Leafy Greens

Most people shy away from the leafy greens even though they are packed full of nutrients. I myself did not even know what kale and chard were until about a year ago when I tried a delicious veggie quesadilla from Patty Pan at the Seattle University District Farmers Market. It was fully of leafy greens and beets. Definitely something I would never have thought to make for myself. I found it irresistible and ate at least a small one every time I went to the market. After many months of farmers market trips for my veggie quesadilla, I was finally encouraged to buy some chard by one of the vendors where I usually purchased berries. It was on sale and he was a great salesperson, so I bought one bunch. When I got home I realized that I could now make my own delicious chard quesadillas. I've been a leafy greens lover ever since.

I actually enjoy the taste of most veggies, but I understand that many people do not. My husband is one of those people. That is why the chard quesadilla is great. The cheese and salsa mask most of the veggie flavor of the chard, so that veggie haters can get their daily dose of leafy greens and enjoy it too.

Thursday was the Bremerton Farmers Market and I purchased some russian chard from Abundantly Green to make these quesadillas for dinner. I usually get rainbow or red chard but decided to give this new variety a try.

Here's how I like to make it:

Ingredients:

• tortillas
• shredded cheese
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or garlic powder)
• swiss chard, chopped (or baby spinach if you aren't ready for chard)
• salsa
• avocado, sliced (optional)

First you will need to cook the chard. Heat about 1 tbsp of olive of in a pan on medium. Add the garlic and saute for about a minute (until it is fragrant). Sometimes when I'm feeling really lazy, I use garlic powder instead of minced garlic, but it definitely tastes better with real garlic. Then add the chopped chard and season with a little salt and pepper. Cover the pan and let it cook for about 5 minutes.




After 5 minutes, flip the chard over so the other side gets a chance to cook. If the pan seems dry, add a little water. Replace the lid and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Set the chard aside after it is finished cooking.

Cook your quesadilla in the pan by putting down a tortilla, a layer of shredded cheese, cooked chard, salsa, sliced avocado, and another layer of cheese. Put the top tortilla on and cook with the lid on to help the cheese melt more quickly.

After it is done cooking, cut it into triangles and eat! I usually dip it in salsa and plain non-fat greek yogurt in place of sour cream.

Tip: If you don't plan on using your kale or chard the same day that you buy it then it will be wilted by the next day. In order to prevent this, cut up your leafy greens and store them in a container in the fridge. This will keep them fresh and crisp for a few days until you are ready to use them.

Hiding Vegetables in Your Family Meals

Kids don't always eat their veggies (and neither do husbands). That is why I love this recipe for Turkey Zucchini Burgers from skinnytaste. It is tasty, easy, and about 150 calories! You will enjoy it even more because your family will have no idea that their burger is full of nutritious zucchini.

I followed the recipe except I finely chopped the red onion rather than grating it. I don't know why, I just hate grating red onion. In order to keep it low calorie, I ate it with 100% Whole Wheat Thin Style Buns from Sara Lee. The recipe says that it yields 5 patties, but I ended up making 6 regular sized patties and one mini patty for Zel. I only cooked two plus the mini burger and froze the other four to enjoy later. The first night I added regular burger toppings like ketchup, cheese, and baby spinach.

The second time around I got the idea to make a tzaziki sauce to go with it. I have made greek burgers before and they were a hit at my house. But these will be even better with the secret veggies. 

Here is a recipe for my tzaziki sauce:

Ingredients

• 3/4 cucumber, chopped with seeds removed
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups non-fat greek yogurt (I prefer the Fage brand)
• lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• about 1/4 cup dill
• about 1 tsp cumin
• salt to taste

First, cut the cucumber in half length-wise and use a small spoon to scrape out the seeds. Once the seeds are removed, chop the cucumber. Add the chopped cucumber, greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, dill, cumin, and salt to the food processor and blend until smooth. I don't usually measure the amount of lemon juice, I just add it until I like the taste. As a guideline, use about the same amount you would get from juicing one lemon. If you like your tzaziki thicker then add a little more yogurt. The sauce has the best flavor if you let it sit for a few hours or overnight.

Hope you enjoy this as much as I did. If you try it, let me know what you think!