The importance of eating bitter leafy greens regularly cannot be emphasized enough. Simply put, consuming leafy greens is what protects your body’s cells against cancer and disease. However, most Americans do not consume anywhere near the recommended daily amounts for greens. And bitter greens are consumed even less frequently, yet they boast so many significant health benefits (check out my recent blog on bitter greens for more details).
My goal is to eat as many veggies as I can daily, with 8 servings as my baseline and 3-4 of those 8 servings being leafy greens. How do I make this happen? A daily green juice is a great start, but I also work greens into my lunch and dinners by having a green salad before dinner, folding greens into the main course, and making bitter greens into delicious side dishes.
Sauteed Bitter Greens
Ingredients:
½ cup walnut pieces, toasted
1 T. avocado or olive oil
1 small white or red onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 bunch dandelion greens
1 bunch mustard greens
1 bunch collard greens
sea salt and pepper
lemon (optional) or red wine vinegar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line baking sheet and toast the walnuts in oven for about 7-8 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
Wash greens, drain, pat dry and remove any coarse stems (if you can’t find any of the greens, you can replace with kale or go with two options), then chop.
Heat oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onions and garlic and cook until onions are softened, stirring frequently the garlic does not burn. Add chopped greens, walnuts, and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Cook until greens are heated through. Finish with a squeeze of lemon or drizzle of red wine vinegar.
Caramelized Endive
Ingredients
2 T. grass-fed organic butter or ghee
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
6 medium-size heads endive (red, white, or a combination) trimmed and halved lengthwise
Sea salt & pepper
1 tsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°.
In a large cast iron skillet heat the butter or ghee and olive oil over medium high heat. Add the endive, cut side down, and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the endive and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the skillet in the pre-heated oven and roast until the endive is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the oven (careful, the handle will be very hot). Sprinkle with parsley and more salt and pepper to taste and serve.
