how to get more greens into your diet

if you're like me, you have good intentions to get those greens in. that is... until your precious head hits the pillow & you realize you haven't even touched one leafy green. here are a handful of tips to get more greens into your diet. enjoy!

1. prep greens ahead of time. i am often in-between tasks when eating lunch. having pre-washed greens on hand makes me more likely to grab the greens instead of last night's dinner leftovers. my husband or i will usually harvest greens once or twice a week from the garden. we soak the greens in water, strain them, chop them, add them to a reusable container with a lid, & place them in the fridge for easy lunch and dinner prep.

2. mason jar salads. my girlfriend & i were just talking about mason jar salads. they're cute & make lunches-on-the-go fun! they're also easy to prep. here's a fun tutorial on making your mason jar salad. simply add the dressing on the bottom & then layer. 

3. freeze your greens. thicker greens, such as kale & spinach, freeze well. simply wash & chop your greens. add them to cookie sheet & freeze. once your greens are completely frozen, remove them from the cookie sheet & add them to a labeled baggie. frozen greens are perfect in hearty soups!

4. add additional greens to recipes. i love experimenting in the kitchen. even if you're a recipe follower, adding additional vegetables, such as yummy greens, to a meal can make it extra delicious and healthy. i love chopping up wilty greens & adding them to my pasta sauce. 

5. green smoothies. green smoothies are a great option for a healthy breakfast or lunch. my favorite smoothie recipe - 1/2 can of coconut milk, 1 banana, 1 tablespoon almond butter, 1/2 cup frozen mango, 1/2 cup frozen greens (kale is my favorite!), & 1/2 cup frozen strawberries. add & blend until smooth. enjoy in a mason jar with a fun straw!

6. weekly challenges. weekly challenges to change habits are a great way to stay mindful. try a weekly challenge of eating a side salad with your dinner every night for one week. ask the family to join in or a group of friends. it's fun & you're one step closer to a healthier habit!

- natalie

freezing greens

swiss chard has been the biggest success in the garden this year. i started my chard from seed in the early spring months at our old home in missouri. i planted them in my spring garden & then dug them up & re-planted them in pots. after traveling across state lines & surviving 115 degree summers, i'd say my swiss chard plants are troopers.

we are still harvesting basket fulls of chard for our summer dinners, but the chard just seems to keep growing. for that reason, i decided it was necessary to preserve some of our chard for later. i always pinch myself in the grocery store, wishing i had saved some of my greens, when purchasing kale, swiss chard & spinach during the winter months.

after some research & experimenting, i found that blanching & freezing greens (swiss chard, collards, kale, spinach, etc.) is the easiest & quickest way to preserve your harvest:

1. gather your greens.

2. wash your greens.

3. cut off & remove stems & other blemishes from leaves.

4. bring large pot (3/4 full of water) to a full boil. submerge greens into pot & keep in pot for three minutes.

5. once those greens have been in the pot for three minutes, drain & add to a large bowl full of ice water for three minutes.

6. drain & add to plastic freezer bag. remove air from bag (tip: use a straw & suck out air). make sure to label bag with name of greens & date.

7. place in freezer for later use!

happy freezing, friends!