For a nutrient boost, try my DIY super greens powder. It’s a great way to put those extra leafy greens to good use and to add vitamins and minerals to your meals or snacks.
You can use any greens you’d like, even mix and match. Some of my favorites are:
- Kale – When you include kale in your diet you’ll get a load of iron, vitamins A and C, and calcium. It also contains beta carotene, antioxidants, potassium and fiber. This nutritious green is readily available at farmer’s markets in spring and fall, but kale is so easy to grow you can have a supply right outside your kitchen door. There are two common edible types of kale – curly and dinosaur (aka Lacinato).
- Swiss chard – This colorful greenery packs a powerful nutritional punch. One cup provides more than 700 percent of your daily vitamin K, and more than 200 percent of daily vitamin A. Swiss chard is rich in the antioxidants alpha and beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and choline.
- Spinach – Most of the calories in this dark leafy green come from protein. Spinach is high in iron, niacin and zinc, as well as vitamins A, C, E and K. It also contains fiber, phosphorus and thiamine.
- Mustard greens – Peppery, crispy mustard greens, also known as leaf mustards, are one of the most nutritious leafy greens out there, packed with vitamin A, carotenes, vitamin K, and flavonoid anti-oxidants.
To Make the Super Greens Powder
- Wash and dry your greens then separate the leaves from the stems.
- Arrange the leaves on a cookie sheet. Make sure it’s a non-stick surface (I like to use a little olive oil).
- Preheat your oven to the lowest temperature.
- Place the tray of greens in the oven for about 3 hours until the greens are super crumbly and dry.
- Once they are ready and have cooled, simply crush the leaves with your hands or rolling pin and save it in an air-tight container.
- To make it into a finer powder, place it in a blender, food processor or even a coffee grinder. The finer the powder, the smoother it mixes.
Use a scoop of the powder to add extra nutrients to smoothies, sauces or even scrambled eggs, which I love!
See the recipe in action here: