 to 20 minutes until slightly brown and crispy. Simple and surprisingly delicious.

 Resources for

• New side dishes

• Make an all veggie meal: Try Beans and Green

• Don’t forget chips (see tips) for snacks, wraps for sandwiches and big salads for the summer

Be creative!  Turn a veggie side dish into a meal:  Add beans (cannellini or northern white beans are suggested) bits of chicken or tuna for extra protein. Just eating one serving of greens a day is a deliciously easy way to keep everyone a bit healthier!          

Save $ with Greens

RECIPE: Nacho, Kale & Black Bean Bake Kale even kids love

Use Swiss Chard for a milder taste than Kale

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 bunch of Swiss chard or Kale (4 cups packed), ribs removed and chopped

• 3.5 oz (1 1/2 cups) organic tortilla chips

• 3 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

TO MAKE:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

• Preheat medium non-stick skillet and brush with olive oil. Sauté onions until translucent, Add diced tomatoes, beans, cumin and salt; stir and cook a few minutes.

• In a 9" x 13" baking dish, spread kale. Top with bean mixture, tortilla chips and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.

TIPS for Tasty Greens

Just use the leaves: Remove the stems and ribs To remove the leaves from the fibrous stalk, simply hold the fat end of stem up and run your hand down the stalk.

How to “Soften” Greens before cooking:  Massage chopped leaves with a sprinkle of lemon or lime  juice until the leaves feel a little soft and you like the taste

• Freeze out the bitterness: Chop greens and freeze. No need to defrost. Add to whatever you are cooking.

• Quick boil (blanch) for a minute. Put loosely chopped leafy greens in a large pot of boil water for a minute. Rinse in cold water; use either raw in a salad or cook into any dish

• Run hot water from the tap over chopped leaves in a strainer until they wilt. Rinse with cold water

Flavoring your Greens:  Mix a slightly sweet veggie with your greens for an easy-to-love (healthy) taste.   Collard greens mixed with carrots and thyme or Indian-style mustard greens with onions, ginger and jalapenos

Flavor your kale chips: Add a dash of balsamic vinegar or your favorite spice a minute before you take them from the oven