Healthy Party Dips

As summer nears its end and we begin to prepare for that perfect fall weather, there’s one important thing on all of our minds: football season! It’s go big or go home on game days around here and one thing that’s just as important as the game itself is your tailgate food.

So, what’s everyone’s go-to? A dip! Typically, because they’re quick and easy to make and a party favorite that guests love to snack on. However, most of the time dips are filled with less-than-healthy ingredients. That’s why they are one of our favorite places to sneak in a couple of extra veggies. Adding more greens will only make the dip fresher and lighter – not to mention you won’t feel as bad about having one too many scoops.

You can also make healthier choices with what you choose to dip with. Veggie dippers such as carrots, broccoli, and celery are always a great option, as well as whole-grain crackers or pita chips. Our personal favorite and a great alternative to a tortilla chip are kale chips. They’re three times as nutritious and just as delicious!

We understand that finding ways to fit more greens into your daily diet can be hard, especially on game day. That’s why we love exploring our options when it comes to implementing healthier ingredients into our favorite recipes. So, whether you’re watching the game at home with friends or tailgating near the stadium, check out some dips we’ve put together for you!

Kale Artichoke Dip

Creamy, dreamy, and delicious. Made with Nature’s Greens kale, shredded cheeses, mayonnaise, and a few other ingredients. This dip only takes 12 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook. It’s certain to leave everyone wanting more!

View the full recipe here. Courtesy of @cozypeachkitchen

Collard Dip

If collard greens are your favorite leafy green, then this is for you! All you need is a bag of Nature’s Greens collards, sour cream, chopped onions, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and a pack of vegetable recipe mix. Prepped and ready in just 30 minutes.

View the full recipe here.

Super Green Party Dip

Super green and super yummy. Two cups of Nature’s Greens kale, zucchini, green onions, and more. All blended together and ready to serve within minutes!

View the full recipe here. Courtesy of @cyn_sass

Mustard Greens Dip with Veggies

Pack in your mustard greens with this tasty dip! This recipe only calls for five ingredients and takes just 45 minutes to cook, the hard part will be choosing what to dip with.

View the full recipe here.

Poblano, Kale, & Artichoke Dip

Poblano Chile peppers, Nature’s Greens kale, and a bag of artichokes all combined with a few other mixings to make a dish meant to share. Have it prepped and ready in less than an hour!

View the full recipe here.

Be sure to check out even more game day recipes on our Pinterest! It’s sure to soothe your tailgate cravings.

What's Poppin'?

If you’ve never ventured into the world of fresh corn kernels or corn on the cob for your daily meals, summer is the best time to start popping some fun. Not only because corn harvesting peaks during the warm summer months, but also because the versatile veggie is best enjoyed fresh. Although canned goods have some advantages when it comes to price, convenience, storage, and transportation, they also tend to be high in sodium (as salt helps to preserve the food) and relatively lower in nutrients (as a result of the canning process). Fresh ears of sweet corn are also the quintessential cookout side! With at least six creative ways to get these ready for the family reunions you have planned for the summer, the real challenge will be not letting all the compliments go to your head!

Microwaving

Tenderizing your kernels only takes about 4 minutes of cooking time on a microwave-safe dish! Start here if everything else sounds too intimidating and work your way up to fancier preparation methods.

Try it with: Fresh Corn Relish

Boiling

The secret to achieving the best results with this method is to get enough water to both cover the corn and reach boiling point before adding your fresh bulk to the pan. Be sure to cook on medium heat, covered, for about 7 minutes - or cook over low for about 30 minutes to boost flavors from accompanying ingredients!

Try it with: Stewed Corn and Tomatoes

Steaming

A steamer basket is your best friend here. As long as you keep the water levels below the basket and cook covered on high for about 6 minutes after the water starts to boil, you should be getting some decently tender corn at the end of the process.

Try it with: Corn and Shrimp Saute

Pressure Cooking

Immerse the corn in water and cook for around two minutes after the pressure cooker reaches high temperature. It’s that simple, and you can serve it immediately or incorporate it into a recipe by quickly releasing the pressure.

Try it with: Skillet Perfect Creamed Corn

Oven Roasting

An internal temperature of about 375°F will work for most ovens and cobs. Wrap them up on aluminum foil (seasoning is optional at this point), and cook for circa 30 minutes or until you achieve your desired tenderness.

