Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale, and Collards

Leafy greens from spinach to collards have become mainstream in the past few years. They are undoubtedly healthy and, unless you are on blood thinners, everyone says to eat more.

I love them because they are a quick-cooking vegetable that makes me feel good, even when I stir them into a bowl of homemade macaroni and cheese.

In my opinion, eating more greens means you can eat more cheese, and they go well together.

You can eat them raw, but not too much, my stomach tells me when I reach the limit, so I prefer to cook them.

I cook them all in a similar way, just adjust the cooking time to soften hardy leaves.

Kale and collards are related to broccoli, and just like it’s cousin, overcooking these vegetables will bring out the sulfur compounds which are offendable to most noses.

Leafy greens are available in the stores year-round. I eat them in the spring when they are young and tender, or when other vegetables aren’t in season. They grow faster than broccoli in the fall, and they are hardier than tender lettuces in the winter garden.

Choosing Greens at the Market

Your greens should be perky, not limp, and there should be no yellowing leaves. If you used a plastic vegetable bag from the market, you could throw them in the refrigerator when you get home. If you saved the bag or used your own, you will want to wrap up the bunch at home. You can use damp towels instead of plastic to keep the greens fresh, but a home refrigerator will dry out the towels, and then the greens, within a day or two. Rewet the towel and check on the greens if you store them for more than a few days.

If your greens are wet and dripping with water, you will want to dry them most of the way before putting in plastic. Drying could be as simple as shaking the bunch and letting it sit on a dry towel for a few minutes. Or you could go as far as chopping and drying the greens with a salad spinner. The residual water will decrease the time before spoilage starts. A little water is okay as long as you use them in the next day or two.

Preparation

Remove the stems and chop the leaves. The stems are edible, but they take a little longer to cook. If you want to use the stems, slice them thinly from top to bottom until they become tough and woody. Cook them first for 3–4 minutes before adding in the leaves to your pan. I have an active compost pile, so I have to admit that they often end up there at my house.

If your leaves are dirty, cut them up first, then swirl them in a bowl of water. Next, lift out the leaves out of the water, while the dirt will fall to the bottom.

The Simplest Recipes

You can cook leafy greens with the same method, simply adjust the cooking time. Spinach needs only a minute to wilt, Swiss chard about 2–4 minutes. Kale can take 4–6 minutes to cook and collard greens about 6–8 minutes.

I can tell you I have never cooked collard greens in the traditional Southern way. I know, I don’t know what I am missing.

I can say that in California, collard greens are not in the ground as long as they might be in different regions. And I think this is one of the reasons they don’t need long cooking. We plant them in the fall. And they are ready to harvest in the winter. Perfect for adding to Hoppin’ John on New Year’s Day. I don’t think this is authentic either, but I will find any excuse to add more vegetables to a meal.

Sautéed Greens

• 6–8 cups chopped leafy greens, kale, swiss chard, spinach or collard greens
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• A sprinkle of red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
• salt and pepper
• lemon juice or balsamic vinegar

Wash the chopped greens in a bowl of water, let any dirt settle to the bottom and pull the greens out of the water, and let drain. They do not need to be dry. In a large sauté pan with a lid, heat the garlic, chili flakes, and butter over medium-high heat until the garlic becomes fragrant about 1–2 minutes. Add the wet greens, salt, and pepper. (If cooking tender spinach, toss together and turn off the heat.) Cover with the lid and cook for about 4-8 minutes. Remove the lid and stir the greens and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. For tougher greens, if the pan dries up, add a few tablespoons of water and cover with a lid to help steam the vegetables. Sprinkle with a squeeze of fresh lemon or balsamic vinegar.

As a minimalist, I hate to recommend a kitchen appliance, and dehydrators are expensive too. But making vegetable chips is the easiest way to transform vegetables into crispy, salty snacks, a proven technique to get anyone to eat more vegetables. Fortunately, a newer oven will have a warm setting or have a thermostat that you can set to a lower temperature than 225 °F.

Even though dehydrating will preserve the kale for a long time, kale chips taste much better when eaten right after they are done.

Kale Chips

• 1 bunch curly kale
• A drizzle of olive oil
• A sprinkle of salt

Remove the stems from the kale. In a large bowl, drizzle on the olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt (use less than you think), then massage the kale with the oil. The kale will change color from dusty green to dark green when the oil is rubbed in. Then place the kale in the dehydrator set at 135 °F for 8–12 hours. Or cook in the oven at 225 °F for about 40–60 minutes, keep an eye on them for the last 20 minutes. Remove from the oven or dehydrator and enjoy right away.

Leafy Green Storage

You can freeze leafy greens without blanching first, but you will want to use them within one to two months. For more extended storage, cook in boiling water for 30 seconds and then plunge in ice water for 2–3 minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain and pack in freezer bags.

Eat your greens.

If you have struggled to eat leafy greens in the past, try this quick-cooking method or making chips. These are the two best recipes to get you eating more greens.