It was nice weekend over here. Nothing wild went on, but it was relaxing and enjoyable. We made it out on the boat for the first time this season! It was gorgeous out so we trudged right though nap time. Totally worth Hailey’s severe case of the afternoon sillies.
We also made it to the farmers market where I gawked at the beautiful colors of fresh produce.
And these flowers?? Amazing.
Between the warm weather and my eagerness to bring back a little of my day to day normalcy, I’m really feeling the itch to cook again. I’ve been jotting down a lot of recipes to try, but realistically I know time isn’t completely at my disposal right now, so I’m starting small by picking up some fresh greens to have around for simple things like salads and smoothies.
I love buying my greens from the farmers market where the farmer can tell me how they are grown and when they were picked (usually the answer is the previous evening or even the morning of- so fresh). However buying organic and fresh greens means that you often end up bringing home a couple little critters and a decent amount of soil too, so I always make sure to wash my greens really well once I get home.
My secret weapon is this stuff: Shaklee Basic H Organic Cleaning concentrate.
Yup, it’s the same concentrate I use to make my household cleaners, but there are about a million uses for it, one being to clean fruits and vegetables. It’s SUPER concentrated so a tiny bit goes a long way which makes the bottle last forever.
The first step is to buy some greens! I snagged these from Cold Water Creek Farms Organics at the Davidson Farmers Market.
Then I clean my sink by scrubbing it using scour off.
Then I fill up my sink with 4-5 inches of warm water and add 2-3 drops (that’s it!) of Basic H.
I toss in my greens and use my hands to swish them around and let them soak for about 5 minutes.
For large greens, like dinosaur kale, I rinse each one off as I pull it out of the sink.
For leafier greens, like lettuce, I transfer the leaves to a colander, drain and rinse the sink, then rinse the greens off with a spray of cool water (or another soak in clean water if you are up for taking the time) before transferring them to my salad spinner. It’s important to remove the greens before draining and rinsing because the dirt and grime will have settled at the bottom of the sink and you don’t want to stir it all up again.
I enlist my helper to prep the kale for smoothies by de-ribbing it. She’s getting quite good!
Then I keep the clean, dry greens in an airtight container in the fridge so they’re ready to grab at a moments notice.
Pretty simple!
Do you wash your fruits and veggies once you get them home?
What greens do you always have on hand?
For me, it’s usually a lettuce blend and either spinach or kale for smoothies!
Michelle G. says
oh wow. That is impressive!
Off topic, but I’d be interested in getting an update on Hailey’s potty training. My 2.5 year-old is starting the process now. He has totally mastered #1 in the potty, just not a fan of #2. For now, I just give him a diaper in the morning and let him go in there because he’s only 2, after all, and I’d prefer that to having him hold it all day. Have you managed to progress to the next level with Hailey? Obviously, you’re pretty busy lately…
Brittany Dixon says
Oh gosh, #2s are my nemesis! In short, nope, haven’t even come close to mastering it. I’ll elaborate more on it soon!
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast says
Great tips! We love our salad spinner… over the winter I was lazy and buying a lot of prewashed greens to make salads easy. But I’m excited that it’s farmer’s market season again and we can eat the really fresh greens! We love mixed spring greens, kale, swiss chard, spinach and arugula.
Brittany Dixon says
I totally buy the prewashed greens when life is busy- so nice to have that option! But something about grabbing them from the farmers markets makes me feel so wholesome haha 🙂
Parita @ myinnershakti says
I’m really starting to think about what I use to clean around the house. So in an effort to reduce excess chemicals, I made my own cleaning solution this weekend using water, white vinegar, and essential oils. It worked out great and I didn’t have to worry about inhaling 100s of toxins!
May have to check this solution out as I normally only use water to rinse my fruits and veggies. And we ALWAYS have spinach on hand…always!
