It's officially stick season in the Upper Valley - the surrounding landscape has turned muted shades of brown and grey and all plant life has gone dormant. Inside our unheated hoop houses, however, the hearty greens are thriving! They have the impressive ability to withstand below freezing temperatures as long as the sun warms up the houses during the day so we can harvest. The tatsoi, dandelion greens, kale, spinach, and lettuce mix featured in your shares this week are all standouts, wowing us with their noticeably sweet winter flavor, and full of the nutrients we need as we gear up for the indulgent food that is typically prepared over the holidays.
Spinach in particular is a nutritional powerhouse that's rich in antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, folate, iron, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, vitamin B6, folic acid, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids and fiber. Our soil-grown winter spinach is super sweet, an incredibly intense green, and packed with flavor.
All of our hearty greens pair well with other assertive flavors like strong cheeses, citrus, apples, roasted beets or squash, grains or nuts. Together, they create salads that are fresh, colorful, and full enough to stand alone as a meal. If you're looking for a little inspiration, we're loving recipes like this winter crunch salad and this use-what-you-have apricot spinach salad with roasted vegetables.
