Garlicky Greens
I know things are still “off” as we all do our best to stay at home, entertain and educate our kids, not kill our spouses and roommates and figure out how to work from home (if we’re that lucky!). But Spring IS here and with it, we start getting all of those delicious greens that will not only boost our health and immunity - but can actually boost your mood as well! True story - eating well improves your emotional body! And I can’t think of a faster or easier way to get in those greens than these easy sautéed garlicky greens!
I use rainbow chard in this week’s video but this application will work with spinach, kale, swiss chard, collard greens - whatever dark, leafy greens you have! Sautéeing them in oil and garlic is a quick and easy way to reduce their bitter flavor, and soften them, making them easier to chew and digest! Don’t get me wrong - you can absolutely eat your greens raw - but if you find you don’t care for the flavor or texture, this is a great alternative!
If you find the greens are still not to your liking - there’s plenty of other options you can add on top of this! A splash of balsamic vinegar will certainly sweeten them up! Or you can toss in some raisins or craisins (or other dried, chopped fruit!). Throw in some toasted nuts, like pine nuts or walnuts. Zesting some lemon over top is also delicious. And of course, topping them off with some grated parmesan is always good! The key is to really keep trying them in different variations until you find what works for you! As always, your food is YOURS! Especially these days when we’re limited on who we can share our table with! Keep cooking, keep experimenting, and keep coming up with ways to make life more delicious! Check out the video and grab the recipe below!
Buon Appetito!
Garlicky Greens
Serves 4
2 bunches dark, leafy greens such as rainbow chard, kale or spinach
3 tablespoons Redoro extra virgin olive oil
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
pinch of salt
Use your hand to strip the leaves from the stems. If using chard, chop the stems and place in a bowl. Then chop the leaves and place them in a separate bowl. For all other greens, discard the thick, woody part of the stem.
Heat a deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add oil and chard stems. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add garlic.
Once garlic is fragrant, add in chopped leaves in large handfuls. You may have to work in batches, letting the leaves wilt and shrink before adding more to the pot. Once all of the leaves are in the pan, allow to cook until everything has softened, shrunk and looks bright green and wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt.
Plate your greens and serve with an extra drizzle of fresh olive oil. Or try some of the above mentioned add-ins!