Greens You & Your Kids Will Eat

We've all heard the hype with greens being a "super food" chock full of nutrients and antioxidants that our bodies need to fight off illness and disease. There's plenty of research to back up these claims (WebMD - Leafy Greens). But many of us, especially our children, think "YUCK!" when talking about spinach, kale, broccoli, etc. How many kids do you know say, "Hey Mom, can you cook spinach tonight?" Probably close to zero. And it really doesn't matter that Popeye gets really big muscles after eating it (do they even know who Popeye is any more?). So the problem becomes how to incorporate these super foods into our diets without the hassle and arguments.

My son is a prime example of turning his nose up at spinach, he hears me say it, sees the word on a package or fresh in the store it's always, "I'm NOT eating THAT!" So a simple trick I tried years ago was calling all leafy veggies "greens" which includes Swiss chard, kale, beet tops and spinach. He even helps me prepare the "greens" for the simple, quick recipe below. I used to hide greens in meat or turkey loaf, but tried this recipe and now he eats them without complaint.

If you're new to greens, I'd recommend starting with Swiss Chard since it's mild and inexpensive, but any leafy greens will work. Feel free to mix and match your greens (e.g. Swiss chard w/Dandelion leaves), just try them, nothing to lose, lots of nutrients to gain. Or if you're looking to get two veggies out of one, buy a bunch or two of beets with the tops still attached. You can cook the beets for one meal and the greens for another.

Greens With Garlic

1 - 2 bunches of leafy greens (depends on the size of the bunch, 1 bunch of Swiss Chard will provide 4 people 1 small portion each. I always cook a minimum of 2 bunches, leftovers are reheatable for a couple of days)
6 - 12 cloves of minced garlic (we like garlic in this family and tend to go a bit heavy, start with a smaller amount and increase the next time you cook this)
1/2 c lemon juice (helps remove the bitterness of the greens)
1/2 tbs of salt (if you need more, can be individually added after serving)
1 tbs olive oil (optional, it doesn't add or detract anything from the dish, I've made it both ways)
2 c water

1. Rinse the greens thoroughly in cold water, remove hard stems and rip or cut into bite size pieces and place in large sauté pan. Don't panic if the greens are heaping in the pan, they will wilt down considerably.
2. Add garlic, lemon juice, salt, oil and water (more can be added if required), place lid on and cook on medium high heat. Stir occasionally to mix ingredients. Reduce to simmer once the greens have wilted a bit. Cook 10-15 min until greens are all wilted and tender.
3. Using a slotted spoon, serve. Can be garnished w/fresh parmesan cheese.

Dish goes with any protein, only requires one dish to cook and is quick to the table. Best of all, you and your family are getting the health benefits greens have to offer.

Let me know what you think.