Dark Leafy Greens and how to get more of them

[Katie Meadow]

My eye doctor wants me to eat more leafy greens. I like them, but I'm picky about it and I'm also guilty of being lazy. It's easy to throw some arugula into a salad or some Tuscan Kale into soups, but I'm looking for quantity. So far I've run through my favorites, which are the following:

 

*Creamed Spinach. I'm happy with the NYT recipe

*Sautéed greens with bacon. Unless I can get baby collards I prefer using chard. Recipe somewhat tweaked from Vivian Howard

*Garlic Braised Greens and Potatoes. NYT

*Savory Swiss Chard Tart. The Wednesday Chef

*Buttered greens and Radishes. This is a side to accompany a vinegar chicken recipe, but I don't like the chicken much. The recipe calls for     mustard greens,  which I like, but it can easily be made with other greens. From Bon Appetit

*Mustard greens and spaghetti with pine nuts. No idea where that recipe came from, but I've made it once in a while for years.

*Stir fry with a lot of choi sum. Delicious, but the quantity is comparatively moderate.

*Gai Lan. I'm working on trying recipes I  like for gai lan stir fried with garlic, but haven't found the perfect one yet.

 

My only caveat is NO raw kale. I'd rather have a root canal, although I shouldn't say that considering I've never had a root canal. Frankly I prefer to swap in chard when a recipe calls for kale;  I'm open to kale, maybe, but so far I'm not fond of it. So, I'm looking for tips and recipes that use major amounts of greens. Thanks!

 

[Okanagancook]

Spanakopita, Caesar salad, spinach soup, 

typical recipes that include greens in combination Include potatoes, pasta and beans.  Tonight I happen to using my farmers market kale with pasta, potato and cheese…Deborah Madison Local Flavours Cookbook.

 

I suppose you can always take a supplement targeting eye health.

Edited September 2, 2023 by Okanagancook (log)

[heidih]

I toss them in wherever as I love all cooked. Raw kale (Lacinto) salad is also a go-to. There is always Gumbo d'Herbes. https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/leah-chase-gumbo-z-herbes  I can eat gai lan w/ garlic and oyster sauce + rice as a meal. 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Several years ago someone brought a braised kale dish to a country pot-luck.   It was so amazing that I called out asking who the contributor was.    Turned out it was a worker from the Catholic Worker Farm sitting across from me.    Essentially, finely chopped mixed kales, bacon, onion, garlic, herbs.    It was divine and not difficult to create.   I could make an entire meal of it, soaking up the juices with good bread.    Maybe a poached or fried egg on top.

[Katie Meadow]

1 hour ago, Okanagancook said:

Spanakopita, Caesar salad, spinach soup, 

typical recipes that include greens in combination Include potatoes, pasta and beans.  Tonight I happen to using my farmers market kale with pasta, potato and cheese…Deborah Madison Local Flavours Cookbook.

 

I suppose you can always take a supplement targeting eye health.

I'm also taking an Areds eye supplement. My doc is thorough. There is no fix for my retina problem but I adore him so I'll do whatever he says! Spanakopita is a good idea. I love it but rarely make it since I have yet to conquer my trepidation about working with phyllo dough. Spinach soup will happen when fall and winter set in.

 

@heidihGumbo Z'Herbes is an excellent idea. I hadn't thought of that. Chase's recipe looks to be for 100 gallons. I'll get right on it.

 

@Margaret PilgrimDid you ask how it was done? 

 

.

 

[chromedome]

I'll often throw big handfuls of chard or lacinato kale (or turnip greens, or whatever mixture I've got) into a pan with a sauteed onion, and a generous quantity of garlic. It's a really simple side dish, but you can tweak it and tart it up with things like a squeeze of anchovy paste and/or lemon, or toasted breadcrumbs, or the chopped and toasted nut of your choice. GF likes hers with a substantial glop of heavy cream and some cheese grated over top, but that's just how she rolls.

[heidih]

26 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:

@heidihGumbo Z'Herbes is an excellent idea. I hadn't thought of that. Chase's recipe looks to be for 100 gallons. I'll get righ.

 

You can vary and/or reduce the meats - even only sausage, and use it as a guide. Freezes  so a greenery back-up for those days...

[pastrygirl]

Do you enjoy Indian food?  Try palak paneer, essentially Indian creamed spinach.

