Bagged Greens at the Grocery Store and Honey Mustard Collards

A few weeks ago my mom graciously took me grocery shopping. Normally I shop at Trader Joe’s since it is a stone’s throw away from my home. I’m also never far from a farmers’ market, and subscribing to Boston Organics meant I had fresh produce dropped off at my door. So it has been a while since I have spent any time in a Shaw’s or other major supermarket chain doing major grocery shopping. It’s always good for me to shop in a Shaw’s so I can see new products on the market, how grocers are setting up stores, and what new marketing schemes are leading consumers to buy into bogus health claims on junk foods…but that’s a topic for another post.

Since recently putting a hold on our Boston Organics delivery, our produce drawer has been lacking in dark leafy greens. Trader Joe’s also really lacks in this area and I was missing those bitter, antioxidant packed greens. My mom told me she had spotted kale and collard greens in Shaw’s – pre washed, cut and bagged! While I don’t necessarily like the higher price for someone else to cut your veggies, and the wasteful packaging, I was impressed to see these “non traditional” greens alongside the other salad mixes. I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t think a store like Shaw’s would even carry these greens, but am excited to see they’re making it easy for consumers to add variety to their veggies. Now, next time I post a fab recipe using dark leafy greens, you don’t have to question, “Where on earth would I find those!?” You can just head to your nearest supermarket and get the greens.

The bag I bought of collard greens was humongous, and since the greens are pre cut with tough stems removed, everything in that bag was edible and ready to cook! Collard greens are bitter, so I like to pair them with something sweet.

I mixed up a honey mustard dressing using a few tablespoons of Dijon mustard, some agave nectar (or you can use honey), cider vinegar to thin it out, and some brown sugar. I added the brown sugar because my Dijon mustard had this spice that hit me right in the nostrils and I had to tone it down with something sweet in addition to the agave! You can easily just buy a honey mustard sauce, but this homemade one had a lot more flavor than some bottled brands.

I cooked my greens in a little olive oil in a pan and poured on the honey Dijon dressing to coat the leaves. I let them wilt for a few minutes and then enjoyed this leafy green side dish with a greater appreciation of the produce at Shaw’s. Next time you’re perusing the veggie section of your favorite grocery store, look for the ready-to-cook and eat greens and toss them in your cart for a new dinner side dish.