How To Massage Your Greens

Did you know you can massage your food?

Yes, it’s true!

I learned about this a little over a year ago, after tasting a raw kale salad that was definitely more tender than the kale salads I typically made at home.

I wasn’t sure what the restaurant had done to make the greens so tasty.

Before too long, I read about a technique that involved “massaging” your greens. I realized this was the exact process the restaurant had used to perfect their kale salad.

The sky’s the limit here, by the way – you’re not limited to kale.

Just about any greens can be massaged – chard, spinach, collards, arugula, lettuce – you name it.

Why the focus on Greens?

Kale, spinach, swiss chard and the like are the basis for a healthy, well-rounded diet.

Not only do leafy greens add necessary fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – they are also considered essential to reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and other age-related illnesses.

Add the fact that they’re naturally gluten-free, and you’d be doing yourself a disservice not to include some of these leafy greens on a daily basis.

I’m still fairly new, myself, to introducing some of these nutritional powerhouses into my diet.

For the longest time I was strictly a lettuce and spinach kind of gal, until I decided to expand my horizons.

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A Tribute To Blueberries

A few days ago, I shared this picture on Facebook.

A number of people wanted to know “What is that?!”

And “Can I have the recipe?”

Well, “that” my friends, is my favorite summertime Blueberry Tart, and yes – I’m here to share the recipe!

By the way, if you’ve landed on this page, you’ve probably noticed that I like blueberries.

And as summer winds to an end, I realized with a shock that our weekly supply of locally grown, organic blueberries is also coming to an end.

Yes, we’ve been making regular trips to the Farmer’s Market this summer, especially while fresh berries have been in season.

And indulging in lots of them!

Strawberries, raspberries, and – of course – blueberries.

Blueberries are SO good for you!

Not only are they full of antioxidants, they are said to aid in memory function and reduce the effects of aging.

Works for me!

(Did you know that any deeply colored fruits and vegetables are really good for you? It’s Nature’s way of telling us.)

In the off season, you could easily resort to frozen blueberries.

Maybe you’ve even planned ahead, and bought extra flats to freeze some of your own.

If so, I take my hat off to you!

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How To Massage Your Greens

Did you know you can massage your food?

Yes, it’s true!

I learned of this technique about a year ago, when I first tasted a raw kale salad that was infinitely more tender than the kale salads I typically made at home.

I wasn’t sure what the restaurant had done to make the salad so tasty.

Before too long, I read about a technique that involved “massaging” your greens. I realized this was the exact process the restaurant had used to perfect their kale salad.

The sky’s the limit here, by the way – you’re not limited to kale.

Just about any greens can be massaged – chard, spinach, collards, arugula, lettuce – you name it.

Why the focus on Greens?

Kale, spinach, swiss chard and the like are the basis for a healthy, well-rounded diet.

Not only do leafy greens add necessary fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – they are also considered essential to reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and other age-related illnesses.

Add the fact that they’re naturally gluten-free, and you’d be doing yourself a disservice not to include some of these leafy greens on a daily basis.

I’m still fairly new, myself, to introducing some of these nutritional powerhouses into my diet.

For the longest time I was strictly a lettuce and spinach kind of gal, until I decided to expand my horizons.

[Read more…]