Fall is harvest time here in West Michigan; and we sure do love it. Right now the focus at our house is on the greens: Swiss chard, wild cabbage (ancestor to kale, collards, etc.) and turnips. The lower fall temperatures remove the bitterness that’s present during the summer. And my how the greens are thriving these days!!
Nice thing about all of these is they can withstand temperatures that have already killed much of the garden. They all survive the autumn frosts just fine; and can even be harvested in the dead of winter if protected properly.
Here’s a picture of some I picked today. One of the wild cabbage leaves was pretty big!! I put my Pyrex bowl, cutting board and chef’s knife in the photo for size comparison. Click the photo for a better view.
Of course, I’m also killing two stones with one bird: I wanted to share how I make my lunch for work. My “standard” cooking receptacle is a 4 cup Pyrex bowl with a vented lid; perfect for cooking in the microwave. Tomorrow’s lunch will be very simple, yet very delicious:
1 small leftover broiled chicken breast (about 4 ounces), cut up into chunks
1/2 of a medium sized yellow onion
Chopped greens, enough to fill the bowl to the top.
And yes we eat the stems too!! I sprinkle a little Kikkoman Gluten Free Soy Sauce to “kick it up a notch,” as Emeril might say. Keep refrigerated until it’s time to eat, then nuke it for 3 minutes. Mix the contents after cooking to toss the flavors all about. MMmmmmm good!!