Tips for Safer Leafy Greens

Have you ever picked up a head of lettuce at the grocery store, looked at it (and its small price tag) but then opted for the "triple-washed" bagged lettuce for triple the price?!

Here are the highlights from a great article we read, in the February issue of the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, for making lettuce (and other leafy greens) as healthy as possible for all those lunchbox sandwiches you are making.

Loose, Unwashed Leafy Greens

• When purchasing leafy greens (or any produce you plan to eat raw), use plastic bags to prevent contamination from other items like raw meat and poultry. Even if you don't have raw meat in your basket, contamination can still occur on the belt at checkout among other places.
• Discard the outer leaves of heads of lettuce and cabbage.
  
• Wash leafy greens thoroughly under cold running water just before eating them.
  
• Alternatively, immerse loose greens in a large part of cold water.
• Organic greens are no safer than the conventionally grown equivalent.
• Antimicrobial washes have not been proven more effective than thorough washing at home.
  

Prewashed, "Ready to Eat" Bagged Greens

• Just because its in a plastic bag doesn't necessarily mean its been washed thoroughly. Look for the phrases, "prewashed," "triple-washed," or "ready-to eat."
• Because prewashed bagged greens are processed in facilities that are legally required to be very sanitary, some experts say that rewashing these prewashed greens at home only increases the risk of contamination. If you plan to rewash, just buy loose (unwashed) greens to start with. And you'll save money!
• Don't store greens near or under raw meat in the fridge. Make it a habit to store meat on a lower shelf in the fridge to minimize the risk of contamination (by dripping juices) in general.

Safest Options:

• Cooking heartier leafy greens like spinach and other dark greens kills bacteria. Just 15 seconds at 160 degrees F will do it.
• To really opt out, grab a bag of frozen veggies. Frozen greens have been blanched (cooked briefly in boiling water) before freezing. No outbreaks of food poisoning have ever been linked to frozen greens.

Pizza Sandwiches!

We've combined America's favorites!

This bread smells just like pizza! It's super easy, low in fat, and makes for a great substitute when the kids want pizza for the 3rd night in a row. It slices up great and is perfect as sandwich bread. Skip the mayo and try our Spinny Tomato Sauce; it's full of Vitamins K and A for strong bones, smart brains, and healthy immune systems!

Pizza Bread:

• 3/4 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of your favorite pizza sauce (smooth not chuncky)
• 2 Tbl olive oil
• 1 large-sized garlic close, chopped
• 1 tsp fried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Preheat over to 375F. In a large bowl combine the cheese, flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside. In a medium bowl lightly beat the eggs then add pizza sauce, olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano and mix together. Add the sauce mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir only until the dry ingedients are moist. Generously grease a bread pan and pour batter into pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. When finished, turn onto cooling rack.

Spinny Tomato Sauce:

• 1 cup of frozen spinach (or for added protein, grind up 1 Eat Your Greens Puffet instead)
• 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
• 3 Tbl organic ketchup
• 1/2 tsp salt

Puree all the ingredients using a food processor or blender. When bread is cool; slice bread and spread Spinny Tomato Sauce instead of mayo. Add lettuce, tomato, cheese, and veggie pepperoni. Cut in half, and your kids will love your new Pizza Sandwich creation!