Greens like spinach, chard, and kale are not only healthy and FULL of vitamins, they’re also incredibly versatile! Check out this list of twenty ways to use a bag of greens.

I am ALLLLL about making shopping simpler and buying ingredients that can be used in a variety of ways. I tend to buy them same things at the grocery store, with a few special buys here and there, and then use those staple ingredients for dozens of different recipes.

I buy a few gallons of milk and use it for drinking (of course), yogurt, stovetop ricotta, homemade ice cream, pudding cups, and more. I pick up a bag of dried beans to cook and use in burritos, chili, nachos, egg rolls, quesadillas…you get the picture.

And I ALWAYS have a bag of mixed greens on hand. Most often, I buy the “Power Greens” from Costco– just five dollars for a big bag of chard, spinach, and kale.

This bag of greens is really like having a handful of magic beans. You can magically use this one ingredient in so many different recipes and foods!

Of course, saving money and simplifying your grocery shopping is a good motivator. But adding extra vitamins and nutrients into your foods at breakfast, lunch, and dinner is even better.

We all know that greens are incredibly good for you. Spinach, kale, and chard in particular are very high in vitamins A, C, and K. They’re also good sources of iron, magnesium, antioxidants, and more.

The great thing about greens is that they taste great on their own, but they also mix well with a ton of other ingredients and foods. If they were in grade school, “plays well with others” would be on their report cards.

If you want to find more ways to get more greens in your diet, then this list is for you. Seriously, I try to add these greens into just about everything. I am only slightly kidding. I’m debating green cookies or sneaking some into a pan of brownies…

20 Ways to Use a Bag of Greens

1. Add them to smoothies.
2. Make sautéed garlicky greens for a side at dinner.
3. Mix the with cheese to make quesadillas.
4. Use them in soup. (Sausage & Kale, or Extra Green Broccoli Cheese)
5. Make a puree with a little water and add to fresh pasta dough for green pasta.
6. Chop them up and add them to an omelet.
7. Make 5-minute super greens pesto sauce.
8. Use them in black bean and spinach egg rolls.
9. Sauté them with garlic and make an amazing grilled cheese sandwich.
10. Put them on a pizza.
11. Toss them with a pasta dish.
12. Add them to your freezer burrito filling.
13.  Make a layer of greens in your homemade lasagna.
14. Put them in a batch of cheesy twisted breadsticks.
15. Use them in delicious appetizer tartlets for a party.
16. Mix them with lettuce for a healthy salad.
17. Chop it and put it in a pasta salad.
18. Use them to make spinach and artichoke dip.
19. Make a puree of greens and stir into hummus for a green hummus dip.
20. Add to a breakfast casserole.

I should note that I often use this bag of greens for any recipe that calls for spinach, kale, or chard. It’s one more step in keeping things simple around here.

If saving money (and still maintaining a healthy lifestyle) is your thing, then I want to tell you about my friend Erin’s new book that’s coming out next month. Not only does it have a beautiful cover, but it is also packed FULL of money-saving tips and advice. The book is written for women who want to stay home with their kids, and women who are already staying home, but I’m confident that anyone could benefit from Erin’s experience and expertise.

Erin has been scratch cooking for a long time, and of necessity has learned a myriad of ways to save money on groceries, clothes, and a dozen other expenses. She shares all this wisdom in easily digestible pieces in her new book. (See what I did there… #foodblogger).

I’m not saying everyone should ask for Erin’s book for Mother’s Day this year… And I’m not saying you should make sure someone orders the book before the release date so you get all the awesome preorder bonus… No, actually, that is EXACTLY what I am saying.  

You Can Stay Home With Your Kids: 100 Tips, Tricks, and Ways to Make It Work On A Budget

You can order You Can Stay Home With Your Kids, and also find her first book More Than Just Making It (which is longer and includes more of her story) on Amazon.

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