I have been on this quest to take better care of myself. You know, trying to sustain myself on sleep, minerals, and three nutrient-dense meals each day instead of caffeine.
The garden has delivered by providing spinach and kale. They’ve actually been growing all winter. Planting spinach and kale in the late fall is probably one of my favorite spring garden hacks. They’re super low maintenance, they don’t need to be covered (where I am in zone 6b, Columbus) and they start growing like weeds in early spring.
I’ve been struck with the idea that nature got it right with dark greens coming into their prime in the early spring as I cook my way through our supply. The dark greens can be prepared hot or cold, as if flexing with the unpredictable spring weather. We’ve made creamed greens, raw salads where the green is the star and others with a simple dressing for garnishing tacos, we’ve made soups and stews, ragus and sautés.
I’m probably in the minority when I say that greens are something I crave. When I crave greens I’m usually feeling exhausted or just had a few days of not eating enough or not eating healthy and nutritious foods. When I stop and listen to my body it’s screaming for all of the minerals and vitamins that are packed into those dark green leaves.
I’ve kept track of my recent recipes featuring greens and compiled them here. It feels like the beginning of garden-to-table season - running barefoot to the garden while a pot simmers on the stove, usually with a baby in tow. The best of days!
Three additional recipes - Coconut Stewed Black Beans with Kale, Tomato Kale Ragu, and Quick Noodle Stir Fry are available for paid subscribers.