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen says
I usually just soak my greens in water in my salad spinner and then drain and rinse, but your method looks great for big batches of greens! I haven’t yet made it to the farmer’s market this season, but this morning I just told myself that we are going this week. I can’t wait!
Giselle@myhealthyhappyhome says
I’ll have to check that wash out. I typically pre-wash my fruits and veggies in a water and white vinegar bath but for some reason never think to prep my greens. I’ll definitely start to though!
Ali says
Thanks for sharing. I’ll have to get some of that. I try to wash my produce well, but honestly, usually only use water and I’ve been thinking about getting something to clean them better with.
Marjorie says
I wash mine about the same as you – minus the cleaner.
I grew my own greens a couple years back (pre kid), which was awesome! I grew mixed lettuces (butter leaf, romaine), arugula, plus kale and Swiss chard. I did not have good luck with spinach, though. I killed it. :-/ Maybe I need a different variety. Anyway – There is nothing like a salad that was picked mere minutes prior to eating. YUM!
I planted some this year with good intentions, but I didn’t manage them too well. I harvest them too late, after they began shooting to seed. 🙁 At that point it means that it’s time to pull them up because they start to taste bitter. It’s too hot here in Birmingham to plant any more, but I am going to plant some more in late summer/ early fall. They are so easy to grow when the weather is right. Seed is super cheap. I know you like to garden, so this would be a fun project for you and Hailey in a few months.
Brittany Dixon says
Oh I’d love to grow greens! The garden you used to have sounds amazing. I hope to get back to (or just get started… ;)) growing more of our own produce. Maybe I’ll look into growing some lettuce. You’re right- H would love it!
Jen says
I’m dying to go to the farmer’s market!!! I haven’t been brave enough, though. Baby girl will be 4 weeks on Wednesday and I’m still afraid to take her out on my own (unless it’s to Grandma’s house), but I need to just woman up and do it!
As to how I clean leafy greens…um, not as well or as thoroughly as you do. I need to get a better system. And the greens I always keep on hand change, but lately I’ve kept a bag of organic kale in the freezer for smoothies, and finally bought a big box of spinach this week for smoothies so I could mix it up. Oh, and always lettuce!
GiselleR @ Diary of an ExSloth says
I normally just put my greens in a colander and run them under water for a bit. I’ve never thought of using anything other than water too wash them but now that I think about it, it’s probably necessary!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Jaclyn @ Bumpsweat says
If I’m being lazy, I just wash my greens in water. But, when I’m thinking about it, I add vinegar to the mix. Do you store the washed greens in your spinner or another way?
Brittany Dixon says
I keep them in a Tupperware with a paper towel in it. I guess I totally could store them in my spinner but it never occurred to me!
Sarah says
I usually just chop mine up and use the salad spinner to give them a good rinse. I’ve never used soap on my greens before!
Brittany Dixon says
David gives me a weird look when I put my basic h drops in too- haha! But I feel like it helps get them cleaner and so far they never have tasted soapy- 😉
alex says
I use the Honest Company’s fruit and veggie wash (http://www.honest.com/accept_invitation/291116) and I absolutely love it! I should really get the Scour off stuff, I am looking at ways to keep my sinks spotless!!
Kris says
Please don’t wash your greens in the sink unless it’s disinfected. It’s one of the germiest places in your home. Try a big bowl or plastic tub instead. Just heading out of CLT after a gorgeous weekend in Davidson to celebrate MIL’s 92nd. Envious of your life on the Lake!
Katie says
Yes, I just wanted to follow up that sinks are a huge source of food borne bacteria like salmonella and listeria. No matter how much you clean them, you probably miss some of the bacteria. http://www.nutritionaction.com/daily/food-safety/is-your-kitchen-sink-safe/ I soak mine in the salad spinner and then drain with the colander piece. I totally used to do it your way but after going to school for a masters in public health and becoming a registered dietitian, I learned a ton about food safety.
