I get a bunch of greens in my weekly CSA box and always hear people asking what to do with all those greens!
This simple recipe for sauteed greens works with kale, chard, beet greens, spinach, or any of the heartier greens. Sauteed greens takes minutes to prepare, and creates a simple side dish or a base for a main course.
My Technique
The trick for lightening up the strong flavors is to slice your greens thinly into long strips with a sharp knife, or chiffonade, and then quickly wilting them in oil or butter. This makes the greens more tender and easier to chew without overcooking them. In under two minutes, my Swiss chard was cut, sauteed, and ready to eat.
Greens Better Cooked Than Raw
I love including raw vegetables into my daily diet, but some greens are healthier when cooked (or fermented). Cooking destroys oxalic acid in spinach, chard, and beet greens that blocks calcium and iron absorption. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, and kale have goitrogens that can negatively affect the thyroid.
Serve with Fats
Serve these vegetables with quality fats like butter, olive oil, and coconut oil, which helps your body better absorb their abundant vitamins and minerals.
Sauteed Greens
This works with Swiss chard, kale, spinach, and any of the heartier greens. Serve as a side dish or use as a base for main course like meatballs, sausages, or a feta cheese and sundried tomato salad.
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch of organic greens or a mix of greens, washed thoroughly
olive oil to taste
sea salt and fresh pepper to taste
1. Lightly brown the garlic in the oil or butter on a medium-low flame in a large skillet.
2. Slice the greens thinly and add to the skillet. Mix the greens with the oil until wilted.
3. Serve with a touch of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
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This post is linked to The Healthy Home Economist | Monday Mania, GNOWFGLINS | Tuesday Twister, and A Moderate Life | Hearth and Soul.
Wonderful! This is EXACTLY the idea I needed. I have lots of lovely greens growing my our unheated greenhouse for the winter, and I am looking for ideas of how to use it. This will be a nice change from plain steaming. Thank you!
We just love green’s. We have wonderful turnip greens and mustard greens in our fall garden. Your recipe looks yummy! Thank you for sharing.
Miz Helen
I’m a big time lover of greens. In fact, they might be near the top of my list of favorites. Every time I eat them, I just can’t believe how simple leaves can cook up into something so buttery and scrumptious.
So glad to see that you included the bit about pairing greens with fats. I wish more people knew that. Thanks for sharing with the Hearth and Soul hop.
This looks delicious Lisa! The picture is mouth watering! It was so great meeting you at the Conference this past weekend and sharing time together and goals for next year!
Thanks Sarah! I enjoyed meeting you as well.