Do you ever have trouble eating all your greens before they go bad? Wilted greens can be revived by trimming their stems and soaking them in cold water (like cut flowers), or you can simply cook them down and no one would ever know. These two are old standbys, but have you ever thought about making your own greens powder? Since they are already partially dehydrated wilted greens are preferred for this recipe, however, you could also use fresh crisp greens (they will just take a little more time to dehydrate).
Premade greens powders are usually expensive and can have other unwanted ingredients like preservatives. This greens powder is a great addition to smoothies, soups, drinks, baked goods or anything you want to add a sprinkle of greens to!
Any edible greens can be dehydrated for this recipe, but the time to dehydrate will vary depending on the thickness of the leaves. Make this recipe even more zero waste friendly by using radish greens, beet greens or kohlrabi greens. This recipe is part of our Zero Waste Cooking series created by our 2020 nutrition intern Jessica Bruggens.
Super Greens Powder
Ingredients
Any greens or combination of greens you have on hand, preferably wilted, but not slimy or rotting.
Instructions
Oven method:
Preheat your oven to 190 °F or its lowest temperature if it does not go as low at 190 °F. Using a low temperature is best for dehydration because it evaporates the water but also is less likely to burn.
Destem and tear up the greens into 1-2 inch pieces. Smaller greens like spinach may not need tearing. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, spread out the torn greens in a single layer. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and crack the door open slightly with a wooden spoon, oven mitt or hot pad. Having the oven slightly open allows water vapor to escape and results in better dehydration.
Dehydrate for 45 min to 3 hours. The time will vary depending on the thickness of the leaves and the temperature setting. Check the greens occasionally to ensure they are not burning.
Once the greens are crispy and do not look or feel wet, add them to a blender and blend to a fine powder. Enjoy!
Dehydrator method:
If using a dehydrator, destem and tear the greens into 1-2 inch pieces unless they are already small (spinach), and place them on a dehydrator tray in a single layer.
Dehydrate on low-medium heat for 8-24 hours. The time is dependent on the thickness of the leaves as well as the temperature setting. Check periodically to see when your greens are dry. Once dehydrated add the greens to a blender and blend to a fine powder. Enjoy!
