Greens!

I planted a LOT of greens in my garden this spring--kale, chard, beets, bok choi, etc. I love eating them sautéed, and I often make raw kale salad, but I desperately need some new ideas. I'm drowning in delicious greenery.

Posted by: petitbleu
May 10, 2012

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15 Comments

15 Comments

linzarella May 11, 2012

I've been on a frittata kick with the kale and chard from my garden. And speaking of eggs, you could also do sauteed greens with poached eggs over toast or rice or polenta.

petitbleu May 11, 2012

Frittata is a miraculous thing. My hens have just started laying like crazy, so this would be a two-birds-one-stone situation (two-chickens-one-stone?).

sfmiller May 11, 2012

It's a nice problem to have.

Gumbo z'herbes uses a lot, and a variety, of greens. Googling will turn up a gazillion recipes, with and without cajun roux (I prefer with) and with and without meat (I prefer without). Try one and play. It freezes well.

Blanching and freezing for non-greens-glut months is a good suggestion, too, particularly for the sturdier greens that are usually cooked hard anyway (chard, kale, collards).

pierino May 11, 2012

I love gumbo z'herbes but there's got to be a ham hock or some tasso in there.

petitbleu May 11, 2012

I think I can muster a good ham hock. We live really close to Allan Benton's smokehouse. I don't have to tell you that his ham hocks are on par with the bacon.

BoulderGalinTokyo May 10, 2012

Try my Chocolate Kale Clusters, use any other greens too, just blanch, don't overcook. You want some resistance to your bite (teeth)

http://food52.com/recipes/16199_chocolate_kale_clusters_with_cumin_cranberry_and_kids_version

If you try them,l et me know what you think.

susan G. May 10, 2012

Springs greens are traditionally used for detox from the heavy food and less active winter season. Look for "detox soup" recipes. I've made goods one from 101 Cookbooks and Gluten Free Godess blogs. Here's a good list: http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.soupchick.com/2011/09/seven-soups-every-saturday-detox-soup-recipes.html&sa=U&ei=HWSsT8XGHouk8ATB2tjNBA&ved=0CAgQFjAC&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNHfKFGmpsgYO7F6aOlpMMHbVfL_Pg
When you make soups, the bulky greens get tamed down to manageable size.

petitbleu May 11, 2012

Love the soup idea. I've contracted a sinus infection this week, so soup is even more appropriate.

Pegeen May 10, 2012

Saute or steam, puree and freeze... so good to have garden greens in the winter months for soup, sauce, etc.

Droplet May 10, 2012

Green smoothies; if you like them

inpatskitchen May 10, 2012

There was a contest for "Your Best Greens" a while back with 139 entries...should get you started

http://www.food52.com/contests/254_your_best_greens

SKK May 10, 2012

Use your beautiful greens in spring rolls or in place of spring rolls i.e. using them as a wrapper. For a party I am attending tonight I made spring rolls with sauteed chard and onions and rice noodles as the filler. I also mixed in some peanut sauce so I wouldn't have to take it as dip. I am also taking kale chips, which are a big hit.

Make ginger beets which are simple and no cook:
2 cups grated beets
2 tsps grated ginger root
I tbsp maple syrup if you like sweet
1 tbsp tamari
1 tsp lemon juice (from Nomi Shannon)

Everything you are growing would be great on pizza.

Another idea is consult some Raw food recipe books - they will give you a ton of ideas.

petitbleu May 10, 2012

Great ideas--the ginger beets sound amazing. Do you have any advice on good raw food books? I confess that's one area of my library where I fall short.

SKK May 11, 2012

Hi petitbleu,

A little background - I consider myself a flexitarian. If it is fresh, sustainable, non-processed and well take care of it will be used. Here are my go to raw books. I have checked out quite a few and some of them depend on an ingredient they use in every recipe - like Namu Shoya or bananas - and this gets old fast.

If you can, go to a Barnes and Noble and look at the books they have and see which appeals to you.

Raw Food Made Easy For 1 or 2 People: Jennifer Cornbleet

Raw Food/Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow: Sarma Melngailis

The Raw Gourmet: Nomi Shannon

Raw: Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein
This book is beautiful, a work of art, and highly intense. And it gives wonderful ideas. This is Charlie Trotter from Trotter's in Chicago.

petitbleu May 11, 2012

Thanks, SKK. I second the flexitarian thing. I've never taken to any particular diet, especially ones that exclude entire food groups. What's fresh, wholesome, and simple suits me. I'll check out some of those books. I really appreciate the recommendations.

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