Ulog 130: Saving Up The Greens From My Garden

As the summer begins it winding down in the garden, my first planting of greens (spinach and arugula) are starting to slow down. So before these greens flowered and went to seed, I figured this was the best time to gather up and harvest the greens and dehydrate them to use later in the year.

For the last few years, I've been taking the greens from my garden and doing this.

I keep the dehydrated greens in large mason jars and when I need them, I just scoop out the amount I need and these help add extra nutrients to certain dishes and meals, as well as allow me to get the most from a harvest and season.

Some of the ways I use this green mixture are when I am preparing up a meat mixture for meatloaf or meatballs. I just add in a 1/4 or 1/2 cup to the meat and other seasonings. Not only am I adding in some servings of vegetables to the meal, but the dark green color of the dried greens add such a fantastic aesthetic to the food.

• When making lasagna, stuffed shells or baked ziti, these greens add such a flavor to the (ricotta) cheese mixture I use for layering.
• Add a pinch of it to scrambled eggs when frying them up.
• The perfect addition to soups and stews.
• Perfect for stir-fries
• Wonderful when crumbled on top of roasted veggies
• Crumbled up a small amount into homemade salad dressing for a kick of something-something

This greens mixture is so versatile.