Local Winter Greens

Local Winter Greens: Nutritious, Delicious and Easy to Prepare!

Thanks to knowledgeable farmers and innovations like cold frames, hoop houses, and greenhouses, farmers' market customers can find a wealth of fresh-picked vegetable varieties such as roots like carrots and beets, leafy greens and salad greens, fresh herbs, and onions and garlic throughout the winter.

Though leafy greens like spinach may not give you instant muscles like Popeye, they do provide a powerhouse of essential nutrients like vitamins A, C and K, folate, and calcium. In fact, calorie for calorie, leafy greens provide more nutrients than other food. For the most nutritional bang for your buck, choose dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, chard, and collards. These greens have been linked to protecting against inflammatory diseases, bone and cardiovascular health, and the prevention of several different cancers. Not only are greens packed with nutritional benefits, but they are also incredibly easy to prepare.

Following are a few ideas of simple and delicious ways to prepare these superfoods.

Steam kale, chard, or mustard greens for 5 minutes, then mix with a simple dressing of olive oil, chopped garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Top with a favorite salad topper like delicious New Mexico pecans, sweet onion, or sun-dried tomatoes from the summer harvest. Alternatively, greens can be sautéed in chicken or vegetable broth for 5 minutes.

For a sweet side dish, try braising chopped kale and New Mexico-grown apples, then sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and pecans or walnuts.

Try a satisfying egg main dish by combing chopped greens of your choice, onion, garlic, fingerling potatoes, and any other of your favorite vegetables such as mushrooms or peppers. Sauté all the vegetables together for a few minutes in some oil on medium-high heat, then spread evenly across the pan and create a few depressions in the mixture. Break an egg into each depression, turn the heat down to low, cover, and let sit for 10-15 minutes until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Sprinkle a little paprika or New Mexico red chile powder on top and enjoy. Missing the meat? Add in some New Mexico raised sausage.

Greens can also easily be incorporated into main dishes such as casseroles, stir-fries, and pasta dishes. Simply chop them up and mix in before baking or sautéing.

To bring out the sweetness of spinach, boil for 1 minute before serving to release the acids.

Greens like spinach or kale make a great addition to vegetarian lasagna along with other ingredients like winter squash, onions, and mushrooms.

Tender baby spinach makes a great salad base, and packs more nutrition than lettuce.

Try adding young and tender mustard greens to your salads to give them an extra spicy kick.

For more ideas, check out our recipes page or visit the blog, 365 days of kale.