A dose of leafy greens is essential for a healthy diet, but often they’re left to wilt in the background. Take care of seasonal greens like kale, spinach and Swiss chard, and they’ll love you back.  

TREAT YOUR GREENS RIGHT

Packing power
Kale, spinach and Swiss chard provide different levels of vital vitamins. Swiss chard and spinach are high in vitamin A and K, but spinach is much higher in calcium whereas Swiss chard is rich in vitamin C. Kale has lower levels of vitamins A and K, but it hits it out of the park when it comes to vitamin C. 

In the kitchen
When it comes to using these vegetables in your cooking, there are various methods to bring out their flavour, texture and enjoyment. 

Washing 
Take care to not crush the leaves as you wash them. Add to a bowl of cold water and set aside for a few minutes. The dirt should sink to the bottom of the bowl. From there, pick out your greens and get cooking. 

Cooking 

Raw  

– Spinach provides a crisp canvas for other ingredients in a salad. Try these combos:
– Sliced apple, crumbled feta and chopped walnuts
– Sliced red onion, avocado, balsamic vinegar and pine nuts
– Grilled chicken, Greek yoghurt, olives and tomatoes 

Wilt 
Place your chopped leafy green in a dry pan over gentle heat. Leave to cook for about 30 seconds before removing. When adding these veggies to soups or stews, the heat of the
dish will wilt the leaves for you, so add them just before serving (once the heat is turned off).  

Bake 
Tear kale into small pieces, removing the tough stem in the process. Place on an oven tray, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and bake at 180°C for 8-10 minutes. The kale should be crispy and delicate. Enjoy as a snack or side to a main meal. 

Sauté and steam 
Leafy veg can look quite sad once they’ve cooked! But there’s hope: it’s what you cook them with that will save the day and the dish.  

When working with Swiss chard, cut the leaves away from the tough stem. Roll leaves up and chop finely. Add a generous glug of oil to the hot pan and throw in 1 minced garlic glove. If you like, add the stems and fry for a few minutes until lightly caramelised before adding a splash of water and the leaves. Cover with a lid and steam until wilted, then remove and decant into a serving bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, season and serve. 

Season 
Drizzle with a vinaigrette or add lemon zest, salt and pepper or chilli flakes. Massage dressing into the leaves for a minute, then finish off with grated Parmesan and pumpkin or sunflower seeds. 

Storing 
If you’re packing your greens away before using them, make sure to first discard any brown leaves, wash them thoroughly, then pack them into a sealed container or Ziploc bag lined with kitchen towel. This will absorb moisture and retain the freshness. 

Green scene risotto 

Serves 3-4  •  TOTAL Time 1 HR 

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil 
1 onion, chopped
2 leeks, washed and sliced (optional) 
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves 
Handful fresh thyme 
1 cup arborio rice  
1/3 cup white wine (optional)   
3 cups warm chicken or vegetable stock  
Salt and milled black pepper 
½ cup cream 
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to garnish 
125g frozen peas, cooked 
100g baby spinach 
Handful fresh mint 
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 packet (125g) sugar snap peas, blanched
Handful fresh pea shoots 

Method

1. Heat oil in a large deep pan.
2. Fry onion, leeks and garlic for 3-5 minutes.
3. Add bay leaves, thyme and rice. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
4. Add wine (if using) and cook, while stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until liquid is almost evaporated.
5. Reduce heat to low.
6. Add  cup stock, allowing it to absorb before pouring in next  cup. 
7. Repeat this process while stirring continuously until all stock is added, about 15-20 minutes. 
8. Once all the stock is added, there should be a thick, creamy sauce covering the rice. It should be cooked through and plump, but still have a bite.
9. Discard bay leaves and thyme.
10. Season risotto and stir through cream and Parmesan.
11. Add peas, spinach, lemon juice, zest, mint and chilli to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Season well.
12. Stir mixture into risotto, garnish with sugar snap peas and fresh pea shoots. Serve immediately.

Chef’s Tip: Arborio rice is a short-grain rice ideal for making risottos. It easily absorbs flavour, plumps up from the slow cooking and releases enough starch to create that creamy texture. 

