Sometimes I love bitter greens straight up; blanched, steamed, sauteed, it doesn’t matter. Other times I need a little help. Some greens definitely taste more bitter than others and this is one place where freshness is really noticeable. Vegetables tend to get more bitter with age, both in older plants and in the longer it has been since harvesting.
Our bodies are unique. Some us of have more tolerance for the bitter flavor. In fact, some vegetables I think are sweet, my dad argues are bitter. Our taste buds are different. The good news is that over time our taste buds can change. We can come to love greens, or at least be able to enjoy them a little more.These are strategies I use to help make greens, and really a variety of vegetables, more enjoyable for the whole family. I don’t want to have to force myself to eat anything, no matter how good it is for me. These tips will help.1. Add an acid to the cooked greens when serving. Lemon juice, brown rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar.2. Cook greens with something sweet. I often use caramelized onions, but carrot and winter squash work well, too.3. Cook them in a blend with milder greens. For example: Saute greens with a nice mix of green cabbage, kale, broccoli and bitter greens. Add some onion in there and a little apple cider vinegar at the end. So good.4. Add them to a bean soup. Sometimes it helps to blanch them lightly before adding to the soup to help give them a milder flavor. Beans and greens are a nutrient powerhouse combination.5. Saute the greens and add a little sweet miso at the end.6. Don’t be afraid to cook bitter greens a little longer than you would other greens. Last week I water sauteed red onion cut in half moons, added a full bunch of chopped dandelion with a pinch of sea salt and a splash of water. I simmered it covered for about 10 minutes. Then I added a splash of apple cider vinegar. Delicious. I ate almost the whole bunch and loved it. You may lose some of the more fragile vitamins by cooking longer, but there are still a lot of nutrients left.
A few recipes to try. You can substitute most greens in for the other vegetables. You can also water saute any time the recipe calls for oil. I don’t use very much oil these days, but I do think a small amount of oil or fat added can help with mineral absorption from the greens.
Sauteed Rapini with Button Mushrooms
Sauteed Daikon Greens with Onion, Garlic and Lemon
Sauteed Dandelion Greens, Snow Peas and Udon
Want some help with adding more greens, or more vegetables, to your day? Let me know. It’s one of my favorite things to help you with.