Try it with: Baked Corn on the Cob

Grilling

With a grill, you should be looking at a temperature range of 350 to 400°F. Brushing vegetable oil on the cobs is essential here, as well as charring them with the grill hood closed and flipping every third of the way through the 15-minute total grilling time.

Try it with: Grilled Corn and Veggie Toss

We hope you feel inspired to eat more fresh sweet corn this summer. Click here to learn more about why corn is one of our seasonal favorites and to find additional curated recipes for incorporating more of this nutrient-dense veggie into your diet!

All the Single Households

Home alone? Well, more like alone together! A rising number of Americans are choosing to live it up like Kevin McCallister, and for more than just a night. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there are 36.2 million one-person homes in the country, which accounts for 28% of all households. This percentage has only grown over the years—by comparison, single-person home units represented only 13% of all households back in the 1960s. And if you think this is a uniquely American phenomenon, historical records show that the trend has become increasingly common all over the world.

From delayed marriage to longer life expectancy to greater wealth, it’s hard to pinpoint a single cause for this global wave, but one thing is certain: those who go solo do not have more time to cook and bake than those who live in bigger households. Not only are single dwellers busy, but they additionally value right-sized foods, and they are willing to spend more to get what they want. In fact, a whole new market specializing in small-serving options has emerged recently to cater to the needs of this demographic of predominantly young, affluent consumers.

When it comes to nutrition, however, the trade-off of outsourcing most of your daily meals is the loss of control over ingredients and the resulting food quality. There simply is no replacement for a healthy, home-cooked dish made with farm-fresh greens and specialty vegetables! The first step towards a healthier life is reclaiming ownership of your kitchen, and this month’s recipe selections have been curated to help you achieve exactly that! With few, but quality ingredients that come together quickly, they yield just the right amount of healthy nourishment for anyone living alone.

Greens Trio Breakfast Toast

This toast is a serious game changer! In no more than 30 minutes, you can make a wholesome breakfast that provides healthy fats, protein, and a delightful combination of collard, mustard and turnip greens to start the day off on the right foot.

Just Beet It Kale Salad

Sweet beets with a perfectly seasoned tahini dressing! Perfect for lunch, you can put this bowl from @figgiethefoodie together in no time by simply: massaging kale in olive oil and lemon juice; adding beets, quinoa, and remaining ingredients; and drizzling lemon tahini sauce on top of your masterpiece.

Pantry Pasta with Collard Greens and Breadcrumbs

An easy, yet uniquely flavored pasta dish for dinner? Check. You can cut down on the amount of cooking time for this recipe by having most ingredients prepped and ready to go before you begin. With collards greens, bucatini or another long noodle, butter, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, breadcrumbs, and seasoning to taste, dinner is already served.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding with Ginger Coconut Kale

Definitely don’t forget about dessert! In a small bowl, combine coconut oil, kale, ginger, and one tablespoon of honey. Stir to coat kale evenly, set aside, and place remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Then simply layer kale with your fresh pudding mixture, and voilà, your post-dinner sweet cravings are satisfied curtesy of our friend, Cynthia Sass!

Living alone doesn’t have to be synonymous with dine-in or take-out meals at every turn. Explore our website for more healthy recipes that can be easily adapted and tailored to any household configuration!

Three MYTHS About Fresh Produce During COVID-19 and What You Need To Know

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking its toll on everybody. The food supply chain is no exception.

People are buying non-perishable items and household items, like toilet paper, in large quantities—sometimes in excess. Fresh produce has seen an increase in purchases, but not at the same rate as the rest of the stores in most parts of the country.

We believe there are some MYTHS about fresh produce—and fresh leafy greens in particular—that we hope to dispel and encourage you to make fresh an ongoing priority in your buying decisions.

Myth 1: Fresh produce won’t keep long.

While it’s true that fresh produce is highly perishable, many fresh produce items have longer shelf lives than you may think. Here are some examples:

• Apples: up to 2 months in fridge

• Beets: up to 2 weeks in fridge

• Butternut: up to 6 months, in a cool dark place

• Cabbage: up to 4-5 weeks in fridge

• Citrus: up to 3-4 weeks in fridge

• Leafy Greens: up to 2 weeks in fridge

  source: Lindsey Janeiro, RDN: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9p4uzVJhft/

Solution: Use what you can, freeze the rest.

If you buy in bulk and you’re worried about wasting money, find ways to freeze items so that you can use them later.

