How To Keep Greens Fresh.
Tis the season, my friends. For greens. Though... let's face it... it's pretty much always the season for greens. Greens in the fall. Greens in the winter. Greens in the spring. Greens in the... see where this is going?We've got greens coming out of our eyeballs and sprouting from our ears. Mustard greens. Kale. Radish greens. Collard... I know you see where this is going. You're a smart bunch.Yes, my friends, greens are on the menu! For breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And while many times we choose to eat them sauteed in butter with a bit of garlic and sea salt, we also do enjoy them raw as well at times. But bad things happen when you pick greens and don't handle them properly. Especially if you're wanting to enjoy them fresh.Do you know what bad thing I'm referring to? This:They have a tendency to go limp... and pretty dang quick. They be all dramatic like "Ooh! You just harvested me from the stem! Time to get all dramatic and limp on you to let you know how unhappy I am. Take that, sucker."And ain't nobody like a limp spinach salad. Have no fear, my green eating friends. There is hope yet. A few simple steps will ensure your greens are perky and crisp when it comes time to consume.
How To Keep Greens Fresh
1. Pick in the cool of the day - be it morning or night. When you harvest greens in the middle of the day, the water has already begun to dispense from the leaves to protect the roots of the plant. Chances are, it'll already be a bit soft and wilted this time of day - let's avoid that. Instead, harvest in the morning. It'll give you the best chances for perky greens.2. Place all the harvested greens in a large bowl. Large, people. We've got a lot of greens to eat, remember? Fill the bowl with cold water and let the greens soak for 5-10 minutes. This will help to firm them up and hydrate them. This is the magic trick, baby.3. After soaking in cold water for 5-10 minutes, use your hands to remove the greens and set them on a tea towel to dry for 10 minutes or so before shaking them of any excess water and bagging them for the crisper drawer in the refrigerator. Pretty easy, huh? But it's amazing that without these simple steps, the greens will wilt in no time. I've had crisp spinach a week and a half later after following these simple steps. And considering I've been waiting for fresh spinach for the last four and half months, that makes me pretty happy. Point being, it works.Point being, you should do it.Point being, eat more perky greens. Not limp greens.And Amen.For other great meal ideas, no matter what your dietary restrictions, check out the meal planning service I use: Real Plans.