Spring is here, and one of the things that most of us look forward to is lighter, healthier food. Winter is the time for filling dishes, but now it’s time for light, flavourful, fresh and vibrantly colourful foods. Spring greens are one of the best ways to get healthy vegetables into your family’s diet.
What Are Spring Greens?
Spring greens isn’t just a term for green leaves growing in the spring. Spring greens are really a type of young cabbage. They’re a member of the brassica family, and shaped a little like a cos lettuce, but the leaves are looser, and not as tight as lettuce leaves. They also don’t have a heart like most cabbages and lettuces.
Why Are Spring Greens Good For You?
Spring greens are incredibly good for you and are really packed with nutrition. They’ve got high levels of vitamin C, and vitamin K. Vitamin C is needed to support the immune system, while vitamin K is useful for building and maintaining bone strength. Spring greens have other natural compounds that are good for you as well. They have sulforaphane, and indoles, both have anti-inflammatories, and anti-cancer actions. Adding these compounds to your diet may help reduce your risk of some cancers, heart disease and stroke.
How To Store Spring Greens
Spring greens have the most nutrients when they’re eaten as close to the date of purchase as possible. They should be refrigerated in the meantime. They’re in season during the spring and summer, and can be found in most supermarkets, and farmer’s markets. You may find pre-chopped spring greens, but these tend to be expensive in comparison.
How To Cook Spring Greens
Spring greens can be steamed or blanched in boiling water. They don’t need to be chopped or shredded and can be cooked whole. Spring greens tend to have a sweet, fresh flavour, and a silky texture.
You might also want to try finely chopping them and frying them off. This gives you a tasty, home-made alternative to crispy seaweed, and can add an interesting texture to your meal.
Garlic Spring Greens Recipe
This is a very simple spring greens recipe. It’s so easy to make and serves four people.
Ingredients
500g Spring greens
8 cloves of crushed garlic
Pine nuts (Optional)
Method
- Heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan.
- Add the spring greens. Cook on a low heat for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook for around 2 more minutes.
- Serve with pine nuts.
This recipe can be made as a side dish. You could add shallots before the spring greens to make it more robust. You may want to add in butterbeans, or chickpeas and turn it from a side dish to a main meal.
