Getting more leafy greens into our diet perplexes many people. We know we’re supposed to eat them, but the question is “how?” I had the chance to try 8 different kinds recently when I received a large box of greens, compliments of Cut ‘n Clean Greens who I met at Camp Blogaway.
Leafy Greens from Cut 'n Clean
This company makes it super-simple to eat leafy greens because they are already washed, cut, and bagged, ready for eating. They were also extremely fresh and kept well in my refrigerator in plastic bags until I had time to eat them.
So what did I do with these greens? I am a big fan of super-healthy smoothies, so I tossed the chard, beet greens, escarole, and kale into the smoothies. They virtually disappear into the blended smoothie so no one knows they are there if you’re into “stealth health” techniques to get your family to eat better. I like to freeze the greens so the smoothie stays cool.
I also steamed the chard, kale, and escarole in a skillet, with a little garlic and olive oil. Don’t be intimidated by the huge amount of greens in each bag?when you steam these greens they reduce down in size dramatically. I also used the kale in fresh salads which are becoming very popular in many restaurants. Casseroles, stews, and soups were enhanced by a few handfuls of greens tossed in during the final minutes of cooking. But my favorite way of eating leafy greens is simply tossed with salad dressing.
Making Your Own Salad Dressing
There are many bottled salad dressings in stores and most should be gluten-free?although I continually find some with gluten-laden soy sauce. Or, lots of sugar and preservatives. So, why not make your own and avoid all these unwanted ingredients? The freshness and purity of homemade salad dressing can’t be beat so I rarely buy it. If you use a simple 1-3-5 ratio, you can make perfect salad dressing every time. It costs just pennies and you have the satisfaction of knowing exactly what’s in it. The type of vinegar used will alter the flavor, so experiment with various kinds of vinegar (red wine, white wine, apple cider, distilled white or my favorites, champagne and sherry).…just don’t use malt vinegar; it has barley in it. Good-quality extra-virgin-olive is the best choice.
Here is the 1-3-5 ratio. You decide what “part” means. It could mean “teaspoon” as in the vinaigrette for one salad, below. Or, it could be “tablespoons” such as the vinaigrette for several salads, below. Taste the salad dressing and adjust the proportions to suit your taste.
Basic Ratio
1 part Dijon mustard
3 parts vinegar
5 parts extra-virgin olive oil
Vinaigrette for One Salad
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 teaspoons vinegar of choice
5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Make 1 1/3 tablespoons (4 teaspoons)
Vinegar for Several Salads
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons vinegar of choice
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Makes 9 tablespoons (a generous half-cup)
[1] In a glass jar, whisk together the mustard and vinegar until well-blended. Continually whisk in the olive oil until the mixture thickens (this is emulsion, the coming-together of oil and water into a cohesive substance). Refrigerate and use within a week.
Carol’s Kitchen Notes
[1] You don’t have to whisk salad dressing to make it emulsify (blending of oil and liquid into one). Instead, use this easy, fail-proof, less-messy method. Place the mustard and vinegar in a screw-top jar, screw on the lid tightly, and shake vigorously until blended. Remove the lid, add the olive oil, screw on the lid tightly, and shake vigorously until the salad dressing thickens. Voila! So simple?yet so delicious. Refrigerate leftover dressing and, if it separates, shake it until it blends (emulsifies) again. This will be easier to do when the dressing is closer to room temperature because the oils can harden when chilled.