[heidih]

PS on gai lan - do you have a restaurant one you love and can't re-create or?  I watched a video recently were blogger raved about a Thai cashew pounded dip with tomatoes and some chile - used blanched choi sum or bok choy as the vehicle.

[Katie Meadow]

8 minutes ago, heidih said:

PS on gai lan - do you have a restaurant one you love and can't re-create or?  I watched a video recently were blogger raved about a Thai cashew pounded dip with tomatoes and some chile - used blanched choi sum or bok choy as the vehicle.

No restaurant gai lan that I'm aspiring too. I love that dish with garlic and sauce, but often it isn't as good as I want it to be. Okay what else is new. Recipes vary as to whether to par-boil the gai lan or not, whether to peel the stems, etc. I just need to source some fresh vegetable with a lot of leaves and start experimenting. I would be happy with just that on rice.

[heidih]

3 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:

No restaurant gai lan that I'm aspiring too. I love that dish with garlic and sauce, but often it isn't as good as I want it to be. Okay what else is new. Recipes vary as to whether to par-boil the gai lan or not, whether to peel the stems, etc. I just need to source some fresh vegetable with a lot of leaves and start experimenting. I would be happy with just that on rice.

My best Asian produce Farmers Market vendors come down from Fresno. I never peel the stems. I will sometimes give a quick boil in a chicken powder flavored water. Sautee the garlic in a touch of oil. and sauce with nuoc mam rather than oyster sauce or just put the nuoc mam on the rice. Dang - have not gotten ahold of any in a while, 

A neighborhood kid used to come over to chat and he told me he liked helping his grandma in her veg garden and his favorite was chard with lots of butter  I'd add some acisd to that prep. 

[haresfur]

3 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

I'm also taking an Areds eye supplement. My doc is thorough. There is no fix for my retina problem but I adore him so I'll do whatever he says! Spanakopita is a good idea. I love it but rarely make it since I have yet to conquer my trepidation about working with phyllo dough. Spinach soup will happen when fall and winter set in.

 

@heidihGumbo Z'Herbes is an excellent idea. I hadn't thought of that. Chase's recipe looks to be for 100 gallons. I'll get right on it.

 

@Margaret PilgrimDid you ask how it was done? 

 

.

 

 

Jamie Oliver has a savory pie recipe that uses filo dough in a cast iron fry pan so it is very forgiving of tears or scrunches. I can't remember what his original filling was - my cousin turned me onto it by doing all sorts of variations of filling. So maybe greens, ricotta, a couple of eggs, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. I have also used the technique with store-bought puff pastry or short crust sheets.

 

Aside from that, do brussel sprouts count? I like to half then fry the ever-loving heck out of them in olive oil until the leaves that fall off turn crispy. Or make a spinach dip as an excuse to eat potato chips for dinner.

[MaryIsobel]

4 hours ago, chromedome said:

I'll often throw big handfuls of chard or lacinato kale (or turnip greens, or whatever mixture I've got) into a pan with a sauteed onion, and a generous quantity of garlic. It's a really simple side dish, but you can tweak it and tart it up with things like a squeeze of anchovy paste and/or lemon, or toasted breadcrumbs, or the chopped and toasted nut of your choice. GF likes hers with a substantial glop of heavy cream and some cheese grated over top, but that's just how she rolls.

 

I'll often throw big handfuls of chard or lacinato kale (or turnip greens, or whatever mixture I've got)  I do this too but not as I side, I just sneak it into whatever I'm cooking at the moment. I have mentioned before that my husband reverts to a five-year-old when presented with a side of anything green other than salad. So into the mix it goes. If he asks, I'll just tell him it's parsley😉

[Duvel]

I stir-fry any greens in a bit of lard, with plenty of garlic, a bit of salt, a pinch of MSG (important) and - if the greens are very bitter - just a pinch of sugar. Chard, kale, spinach, turnip greens, cima di rapa, pea shoots, water spinach … Can add some chili flakes. 

[scott123]

I know this is a food forum and not a nutrition forum, but... you might spare your taste buds if you ask your eye doctor what specific nutrients they want you to eat.  If, say, they want you to get more vitamin K, natto destroys leafy greens.  The vitamin A in greens is nothing compared to the vitamin A in liver. If it's about the phytonutrients, there's phytonutrients just about everywhere.  Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, purple sweet potatoes- just eat the rainbow.  If chlorophyll is key, chlorella and spirulina top kale and spinach.

