green protein smoothie

So...green smoothies. Is it just me, or does it seem a bit strange to drink a mysterious green liquid that looks like it would be quite at home in a swamp? The secret is to balance the green with fruit, banana really helps out here, plus it's a great thickener.

I'm a little bit crazy about this green smoothie specifically because it just tastes so good! Plus it's easy to mix up with different frozen fruit on hand. This blend in particular masks the slight grittiness to the hemp protein powder (any unflavored variety of protein powder would work great, too).

Green Protein Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp hemp protein powder
• 4 cups spinach
• 1 banana
• 1 C frozen blueberries or strawberries
• 1 C water or milk (So Delicious coconut adds a subtle richness), or more for a looser consistency

Method

1. Add ingredients to blender in the order listed.
2. Blend until smooth.

Yields about 20 ounces, enough for one large or two small servings.

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Roasted Beets + Greens

Yep, I went there. Beets have always been a mystery vegetable to me and even though I had previously never encountered one, I was always semi afraid of them. Unfortunately for me, my CSA box this week had a bunch tucked inside. So I did my research and found a couple beet and beet green recipes. One of the first recipe hits had nearly 300 reviews and 4.5 stars, how could I go wrong?

The beet greens have a surprisingly neutral taste, milder than kale even. As such, I think they would make a great accompaniment to other sauteed vegetables and no one would be the wiser. The beets themselves are nice and tender, slightly sweet. I have a feeling I'll be buying beets at least once this fall.

Roasted Beets + Greens

Ingredients

• One bunch beets (about 6), washed and separated
• Olive oil
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 C onion, finely chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place beets in a glass baking dish, adding enough olive oil to toss and coat. Cover pan with foil and bake for about 60 minutes, or until beets tender.
2. Tear beet green leaves from the hard red stems, roughly chopping the leaves.
3. After beets are done cooking, saute garlic and onion in olive oil until slightly golden. Add beet greens and cook until slightly wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
4. Slice beets. To serve, place beet greens over sliced beets and add sherry vinegar over the top. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

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CSA Season: collard greens

I signed up for a CSA basket for the season and with it come some vegetables I would not normally try. First up: collard greens.

I've never had collard greens, but I imagine they are in the same category as kale and swiss chard, two greens I have purchased and enjoy cooked up with eggs.

I decided to cook my collard greens in a grill pan with bacon fat, which then turned into a sort of salad. I ate mine plain, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, then added a couple strips of bacon, torn into pieces.

Next time I think I'll make my standard dijon-balsamic vinaigrette and toss with the greens and bacon. I like using an old spice jar to shake up my vinaigrette ingredients, plus it makes a great little storage container and is a convenient way to take a couple day's worth of salad dressing to work for lunch!

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