For fresh dark leafy greens, consider making the following:

• Pesto pucks: blend together a pesto mix like this kale pesto, and freeze in pucks. Store in freezer safe bag.

• Smoothie pucks: blend a base mix of leafy greens and water; then freeze in pucks and store in a freezer safe bag.

• Blanching and freezing: blanche leafy greens for a few minutes by placing in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then removing and placing in ice-bath. Finally, put in freezer safe bag with a cup of water or broth.

Myth 2: Fresh produce is currently a carrier of COVID-19.

According to United Fresh and PMA in a joint statement, “There are no clinically confirmed cases of COVID-19 linked to the consumption of fresh produce or food sold through traditional retail outlets. As consumers select their produce, adhering to food safety guidance is critical. We encourage consumers to wash their hands, and wash and prepare their produce following FDA recommendations.”

Solution: Steps to take to maintain caution.

1. Wash hands frequently, including after a trip to the grocery store;

2. Resist the urge to “manipulate” produce items on bulk displays, despite touching different items being a typical part of the selection process;

3. Avoid bulk produce if immune-compromised, choosing packaged produce as an added caution, or cook the produce before eating; and

4. Wash produce thoroughly.

   source: Scott Monroe, a Purdue University Extension food safety educator and Amanda Deering, an Extension specialist at Purdue University Department of Food Science: https://www.thepacker.com/article/no-reason-avoid-fresh-produce-during-outbreak

Myth 3: Fresh produce supply is in danger.

We are currently in the midst of a season change, and in particular, a change into warmer weather. This means that more growing land will become increasingly available to farmers across the country as temperatures warm up. There is currently an abundance of food and fresh produce in the food supply, and barring any severely drastic changes, the fresh produce food supply will remain strong.

Solution: Growers are taking all possible steps to make sure the food supply stays strong.

At WP Rawl, we are actively monitoring the situation daily. We are committed to continuing to grow, harvest, pack, and ship farm fresh leafy greens in the safest ways possible to keep our team members, our customer partners, our communities, and everyone who purchases our products as safe as possible through this.

• This includes additional cleaning actions in our office buildings, plants, and warehouses.

• Additional measures taken to limit chance of spread within our guest worker housing.

• Additional measures with our truck drivers abroad and with outside carriers arriving at our facilities.

Fresh produce farms are already highly trained in industry-best food safety practices. At WP Rawl, we’ve made food safety a top priority for decades. We will continue to make changes necessary to adapt to this dynamic situation, and we remain committed to our mission of providing fresh, wholesome vegetables from our family farm to you.

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If you have any questions or concerns about fresh leafy greens, please message us on Facebook @WPRawl or email us at info@rawl.net

*This is a developing situation. We are not experts or authorities on COVID-19 and are not claiming to be. Information shared in this blog post is subject to change as COVID-19 is a dynamic, ongoing situation. For up to date, exact information about current happenings and best practices with COVID-19, please visit (WHO) https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019, (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html, and (FDA) https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-issues/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19.

Cozy Dishes to Share with Friends and Family

As the cool air begins to creep in, we know that you’re eagerly counting down the days until that first cold snap hits where you can dive into your favorite comfort foods. The hearty, often heavy, recipes that we grew up on as children—casseroles, soups, chowders, and a variety of pies.

 These foods, while warm and comforting, are often filled with unhealthy ingredients that you’ve been working hard all year to eliminate from your pantry as you bring in more greens, fruits, and vegetables to your weekly shopping list. The fall (and approaching holiday season!) can tempt you to add some of these ingredients back to your grocery cart each week. To help you stick to the fresh, nutritious meals that you and your family have been enjoying throughout the year, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite recipes to enjoy during the fall season.

 Regardless if you’re enjoying breakfast at home with your family, headed out to a tailgate and a football game, or inviting friends over for dinner, we have you covered.

Saturday Morning Brunch

When your kids are still snuggled up in the warmth of their beds under their favorite blanket, head to the kitchen to whip up a quiche that everyone can enjoy for brunch. This Crustless Tomato Quiche is a quick and easy way to start off the day. Bake it in the morning, let it cool for a few minutes, and then slice it up. Your family can enjoy it whenever they’re up and ready for their day or can even take a piece to go on the way out the door!

