I hate greens...HELP!
I have tried...really tried to like greens. I just can't get around the slimy feel (and taste) in my mouth when they are cooked. Unfortunately my CSA continues to provide me with beautiful rainbow chard. Any ideas/recipes that might help me enjoy or at least tolerate :) greens??
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24 Comments:
How about in a big pot of soup or stews? That way your not hit all at once. I am that way with grean peas, I will (or can't) eat a plate full of peas, but if I stick them in soups, stews or pasta salad I can eat them.
pjracz10 at 11:02AM on 07/23/09
Hide it in baked goods!
semarr at 11:12AM on 07/23/09
Dump a bunch into a curry or marinara sauce, then blend well with an immersion blender.
joyyy at 11:16AM on 07/23/09
Slice them thin, then saute' in olive oil, garlic and s&p. It's a place to start....
duncan1205 at 11:19AM on 07/23/09
I second curry- like saag.
An Indian lady I know adds a lot of greens in her roti too.
also you can do a creamy pureed soup (can be served chilled like viccysoise (spell?));
sautee onions and potatoes and greens, add chicken stock (I use concentrated stock so the soup doesn't get too dilute when I add milk), puree, add milk. salt & pepper to taste.
hmw0029 at 11:26AM on 07/23/09
If it's the slimy texture you don't like, try flash frying them just so it takes the raw taste out but the crunchy texture remains. If that doesn't work...I second the pureed soup idea. Fine cooking magazine came out with an article months back on doing pureed soups. It was pretty good info!
bigfatmouth at 11:49AM on 07/23/09
Finely shred and sautee. The puree suggestion is very good too.
Layer mild flavored cooked greens in lasagne (chard, spinach)
Donate fresh produce to your local food pantry. Someone else will love the chard.
CJ McD at 11:50AM on 07/23/09
http://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/2009/07/cheap-healthy-leafy-greens-246-recipes.html
Here's a whole page full of recipe suggestions for greens. Hope you find something you like.
CJ McD at 11:55AM on 07/23/09
Make them into chips? Then they'll be dry and crispy. Just roast them for a few minutes with oil and seasonings.
KarynMC at 12:01PM on 07/23/09
Soup/purée suggestions are great.
Wilt them in olive oil with garlic and shallot, then chop medium and blend with ricotta, a little parm, an egg, salt pepper and nutmeg for a lasagna filling. If you chop it finely, this blend can be stuffed into ravioli, shells, manicotti or caneloni. You can also use the chopped wilted greens to mix into a risotto, or with breadcrumbs, dried cranberries and kielbasa for stuffing. Or used in a meatloaf.
If you want to get fancy, remove the stems and put a ball of cold risotto in the leaf with a chunk of smoked mozz, roll up the leaf around the ball, place into a baking dish with a little stock or crushed tomato, drizzle with olive oil and season, and bake until the leaf is roasted and slightly browned.
simon at 12:14PM on 07/23/09
Try sauteeing as many above have suggested, then just before eating, add a little butter and vinegar (white, malt, wine, rice) to taste. Yum.
bareneed at 12:14PM on 07/23/09
I've totally converted my ex from a anti-greens to a greens-lover...I wish there was a "true" rule or solution but unfortunately it depends on the foodie.
I would suggest getting to know them options, availability, environment, seasonal recipes...first. Perhaps look into your family recipes?
@CJ McD - great link thank you!
hungrychristel at 12:17PM on 07/23/09
You could also put them in a polenta or fritatta, something where there would be other textures to focus on.
And are you eating the stems, too? If you chop the leaves and the stems separately, you can start the stems first, and then you have some textural contrast in the greens themselves.
cyberroo at 12:17PM on 07/23/09
They have dietary supplements for things like this. Drink a V8 or any cocoction that gives you the 5-7 per day. I would try harder for your health.
JerzeeTomato at 12:31PM on 07/23/09
I have used chard in lasagne instead of spinach with success. My ex, who hated spinach and the like, was converted to liking spinach and chard by this method.... and I always cooked chard with garlic and parm cheese thrown in at the end - yum!
Maureen at 1:08PM on 07/23/09
Slice them super thin, then saute with olive oil, garlic, spicy sausage (tomatoes, peppers, or most other vegetables). Toss with pasta. I eat this at least once a week. It's my favorite lunch.
bitchincamero at 1:12PM on 07/23/09
I'm with ya, i don't like cooked greens...too mushy, slimy,
You could compost them. :-)
paulie walnuts at 1:39PM on 07/23/09
Soup is the best way I found to use them so they are not so greeny.
This is more of a collard thing but boiling them with smoked pork or turkey and adding some vinegar and sugar always works well for me.
But I love greens. Just had a batch of fried rapini and garbanzos last night.
I find it funny it's the texture that you object to while most people I know hate the bitterness.
joeqboo at 1:58PM on 07/23/09
If it's the squishy, slimy quality that bugs you, maybe starting with a hearty green like kale would help - one of my favorites is to steam it, then toss it with a miso vinaigrette.
Other than that, I second the frying suggestion. Kale chips aren't slimy in the least, and might be a good interim way to eat greens.
BangieB at 4:12PM on 07/23/09
nthing fritatta! Try it lightly sauteed, then add cubed cooked potatoes (think home fries) and sliced sausage or cubed ham. In a baking dish, covered with egg, baked till solid.
nightowl at 4:30PM on 07/23/09
Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone! I just picked up my CSA and it has rainbow chard in it again so I need to get to work on some of your ideas.
kalajo at 6:50PM on 07/23/09
I 2nd baking them into chips OR how about de-rib and chiffonade the greens, add olive oil, lemon juice, some chopped shallot or garlic, a bit of salt & pepper and grated ricotta salata? Similar to a salad that Lupa has. If you don't eat it right away, it just gets better. I like to these with poached eggs, too! MMM! Good luck!
JeSuisJuba at 7:30PM on 07/23/09
The slimy texture you describe is from overcooking the greens.
Quickly saute almost any green on medium high heat with a little olive oil, kissed with thin sliced garlic, red pepper flakes and some bacon lardons. You'll quickly become a convert to the church of greens!
Can I get an AMEN!
Pavlov at 9:55PM on 07/23/09
@pav - AMEN!
hungrychristel at 11:06AM on 07/24/09