Mixed greens is a mix of a few different vegetables, that go mostly originate from Provence, France. The traditional mixture includes: chervil, arugula, leafy lettuces and endive, but it has started to include other vegetables as well because additional plants are added in different countries and cultures.
The term used for these mixture of vegetables is relatively new because it’s used since a second half of the 20s century, but the vegetables themselves are simple and grown easily and pretty much everywhere.
Mixed Greens Trivia
- It’s called Mesclun in French
- In the US, it’s also called Spring greens
- They have only become popular in the US in the 80s
Mixed Greens Buying Guide
The color is the best way to make sure that the greens are fresh. Make sure that there are no rotten and old looking vegetables in the mix. You should also consider the size of the portions based on how many are dinning with you and how you plan to use the vegetables.
It’s also important to figure out are these pre washed or you need to wash them. If they are pre washed they will not last as long.
Mixed Greens Production & Farming in Texas
The best feature of these greens is that they are simple and could be found in pretty much every garden. That’s why they are so easy to produce and they can be made in both industrial and professional setting and in your own garden at least at first.
When they are grown in Texas, they mostly include: peppery mustard greens, bittersweet chicory, tender butterhead, arugula, crunchy romaine, mache, endive, cress, anise tasting chervil and, perhaps, some parsley. The key to mixing together is that they have similar yield times and similar maturity periods.
An important part of carrying for these plants will be to thin the leafs and to make sure that there is enough space for the leafs to spread in both directions meaning in the ground, above it, but also to both sides where other plants are planted.
Harvesting should be done about 45 days after you’ve planted and there’s almost no limits as to when you can harvest these plants due to how resilient they are. This is important for those who grow mixed greens commercially and sell them throughout the year.
Pesticides
There are different tests done on mixed greens and some of them have shown that as much as 70 different pesticides are being used on them and they stay on the plants for quite a long time after the harvest.
Geography
Mixed greens are a big part of a healthy diet crazy but they are not vegetables with a long history. Even though they are beneficial for you they are not that nutritious and haven’t been a part of diets for that long, at least not when the nutritional value of food was its essential feature. It originates from southern France in 1970s.
Since all of these plants are easy to grow and take care of they are easily moved across the world and now they are a staple of a modern healthy diet in almost all cuisine including the American.
Packaging
Eco friendly packaging is a big issue for mixed greens. They are mostly sold in urban stores made for those who care about healthy diets and they are prepacked based on how short they can be stored. It means that it’s mostly stored in small and plastic packaging. There’s a lot to be said about how environmentally friendly this practice is.
When they are sold at farmer’s market’s these greens are often tied with a simply string instead of being prepacked.
Enjoying Mixed Greens
The simplest and the most common way to use mixed greens is to simply make a salad out of them. That’s how most households use them and they make a good side dish especially if the main course is hot or spicy since they provide the needed balance.
There are other ways to go as well, and many mix them into smoothies but that will require adding some liquid to make them drinkable and easier to use. They can also be used to be a bed for the eggs since the two are opposites in terms of structure.
Storage
The best way to store mixed greens for a prolonged time is to put them in plastic container on top of a paper towel. The towel should be damp but not moist. The greens themselves shouldn’t be wet and they shouldn’t be washed or cleaned before storing. When they are stored this way, they can last for about a week.
Cooking
The greens should be washed with care and all the parts that seem wilted or rotten should be removed. Drain them well before cooking and you should also use this process to discard the greens that seem to be old or discolored.
Tear the greens into pieces and while doing so leave the bacon strips so that they are cooked on a hot pan. Add greens to the water and bring them to boil. When the greens are tender you should join the two together and stir.
When Are Mixed Greens in Season in Texas?
To find out when Mixed Greens are in season in Texas, please check the seasonal chart below. Why is this important? We are rarely encouraged to think about the physical lengths our food travels before arriving on the market shelves. And all of this travel comes with a hefty environmental cost that is concealed from the consumer’s eye. One of the most salient benefits to eating seasonally is that you are effectively reducing your carbon footprint and supporting a more geographically sustainable food economy. Check other fruit and veg that’s in season in Texas now.
