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How Clean Are Your Greens?

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If you don't plan on using your greens right away, it's important to store them properly so they will be fresh and crisp when you are ready for them. Lay the leaves out on paper towels and begin to roll them up in the paper towel. This will help blot out excess water. Store the greens in a plastic container or bag.

Now that you have clean greens, you can use them in a variety of ways. A typical salad will consist of greens and all the toppings you may enjoy, including other cut-up vegetables. Some prefer a sweet taste being added to their salads, using fruit like apples, strawberries, or oranges. Topping your greens with nuts, sunflower seeds, avocado or even low-fat shredded cheese makes for a delicious green salad with a bit of healthy fat and protein.

Eating greens is not the only thing that you can do with them, however. How about a nice green smoothie? This is a very healthy drink that can be altered to suit any taste.

Ingredients:

A mix of 3 types of fruit (apple, kiwi, mango, pear, banana, etc.)

1 to 1 1/2 cups of Kale or Romaine lettuce

1 celery stalk

Cut the fruit into chunks and blend all the ingredients together with either one cup of water or one cup of your favorite juice in a food processor or juicer.

Environmentally Friendly Greens

If you want to eat your greens and make a positive impact on our environment at the same time, then going organic is the best way. When greens are grown organically, the soil is replenished constantly. With greens that are grown commercially, the soil is depleted.

Of course, you could always opt to grow your own greens. This is known as growing locally. This eliminates pesticides, depletion and can actually save you money. You can even freeze some types of greens (like spinach) to use when the growing season ends. No land to grow your own? Eat locally by visiting a farmer's market or farm stand.