It’s Not Easy Being Green

“Eat your greens!” Parents and nutritionists have been ordering us around for years. Green, leafy vegetables are powerhouses of nutrition, but they have a less than stellar reputation in the taste department.

There are those who have ‘texture issues,’ and crunching on a raw leaf or slurping soft, wilted greens is unappealing. Then there are ‘supertasters,’ who are said to have many, many times the taste buds of us regular folk; the bitter overtone of some greens may be too much for them.

But for the rest of us, bring it on! And maybe with some beautiful cooking, we can entice a few of the above to join us.

Whether you grow greens (and now is the time) or purchase them at a farmers market or grocery store, in season leafy greens are a good buy. You are getting a lot of nutritional bang for your buck.

There are cool, crisp lettuces, exotic Asian greens (think tatsoi), savory spinach, and my all-time favorite: kale.

All of these green goddesses prefer to be grown in cool weather and don’t mind a bit of shade once the temperatures start to soar. Spread some seed in your garden right now, and you will be eating greens in 45 to 60 days. Seed Savers Exchange has some amazing heirloom varieties.

One of my favorite characteristic of greens in the garden is that most of are ‘cut and come again’, meaning you can trim off leaves several times and they will continue to grow. You can replant in late summer for a fall harvest, too.

There are a myriad of ways to enjoy greens, but here are some ideas for my top pick of kale:

• Sauté chopped greens with olive oil, garlic, and a dash of crushed red pepper. When tender, drizzle in some vinegar and enjoy.
• Pick or purchase young leaves. Make your favorite citrus vinaigrette and dress chopped kale for a raw salad. Let sit for at least an hour—the dressing will tenderize the raw kale.
• Chop very fine and add to any complimentary soup or pasta near the end of its cooking time. Cook until bright green and enjoy the extra nutritional punch. Bonus, if chopped finely, people who don’t normally like the texture (or very young children who don’t have all of their chompers) may enjoy it more.
• Wash leaves and cut out ribs. Cut leaves into large chunks. Toss with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and lay on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 275 degrees for 15-25 minutes, until dry and crisp. Kale chips! (These sell for an outrageous amount at your natural food store.) They are typically a big hit with kids. I also like them crumbled up on omelets or pasta dishes.
• If you have a high-powered blender, a few leaves of kale make a fantastic addition to a smoothie. I especially like kale with banana, kiwi, lemon juice and orange juice.
• Kale is delicious mixed into your favorite whole grain or bean dish. Greens and beans are great friends (and make for one of the most economical healthy dishes ever.)

So eat your greens—with so many varieties and ways to use them, there’s no reason not to.