Since becoming plant-based eaters we got back into one of Bend’s local CSAs — Agricultural Connections. [ASIDE: that sounds pretentious and high-and-mighty, but shit, being plant-based is a really healthy way to eat, it’s better for the planet, and it might just add some years to my brother’s life! — see ABOUT.] This was this week’s bounty:
I’m pretty psyched about the quality and quantity of the veggies, but the volume they take up in our already-overstuffed fridge is pretty significant AND the potential for waste this week is pretty high given that we’re not going to be celebrating Thanksgiving here.
Anyway, somewhere along the way I figured out that if I parboil leafy greens BEFORE they go brown and liquified (you know what I’m talking about!) and then freeze them (this is so much more difficult than it sounds!), we get the benefit of local leafy greens all year long and in an easy, manageable package.
LEAFY FREEZER BALLS:
1. Parboil the green stuff you don’t think you’ll get to this week for about a minute. (And if it’s super stalky, like kale, remove the tough bits.)
2. Remove from the pot and then when your greens are cool enough, squeeze out excess water.
3. Chop up the greens.
4. Squeeze into balls, a little bigger than a golf ball, smaller than a tennis ball… Maybe the size of a big lime?
5. Throw into something you use for freezer storage (If you’re going to use a ziplock bag, commit to using it for a long time please. Plastic is evil.)
6. Freeze.
Throw your frozen balls (haha… I know, I can’t help it) into all sorts of stuff: smoothies, soups, pasta sauce, breakfast scrambles, soup, stir fry, curry, you name it. Remember that some greens, like beets and chard, might turn your stuff pink.
Behead. 
After parboiling, let your greens cool. 
Squeeze out excess water and leave in a ball so you can…. 
slice and chop. 
Roll into a ball again carefully — chopped balls are delicate… 
Carefully put in a bag for the freezer.
Okay, so that’s it. I saved the beautifully red water that I squeezed out of my beet greens to use in a smoothie, but that’s pretty anal. Oh yeah, I’m steaming the beets in the oven right now (in an oven proof dish, with about a centimeter of water, covered tightly with aluminum, on 350F, until tender). I’ll throw them into a salad.
Anyway, I’m curious about other ways to preserve and use leafy greens — let me know if you have any ideas!
UPDATE ON JAY: After almost three months of eating healthier, and 3 weeks of being plant based, my brother’s fasting blood sugar was 97 this morning!! Two hours after breakfast it was 106!!!! Here’s hoping he can get off his metformin soon!
