Painless Ways to Eat Those Nutritious Leafy Greens

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There there are numerous ways to incorporate these nutritious greens into your daily diet. Here are some inspirational ideas to eat more leafy greens without resorting to a salad.

Check out these 13 of the healthiest leafy green vegetables to include in your diet via Healthline.

1. Sauces

Sauces of all kinds are a perfect way to sneak in extra greens, in either chopped or pureed form.

Tip: Spinach or beet greens can be blended raw into a batch of marinara sauce, and chopped, steamed kale can be stirred into a hearty bolognese

2. Kale Chips

Eating a whole pile of greens can be as easy as picking up a store-bought bag of raw kale chips, or–even better–making your own!

Tips: Use any type herbs or spices and blend with nuts or hemp seeds.

3. Soups

Soups are an amazing way to incorporate chopped leafy greens. Chop a handful of spinach or Swiss chard into a soup or stew during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

4. Pesto

Move over basil! Replace half or more of the basil in any pesto recipe with the leafy green of your choice.

Tip: Spinach is a great alternative. Be creative and choose some arugula or watercress, and experiment with the huts and herb.

5. Raw Wraps

Raw wraps are a green sensation! Just take romaine, Bibb, Swiss chard, cabbage leaves or Belgian Endive and fill with your favorite ingredients.

Tips: Ground turkey, chicken, or salmon. Hummus, onions, Kalamata olives, cucumber, tomatoes, cheese.

6. Smoothies

Enough said. By now you already know this one, but be sure to toss in a handful of spinach, Swiss chard or kale leave.

Tip: Consider a smoothie made with spinach, strawberries, banana with coconut milk. Great for morning rush breakfast. Kale can be bitter and alter the taste of your smoothie, so add a handful of raspberries or blackberries that do a great job of covering up the taste.

7. Garnishes

A great way to hide leafy greens in plain sight is to very finely shred them and sprinkle them into or on top of other dishes.

Tip: Combine broccoli stems, watercress, and flat-leaf parsley in your food processor and pulse, then use them like a garnish. Finish it off with some fresh garlic, and/or sea salt for extra flavor.

8. Hummus, Guacamole, Dips

Before you puree, just toss in a half a cup of chopped spinach in your next batch of hummus, guacamole or dip.

Tip: You can also use romaine or butter lettuce leaves in place of chips or crackers.

Getting your daily dose of nourishing leafy greens is easier and tastier than you think. And, if you are a salad lover, these inspirational ideas bring something new to your plate.

AVOCADO SPINACH DIP

• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup diced avocado
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream, I used Green Valley Organics Lactose Free
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 large garlic clove, more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Hot Sauce

Directions:

1. Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
2. Scrape dip into a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.