A fresh salad brings a splash of color and crispiness, brightening even the dullest days with its lively crunch.
Whether it’s spring or winter, eating a big bowl of leafy green vegetables helps keep you full and energized.
What are canned greens?
Canned greens are usually whole leaves of leafy greens such as spinach, collards, turnip greens, and chard.
They come in water-packed cans with a thick layer of vegetable oil on top (or in some cases, they’re vacuum sealed).
Why are canned greens popular?
Canned greens are an easy way to add nutritious greens into your diet without having to spend time washing, chopping, and cooking them.
You just have to open the can and pour out the contents into a bowl.
Canned greens come in handy when you don’t have access to fresh produce or if you just want something quick and easy to eat.
What are the benefits of canned greens?
Canned greens are not only convenient but also affordable.
They’re usually cheaper than buying fresh greens and last longer because they’re dried.
In addition, they contain less sugar, sodium, and fat compared to fresh greens.
If you’re trying to lose weight, canned greens are a great option since they’re low calorie and high in nutrients.
What are the disadvantages of canned greens?
Although canned greens are convenient and nutritious, they aren’t always ideal.
Some people may find canned greens too salty or bitter due to their long storage time.
Others might prefer using fresh greens instead.
Are canned greens healthy?
Canned greens are a great source of vitamins A and K, which is why they’re recommended for pregnant women.
They also provide iron, folate, calcium, zinc, fiber, antioxidants, and protein.
What is the nutritional value of canned greens?
Here are the nutrient values of spinach, kale, and collard greens:
Spinach: 200 calories, 5 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of monosaturated fat, 6 grams of dietary fiber, 4 milligrams of vitamin K, 3 milligrams of vitamin A, 2 milligrams of vitamin C, 15% of daily value of manganese, 11% of daily value of riboflavin, 9% of daily value of thiamin, 8% of daily value of niacin, 7% of daily value of folate, 6% of daily value of potassium, 4% of daily value of magnesium, 3% of daily value of phosphorus, 3% of daily value of copper, 2% of daily value of iron, and 1% of daily value of zinc.
Kale: 225 calories, 5 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of monosaturated fat, 6 grams of dietary fiber, 4 milligrams of vitamin K, 3 milligrams of vitamin A, 2 milligrams of vitamin C, 14% of daily value of manganese, 12% of daily value of riboflavin, 10% of daily value of thiamin, 9% of daily value of niacin, 7% of daily value of folate, 6% of daily value of potassium, 4% of daily value of magnesium, 3% of daily value of phosphorus, 3% of daily value of copper, 2% of daily value of iron, and 1% of daily value of zinc.
Collard greens: 230 calories, 5 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of monosaturated fat, 6 grams of dietary fiber, 4 milligrams of vitamin K, 3 milligrams of vitamin A, 2 milligrams of vitamin C, 13% of daily value of manganese, 12% of daily value of riboflavin, 10% of daily value of thiamin, 9% of daily value of niacin, 7% of daily value of folate, 6% of daily value of potassium, 4% of daily value of magnesium, 3% of daily value of phosphorus, 3% of daily value of copper, 2% of daily value of iron, and 1% of daily value of zinc.
What are some recipes that use canned greens?
If you’re new to canned greens, here are some tried and true recipes that will help you get started:
Baked Spinach Chips
Roasted Collard Greens with Pine Nuts & Raisins
Green Beans with Roasted Garlic, Pancetta, & Parmesan Cheese
Spicy Sausage & Cabbage Soup
Crispy Potato Skins with Bacon & Kale
How should canned greens be stored?
Canned greens should be kept in the refrigerator and used within three days after opening.
Refrigerated greens will stay good for about two weeks.
What is the shelf life of canned greens?
The shelf life of canned greens depends on how they were processed.
If they were packed in brine, then they’ll last about three months.
If they were vacuum sealed, then they’d last about six months.
The most common canned greens are those that were packed in water, which should last between one and two years.
Are there any recalls on canned greens?
Yes, there are a couple of canned greens recalls from 2007 and 2014.
But they both affected different brands of canned greens.
Here are the details:
2007
Campbell Soup recalled its “Veggie Broccoli” brand of canned broccoli raab, broccoli rabe, and Brussels sprouts over concerns of possible listeria contamination.
These products were sold nationwide between August 2003 and December 2006.
2014
Trader Joe’s recalled certain varieties of its “Garden Blend” and “Spiral Garden” brands of frozen mixed vegetables over concerns of E. coli contamination.
These products were sold in California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
The recall was voluntary.
Both of these recalls were caused by mislabeling of the product.
It’s important to note that canned greens are already washed, trimmed, and cut before being put into the can.
This means that even if the product was contaminated, it would have had minimal effect on the overall quality of the canned greens.
Heavenly Vegan Cracker Barrel Turnip Greens Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Pot
- 1 Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup onion chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- Chopped turnip or collard greens 32oz
- 9 pieces bacon slices
- Red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Bring stock, water, and salt to a boil over high heat in a large pot. Stir in the turnips, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Drain the greens thoroughly and transfer to a bowl. Toss with vinegar, oil, and pepper; taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- While the greens are cooking, heat the bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until crisp, often stirring, about 7 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; crumble into small pieces when cool enough to handle. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the skillet; discard remaining fat or save for another use.
- Add onion and garlic to the reserved one tablespoon bacon fat in skillet; cook over medium-high heat until softened but not browned, about 1 minute.
- Put vinegar and sugar; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until syrupy, often stirring for about 5 minutes.
- Add turnip mixture back into the skillet along with crumbled bacon; stir well and serve hot or at room temperature.
Video
I have a true passion for cooking and experimenting with new ingredients, and I have been creating and perfecting recipes for friends and family for years.
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