Greens!

[bigknitwit]

I have been overwhelmed by greens from my CSA over the past week! A few questions:

1. Do your kids eat greens? If so, now do you prepare them such that they like them/eat them?

2. Do greens have some sort of energy boosting power?? I ate a tons of them last night for dinner, and couldn't get to sleep until late. I just didn't feel the least bit tired. Was it just coincidence, or is there something about the greens that gives a boost?

I think I will be blanching/freezing a bunch of them, as nobody seems to like them except me (dh would rather just stick with hunk of meat for dinner ), and there's an aweful lot there to get through!

[mbravebird]

I've heard of people blending them up and adding them to hamburger to get their kids to eat them. Haven't tried it, though. My kid likes kale, so we manage alright on the greens front. I just blanch kale and add butter and salt.

Also, my child -- who used to love salad -- will now not touch the stuff. Sigh. BUT he does like one particular asian green called Mizuna. It does taste really great. He will graze on that stuff.

[Attached Mama]

Our almost 3 yr old likes them. I saute about 5 large cloves of garlic finely diced in olive oil, then mix the garlic into the greens and steam with a tad bit of added water. SOmetimes just the water from rinsing the greens is enough. For our little one, we have to dice any greens (cooked or salad) super small - cut in narrow strips and then cut the other way too. Chewing them can be difficult for her.

They are also good in a frittata or souffle. She liked them that way even last year when she was only 2.

You could also look up a recipe for East Utica greens which are very yummy!

[spughy]

My 2 1/2 yr old DD loves greens blanched or steamed, tossed with a large amount of butter and a small amount of vinegar (ACV or balsamic). The vinegar masks any bitterness and enhances the "green" flavour of the greens, the butter improves the mouthfeel. If I blanch the greens, I salt the water too. Her favourite is chard, but she'll eat just about anything green and leafy done like that. And if I'm feeling fancy, I'll add some minced garlic to the butter or the blanching water because *I* like it like that!

[CellarDoor]

My dd loves greens in soup (chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, beans/lentils, meat, whatever). You can just add it chopped at the end of cooking to soften them up.

[medicmama]

I steam and then puree them and add them to sauce. you can also chop and freeze them.

[meggles]

Add them to sauce, muffins, lasagna, anything.

You can also make a green soup by sauteeing everything in olive or coconut oil with garlic (and whatever else you like) and then pureeing in a blender.

[krankedyann]

Green smoothies! 60-70% greens and veggies, 30-40% fruit, and just enough water or juice to get it to blend.

[bigknitwit]

Yes! Green smoothies! I forgot I used to make these like crazy 2 summers ago and freeze into popsicles.

So yesterday I asked my 2 year old if she wanted to try some greens, and she loved them I should have known, considering her love for CLO. Now if only I could make my boys like them sauteed. They're way easier to cook that way then for smoothies or purees.

[ChristieB]

I don't know what greens you have, but to freeze kale, there's no need to blanch it. I just wash it, cut it into the size I want, and freeze it. I can even saute it straight from the freezer.

The main green we eat here is kale. I chop it really small in the food processor and add it to my meat dishes. Or sprinkle some into the eggs when I make frittata. I toss larger pieces into my soups. I love it sauteed (in ghee, with salt and vinegar), but no one else here does.

[erin_d_a]

I LOVE my greens with sauteed with butter and fresh grated nutmeg. The nutmeg is just delightful with all greens

[Leilalu]

I agree, nutmeg

I usually cook them with oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. That is my standby. Sometimes I make them into a creamed version with cream, parmesean, salt, nutmeg, onions and garlic, milk...then cream until only slightly still chunky.