Appetizer for a Tailgate

Here in the South, many weekends during the fall are spent gathering with friends around a tailgate before heading into the stadium to catch the big game. No matter what team you’re pulling for this season, having the perfect appetizer for the tailgate is always necessary on gameday. Our You’ll Be Asking for Mo’re Collard Dip makes for a great dip to share during the cooler months of the year. We can promise that your friends will be asking you for the recipe after a bite or two.

Dinner Party

Is there anything more comforting than a warm, filling soup on a chilly fall evening? We don’t think so! Our Smoked Sausage, Kale, & Potato Soup is a wonderful recipe to share with friends around your dining room table. Need to make this vegetarian friendly? Try subbing out the chicken broth for vegetable broth and leave out the sausage. Have a mixed group? Sauté the sausage in a pan on the side and let those who want to add it into their soup add it in as a topping when you serve it. This soup is delicious no matter the season, but it’s especially enjoyable during the colder months of the year.

 What recipes are you preparing this fall? We’d love to see what you are cooking up in your kitchen this season! Whether you’re sharing your shopping cart with your ingredients or your family enjoying your finished product, be sure to tag us in your photos and videos on social media with @naturesgreens and #FarmFreshGreens!

 Happy fall, y’all!

Meal Prep Strategies For The Week Ahead!

One of the easiest prep strategies for building meals that are healthful and balanced is to make the components for grain bowls, but with the portions of the greens and grains reversed. This not only allows you to fit in more veggies, but it also prevents carb overload - all while providing a generously portioned meal that is filling, energizing, and satisfying.

Ready some glass storage contains with lids to fill with your ingredients. The first step is to prep your greens, like kale or collards. Plan for at least two cups per meal. Simply chop a generous portion, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, and massage, using your hands, until the greens are slightly wilted. Transfer to a large container and seal. This will be the base of your reverse grain bowl.

Next, prep some additional veggies. These can be raw, like diced tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion, or shredded zucchini. They can also be sautéed, grilled, or oven roasted. Aim for at least two additional colors, and at least a half cup per meal.          

Prepare some simple grains, which include naturally gluten free options, like brown or wild rice, quinoa, or corn. Plan for a half cup cooked per meal.

Protein is next. This can include plant based choices, like beans, lentils, or chickpeas – about a half cup per meal. Or you may opt for about three ounces per meal of cooked lean animal protein, like browned extra lean ground turkey. For a time saving shortcut buy canned beans, tinned salmon, or ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken. One or two hard boiled eggs is another easy option.

The last step is a finishing sauce. This can include a healthful store bought option, like dairy free pesto or olive tapenade, a semi-premade sauce, like jarred tahini seasoned with added herbs and spices, or a from-scratch choice, like a simple balsamic vinaigrette or creamy pureed avocado sauce.   

When you’re ready to eat, pull out your containers. Fill the bottom of a bowl with your greens, add more veggies, top with your grain, then protein. You can warm some of these up if you prefer, or leave them chilled. Drizzle with your finishing sauce and you’re ready to go!   

Many of these ingredients require minimal or no prep. And taking some extra time on the weekend to cook some whole grains and fill your containers is well worth the effort. Meal prepping ensures that during the busy work week all you need to do to eat healthfully is grab your components, assemble, and enjoy!

How do you feel about meal prep? Please share some of your favorite ingredients, tips, and healthy dishes.

5 Ways to Get Moving This Spring

Are you moving as much as you should? Being physically active can improve your overall health. At times, we often hear so much about diet, but don’t realize that physical activity is just as important. Most people do not get enough physical activity, and everyone can benefit from being more active. 

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, it is important to get a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. Easier said than done right? Between work, school, family obligations, it can very difficult to designate time to get those minutes in daily. Physical activity is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle because of its many benefits such as helping to improve blood pressure, weight maintenance, regulating blood sugars and more. It’s time to better your health by moving your body. Here are 5 fun ways to stay active.

1. Invite a friend and get hiking! Hiking is such a powerful cardio workout with so many health benefits, plus it’s fun (especially when you are doing with your loved ones or friends). Hiking can build strength in your glutes, as well as build muscles in your hips and lower legs. Hiking is also a great way to enjoy nature. Research hiking trails in your location, grab somebody, and get ready for a fun and fulfilling workout that you will enjoy!