 

Spinach has oxalate concerns and kale can contain heavy metals.  Neither is as well regarded nutritionally as they were a decade ago.

 

Now... arugula.  Arugula is the real deal.  Have you tried it on a pizza?  White pizza, arugula, shaved parm and a little lemon juice.  Magnificent.  Also you can't beat arugula on a sandwich.  But I would look for alternatives for the other stuff.  Life's way to short to eat kale.

[liuzhou]

One of my favourites is this stir-fried sweet potato shoots and garlic. Fried in self rendered lard, yes. Even better with spinach instead of the sweet potato.

 

 

[Mjx]

I have a recipe for a traditional Tuscan kale and bean soup that is delicious, and has a LOT of kale in it (it keeps and reheats well, too😞 let me know if you'd like the recipe.

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

A lot of great suggestions.

The only thing I'll add is if you don't want to deal with making spanakopita with filo the filling (which I will use spinach, arugula, beet greens, chard and escarole) makes an excellent filling for an omelet.

  

[Maison Rustique]

I make a panade with spinach and mushrooms that is delicious--I'll look for the recipe later. Just about any Rancho Gordo beans cooked with hearty greens is going to be delicious--I don't use recipes for things like that. We just call them Beans 'n Greens.

 

I love buttered sauteed spinach with new potatoes, too.

[Alex]

8 hours ago, Duvel said:

I stir-fry any greens in a bit of lard, with plenty of garlic, a bit of salt, a pinch of MSG (important) and - if the greens are very bitter - just a pinch of sugar. Chard, kale, spinach, turnip greens, cima di rapa, pea shoots, water spinach … Can add some chili flakes. 

 

Me, too, although in olive oil and w/o the MSG (I'll have to try that). I'll sometimes use garlic-infused olive oil instead of the actual cloves. And if it's spinach, I'll sometimes add toasted pine nuts (the good ones ^_^). I'd also add raisins, but Ms Alex isn't a fan.

[Katie Meadow]

6 hours ago, scott123 said:

I know this is a food forum and not a nutrition forum, but... you might spare your taste buds if you ask your eye doctor what specific nutrients they want you to eat.  If, say, they want you to get more vitamin K, natto destroys leafy greens.  The vitamin A in greens is nothing compared to the vitamin A in liver. If it's about the phytonutrients, there's phytonutrients just about everywhere.  Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, purple sweet potatoes- just eat the rainbow.  If chlorophyll is key, chlorella and spirulina top kale and spinach.

 

Spinach has oxalate concerns and kale can contain heavy metals.  Neither is as well regarded nutritionally as they were a decade ago.

 

Now... arugula.  Arugula is the real deal.  Have you tried it on a pizza?  White pizza, arugula, shaved parm and a little lemon juice.  Magnificent.  Also you can't beat arugula on a sandwich.  But I would look for alternatives for the other stuff.  Life's way to short to eat kale.

I'll skip the liver, thanks, but I'm all over the arugula.

[Alex]

Egg bites! I use four large eggs, a half-cup of cottage cheese, an ounce or so of Jarlsberg or whatever else is handy, salt, white pepper, Penzey's Sunny Paris seasoning or equivalent, and a few handfuls of the clamshell baby spinach or "power greens."

[dcarch]

17 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

My eye doctor wants me to eat more leafy greens. I

 

Goji berry greens are supposed to be very good for the eyes, according to folk medicine.

Chinese stores have them, or Grow them yourself. Very easy to grow.

 

dcarch

 

[chromedome]

10 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:

I'll skip the liver, thanks, but I'm all over the arugula.

Yup. With no offense to Scott, or anyone else who likes 'em, a list that begins with "spare your taste buds" but then includes natto and liver amused me greatly.

To be clear, I'm in the pro-liver camp but have never had natto. I'm sure it packs a ton of umami, but "lumpy snot" is not a texture that in any way appeals to me.

[BeeZee]

Arugula pesto can be used to dress lots of things, it uses a good amount of greens! 

Green shakshuka (so I hear, I avoid eggs...)

Spinach enchiladas

Spinach lasagna