Brittany Dixon says
I’ll totally read up on this. I always wash my sink well before using it to wash food and I always use the left side where I don’t wash or rinse dishes/etc. However, maybe I should look into buying a large container for this purpose instead. Thanks for the info!
Brittany Dixon says
PS- ahhh I’m in love with Davidson! Hope you had a great time 🙂
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries says
I should look into some sort of veggie wash. I typically just use water, but I’m sure an extra somethin’ would definitely be a good addition. I almost always have spinach on hand, and then some sort of other green – romaine, green leaf, and/or kale.
Tia @ Tina and Tia says
Growing up, my mom always asked me to rinse and drain leafy greens 5 times! I remember secretly rebelling by only rinsing them only 2-3 times.
Brittany Dixon says
Oh wow, 5 times is some serious dedication!! Even your rebellious method sounds pretty thorough to me 😉
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
Aww, Hailey is SUCH a good little helper! I need her to come do some meal prep with me! 😉
Dominique @ Eat, Pray, Lift says
I’m more of a wash-as-I-go kind of broad. If I had a good sink cleaner, a salad spinner (lost mine in our last move! 🙁 ), and enough storage bins to keep everything fresh, I would definitely wash it all my greens at once.
Irina says
I love this post! I needed a refresher on washing leafy greens this week. I just wanted to say I really enjoy reading your blog, you sound authentic and honest, without complaining, humble bragging or “over” gushing. You do strike a perfect balance. Please do not stop blogging, you are my only “mommy” read that I can totally relate to, even though I am a mom working full time, kids in daycare, etc. My 2.5 year old has the same Hello Kitty glasses (Target!) and LOVES them. Thanks so much!
Brittany Dixon says
Thanks so much for your kind words Irina! Made my day! And yes, those Hello Kitty glasses rock! 😉
char eats greens says
This is awesome!! I actually don’t own a salad spinner yet, but I’ve been thinking about it for a long time now. Must get on that! I probably don’t wash my greens as good as I should…should probably change that too! haha
Love the idea of getting kale prepped for smoothies. Must start doing that. Brilliant!
Vito says
If some one wishes to be updated with latest technologies
therefore he must be pay a quick visit this web page and be up to date everyday.
Dylan says
My developer is trying to convince me to move to .net from PHP.
I have always disliked the idea because
of the expenses. But he’s tryiong none the less.
I’ve been using Movable-type on several websites for
about a year and am concerned about switching to another platform.
I have heard great things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can import all
my wordpress content into it? Any help would be really appreciated!
Elli says
I have never thought of washing my veggies or leafy greens with anything else than pure water. I only wash them right before eating, otherwise they go bad if I store them washed. I wonder how to avoid that from happening? I am a big fan of locally grown and produced groceries, so maybe I should buy a salad spinner and try a new way next time. This is a nice tip, thanks for sharing!
relationship problems says
I savor, lead to I discovered exactly what I was taking a look for.
You have ended my four day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day.
Bye
website design inspiration pinterest says
Have you ever thought about including a little bit more than just your articles?
I mean, what you say is important and all.
However imagine if you added some great images or video clips
to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with images and video
clips, this website could definitely be one of the most beneficial in its niche.
Amazing blog!
website design software ratings says
excellent publish, very informative. I wonder why the other experts of this
sector don’t understand this. You must continue your writing.
I am confident, you’ve a huge readers’ base
already!
Rachael says
great points altogether, you just gained a brand new
reader. What may you recommend in regards to your put
up that you just made a few days in the past? Any certain?
article writer software review says
Why people still make use of to read news papers when in this
technological world all is available on web?
web design denver jobs says
I’m gone to convey my little brother, that he should also pay a quick visit this weblog on regular basis to get updated
from hottest gossip.
website design awards 2014 uk says
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wished to say that I have truly enjoyed surfing around your blog posts.
In any case I will be subscribing to your feed and I hope
you write again very soon!