2. Let’s Dance! Can’t dance? No worries, dancing for a workout is really all about moving your body, not catching the beat. Dance workouts make exercising more fun and less painful. What’s not to love about sweating away to your very own dance party and jamming? Dancing can be a great heart pounding, cardio workout. Pop in your favorite dance cardio video and get to it!

3. Take a class. Are you getting bored doing the same workouts? Well it’s time to switch it up! The good news is that there are so many fitness classes out there that can help you mix up your workout routine. It’s even more exciting when you are taking it with a friend. A few classes you can try are yoga, kickboxing, ZUMBA, spinning and many many more. Research some fitness classes in your local area and find one that works for you.

4. Walk! Walking might be one of the easiest workouts you can do, if you are physically capable. It doesn’t require much effort and it goes a very long way. When you go out, aim to park your car further away from where you are going, to get in some extra steps. Call a friend or family member to go for a walk with you or to talk on the phone with you while you walk. You’ll be amazed at how quickly 30 minutes can fly by when you have someone by your side. You might even motivate each other to add more minutes. Spend most of your days at a desk? Aim to take multiple small breaks throughout the day to help you get active. You can set a timer on your phone to get up and go for a walk around the office. On the days you feel that you want something more relaxed, you can try walking.

5. Use a fitness app. Oh yes... the digital age brings us so many cool gadgets almost everyday. Do you have a smartphone? Most likely you do, but awesome news is that now it can be a great workout companion. There are so many new fitness apps that include step-by-step instructions for different workouts from yoga, to strength training, running and more. If fitness apps are your thing, it can definitely be well worth downloading.

Whichever type of physical activity you choose to do, make sure it is fun and enjoyable! Don’t forget to stretch before and after to avoid tight muscles, drink plenty of water and consume a healthy meal or snack.

The right foods before and after exercise can boost your results. Your body burns carbohydrates for fuel, they give you the energy to power through that jog or fitness class. When you’re done, refueling with a combination of protein and carbs can help you rebuild muscle. For pre and post workout snacks and meals, visit Nature’s Greens!

This post was sponsored by WP Rawl. All thoughts and opinions are from Valerie Agyeman, RDN. For more of her work around wellness and nutrition, visit her website: http://flourishheights.com

Diets: Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That!

Vegetable Wild Rice Soup with Collard Greens

We hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season and that it’s been a good new year for you so far. The beginning of the year is always full of new beginnings, fresh starts, and plenty of goals and resolutions. Did you set any New Year’s Resolutions for the upcoming year? Our team set quite a few for ourselves: from growing more greens for you to enjoy and bringing you more tasty recipes to try out in your kitchens, we’re on a mission in 2019.

What types of resolutions did you set? If you set a goal to lose weight and become healthier by finally trying out that diet your friend keeps recommending, we have a different goal for you to consider.

Let’s face it. Most people don’t stick with their diets for a number of reasons. They can be too difficult to follow, they can limit the types of foods that you enjoy eating, and they can cause you to cook multiple meals for dinner if not everyone in your house is following the same diet. Diets can be pretty inconvenient, and nobody has time for that! Plus, we think there are better ways for you to become healthier and potentially lose weight along the way—if that is indeed something you want.

Think about shifting your goal away from weight loss through dieting, and instead focus on becoming healthier by adopting positive lifestyle habits.

Here are a few habits that you can easily incorporate into your everyday life:

1. Focus on eating a balanced diet—filled with plenty of greens, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein, and more—that will leave you feeling more energized, healthier, and fulfilled.

2. Drink plenty of water. Not only will you stay hydrated, but you’ll potentially reduce your appetite and food intake throughout the day. Start your morning with a glass and keep it going throughout the day! Tip: you should drink half of your body weight in ounces each day.

3. Listen to your body and don’t live in guilt. Should you eat fast food everyday? Probably not. Is it okay for you to have a cheeseburger with fries every now and then because that is what you genuinely want? Absolutely. The key is to take a moment before you eat something to ask yourself if that is really what you’d like to have? If your body is telling you that it is time for leafy greens—listen! If it is telling you that it needs some chocolate, guess what? Listen! Your body is always wanting to return to balance.

4. Add exercise into your day. Even a thirty minute walk around your neighborhood with your kids at the end of the day or a quick yoga session during your lunch hour is really beneficial.

Diets come and go, but we believe that healthy lifestyle habits can become second nature to you. Which habit do you plan on adding to your day to day life first? Share with us on social media by tagging @naturesgreens and #FarmFreshGreens!