Green goddess burgers 

Serves 4  •  TOTAL Time 40 MIN 

Ingredients

FOR THE PATTIES 

1 cup frozen peas  
2 cups kale, touch stems removed, shredded 
¼ head (100g) broccoli, cut into florets 
½ can (410g) butter beans, drained
½ celery stalk, finely chopped
½ onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed 
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 
3/4 cup oats  
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped 
2 tsp soy sauce  
Salt and milled black pepper 

TO SERVE 

4 brown rolls
1 avocado, sliced
¼ cup hummus  
Handful cherry tomatoes 
Lettuce leaves and sprouts 

Method

1. Blanch green vegetables (except celery) in salted boiling water for a minute, then plunge into a bowl of ice water to refresh. Drain well.
2. Add vegetables and beans to food processor and pulse until ground.
3. Fry celery, onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp oil for 5 minutes. Combine with ground vegetables.
4. Mix in oats, basil, soy sauce and seasoning. 
5. Shape mixture into 4 patties. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up.
6. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a non-stick pan and cook patties for 3-5 minutes on each side until golden.
7. Halve rolls and toast in a warm pan. Drizzle with extra oil.
8. Serve patties on buns garnished with avocado, hummus, tomatoes and fresh greens.

Hake with kidney bean sauté 

Serves 4  •  TOTAL Time 30 MIN 

Ingredients

FOR THE SPINACH AND BASIL PESTO 

3 Tbsp pine nuts, almonds or pumpkin seeds, toasted
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Pinch of salt  
40g fresh basil leaves  
50g baby spinach leaves 
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 lemon, juiced and zested
½ cup olive oil  

FOR THE FISH 

1½ cups (300g) dried white kidney beans, soaked and drained 
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 
4 fillets (600g) hake (or any sustainable white fish), skin on
Salt and milled black pepper 
1 onion, diced  
3 cloves garlic, crushed  
2 Tbsp butter  
250g cherry tomatoes  
1 packet (100g) baby spinach   

TO SERVE 

Grated Parmesan cheese 
Lemon juice 

Method

1. Combine pesto ingredients (except oil) in a food processor. Then add two tablespoons of olive oil and pulse until still chunky.
2. Drizzle with remaining oil while blending until smooth. Season and set aside.
3. Boil beans in a pot of salted water for 30-35 minutes. Drain well.
4. Heat olive oil in a pan. 
5. Pat fish dry and season generously.
6. Fry fish skin-side down for about 3-4 minutes. Flip over and fry for about 2-3 minutes. Remove and cover to keep warm. 
7. Add onion to pan and sauté until golden. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
8. Add butter, beans and tomatoes, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Season. 
9. Toss through spinach, remove from the heat and stir through ¾ of pesto.
10. Serve bean sauté topped with fish, extra pesto, Parmesan and lemon juice.

Chef’s Tip:  To prevent fish from sticking to the pan, thoroughly dry the fish using kitchen towel, then season with salt and pepper. Add a small splash of oil to a super-hot pan, then place
the fish skin-side down into a stainless-steel pan. It will take 2-3 minutes before the fish skin releases from the pan. If you feel any resistance when trying to flip the fish, leave it for a little longer before trying again. 

Spinach and feta quesadillas 

Serves 4  •  TOTAL Time 20 MIN 

Ingredients

½ packet (150g) Swiss chard, washed and shredded 
2 discs (100g each) feta, crumbled 
1 tsp chilli flakes 
Salt and milled black pepper 
6 flour tortillas 
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard   

FOR THE SALSA 

½ punnet (125g) cherry tomatoes, quartered 
1 Mediterranean cucumber, diced
1 Tbsp canola oil  
1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice  
1 tsp chopped fresh mint 
1 tsp honey 

Method

1. Combine Swiss chard, feta and chilli flakes. Season well.
2. Place a tortilla onto a plate and spread with 1 Tbsp mustard.
3. Top with  spinach mixture, then with another tortilla.
4. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a chopping board and slice into 4 triangles.
5. Repeat with remaining spinach filling and tortillas. 
6. Combine salsa ingredients and season well.
7. Serve quesadillas topped with salsa.

Words by Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine 

The post 4 tasty ways to make leafy greens the hero of your meals appeared first on MyKitchen.