Early summer is The Time for greens! If you haven’t taken part in this seasonal tradition before, here are a few tips to bring you maximum ease and enjoyment:

  • Storage. Greens will last longest in your fridge if you wrap them with a slightly damp towel and then put them into a plastic bag.  Leaves attached to a root (like radishes, turnips, carrots, beets, etc) should be cut off from the root and stored separately if you want to eat them (or they’ll wilt).
  • Consider buying a salad spinner. It makes washing and drying greens much easier and faster, and will help you to happily use up all your greens before they go bad. (I am lazy about greens in my fridge, and this has helped me a lot!)
  • Spruce up your salad and make extra. I have found that salads rise to a whole new level if you take an extra five minutes to add things like: thinly sliced radish, onion, or turnip; nuts; fresh or dried fruit; cheese like feta, chevre, or even cheddar. Make enough that you can easily bring some to work for lunch the next day, and you’ll eat through your bags of greens lickity-split!
  • Dressing/Sauce variety. Keep things tempting by giving yourself many dressing choices. For raw salads try an oil & vinegar Italian type (very easy to mix up yourself—use balsamic or cider vinegar) or a creamy sweeter type (like Ranch, Vidalia onion, or Brianna’s brand Poppy Seed). For steamed greens try soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, a tahini or peanut based sauce, or maple syrup mixed with mustard.
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