Eating Green: 4 Recipes With Spring Greens

“Go Green” has become America’s mantra when it comes to reducing our energy consumption in the 21st century. But the slogan could very well serve another important purpose – that of our diets.

Leafy greens such as spinach, cabbage, kale and chard are readily available in backyard gardens (or in supermarkets, if your thumb is anything but green), and they pack a punch when it comes to vitamins and minerals. Iron, fiber, beta-carotene and folic acid are just a sampling of the nutrients you can get from spinach and other greens, and that translates to health benefits like stronger bones, disease prevention and even a lower risk of developing cataracts.

Not sure how to turn greens into a flavorful dish you’ll actually want to eat? That’s where we come in.

Try combining chopped Swiss chard with savory garlic and onion, and simmer it all with rich chicken broth and plump, golden raisins. Sprinkle on toasted pine nuts, and voila!

If spinach is your favorite green, whip up our Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette. Spinach leaves, grated egg and tomato slices are drizzled with a warm dressing made from balsamic vinegar, onion and spices with bits of crispy bacon.

You can even incorporate greens into soup, as we did in our Kielbasa and Kale Soup. It’s a chicken broth-based soup that’s chock-full of kale, a member of the cabbage family, as well as sweet yellow onion, bright orange carrots, fiber-rich cannelloni beans and sliced kielbasa.

Finally, for a salad with Chinese flair, try combining chopped Napa cabbage and bok choy with toasted ramen noodle bits, slivered almonds and sesame seeds. Toss it all with a homemade soy-flavored vinaigrette dressing, green onions, carrots and red pepper. You can even make it a healthy meal by adding grilled chicken or shrimp.