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  Greens
  Good for your body and quite a tasty variety, Greens are Great!  Serve as a salad, in soup, as a side dish, or the main attraction.  There is nothing boring about Greens.  
Arugula - also spelled Arrugula, makes a delicious salad and is also fun in a pesto added to a pasta.  This is a tender green with a little bit of a bite.  Also known as Rocket Salad because of it's bite, but don't let that scare you.  Eat it raw or cook it. Delicious!  Try a Beet and Arugula Salad.  Or get some Pears and try this Arugula, Pear and Blue Cheese salad.  Pair it with Strawberries or Red Peppers in a salad.  Make an Arugula sauce much like creamed Spinach.  This is a cruciferous vegetable.  
Beet Greens - who would have known that Beets with Greens are two vegetables in one!?  Beet Greens are delicious and have a nice flavor and can be prepared like Swiss Chard.  
Bok Choy - also called Chinese Chard, it is mild, tender and crisp.  Look for clean crisp white stalks and beautiful green leaves.  Add it to your stir fry or soups (at the end because it doesn't need much time to cook); baby Bok Choy can be grilled, braised or steamed with a drizzle of balsamic, olive oil and, of course, salt.  Sauté the stalks first, add garlic, add the leaves, a little sesame oil and soy sauce and serve.  Rich in Vitamin C and fiber (both linked to lowering the risks of cancers), and a good source of folate with more beta-carotene and calcium than other cabbages!  You can juice or cook both the stalks and leaves (cook the stalks first and then add the leaves.) Braise, sauté, steam or stir fry.  Can be used for a fun slaw but Napa is better.  This is a cruciferous vegetable and a member of the cabbage family. 

Choy Sum is a flowering Bok Choy that looks different from regular Bok Choy and is the revered for it's flavor (it's costs more too) in China. 
 

  
Broccoli - the most popular "Green".  Make a delicious Broccoli Cheese soup by sautéing onions and garlic.  I like adding a little heat with hot pepper flakes.  Then adding the entire Broccoli, cut up, with a potato or two.  Add stock and simmer.  Puree with handheld blender and add milk to desired consistency.  Add salt, and pepper and white cheddar cheese.    This is a cruciferous vegetable and is part of the cabbage family.  
Brussels Sprouts - mini-cabbages.  Milder and sweeter than it's cabbage cousin, this cruciferous vegetable significant amounts of Vitamin C, indoles to fight cancer, folate, potassium Vitamin K and some beta-carotene.  Wash in a sink full of warm water, agitate the water and let the soil drop to the bottom through the leaves of the Brussels Sprouts.  Rinse.  Cut the stems ever so slightly.  Cut an X in the stem for quicker and more even cooking.  Then roast, boil or steam with a little butter and garlic, or remove the leaves and sauté those in some coconut or olive oil.  
Cabbage - a powerful cancer-fighter and also offers a good amount of fiber, Vitamin C and indoles (important nutrients that protect against some cancers).  Red is sweeter and more appealing than green but color will bleed onto other foods.  When cooking the colorful cabbage, use some acid (vinegar) to help set the color.  Shred raw in slaw and salads, use as a wrap (stuffed cabbage) for meats or veggies and braise, add to soups and stews, sauté it or stir fry, and you can pickle cabbage as in sauerkraut.  Sauerkraut is a beneficial fermented food.  Use shredded in sandwiches as lettuce.

Pairs nicely with potatoes - the Irish have a wonderful dish called Colcannon with Cabbage and Potatoes, the English have Bubble & Squeak.  Try Cabbage Curry.

Should be heavy for their size and compact, even colored and fresh.  Don't overcook as it becomes too strong in flavor, only needs 5 minutes or so, depending upon size of chunks.  Should be crisp tender when done.  This is a cruciferous vegetable and obviously part of the cabbage family.

  
Cauliflower - it's part of the cabbage family and therefore can be considered a green!  This is a cruciferous vegetable.  
Chard - Rainbow Chard - Rainbow Chard is pretty colorful Chard with yellow, pink, orange, white, and red veins.  As my son says "that's beautiful colorful lettuce, mommy."  Found this chutney with Rainbow Chard.  
Chard - Red or Green - Chard is pretty mild and has a sweetness to it.  The leaves remind me of Spinach.  The stalks are crunchier and can be replace celery in some recipes. I prefer the flavor lightly cooked to raw, personally, but I do like juicing Chard - it makes pretty pink and then green juice.   If you are scared to try greens or don't know where to start, I think Chard is the best place.  Attached to one of the packages I got the idea to mix it in with pasta and a white sauce,  It was delicious and made a light green sauce.  You can add cheese to it too. Make a low fat white sauce.  You can add chicken to it the pasta too.  You can simply sauté chard or do something as elaborate as a Red Chard Risotto, or make a beautiful Red Chard Salad with Avocado and Blood Oranges, or a Spinach, Red Chard, Tofu Quiche, Red Chard Roll-Ups, or try Red Chard with Marinated Onions. See Swiss Chard, Sautéed Chard in Garlic,
Red Chard Casserole or Red Chard Casserole with Cottage Cheese.  Like Spinach, Chard contains oxalic acid which binds with calcium and diminishes the absorption of calcium in our bodies.  Cooking actually allows the body to absorb more of the nutritional goodness over eating it raw. 		 
Collard Greens - Even more nutritious than cabbage!  Even though it is common in Southern cooking where it is simmered with salt pork or a ham hock, here is a great Vegetarian way to enjoy Collards:  Collards, Golden Raisin, and Almond Sauté.  Best choices are small and firm.  If the stalks are too tough, remove.  A simple way to prepare them is to first sauté onions and garlic, then either sauté the chopped Collards like Spinach or simmer them slowly (for 30 minutes) in broth or water until they become tender.  The broth helps capture the bitterness and leaves them sweet and delicious.  Season with a kick with spices like ginger, curry, or hot peppers.  Add a splash of vinegar.  This is a cruciferous vegetable.  Other Recipes
 		  
Dandelion Greens - Red and Green - they are a tangy and tasty addition to a salad; can also be steamed, added to soups or sautéed but it doesn't take long.  Add a fresh lemon squeeze.  Found this recipe for Orecchiette pasta with Dandelion Greens.  

Endive - makes a nice salad or use as a "cracker" for appetizers because of the scoop shape of the leaves and the nice crunch; can also be braised, sautéed, baked and steamed.  Look for tight bunches of pale yellow tops and creamy bottoms and the center should give ever so slightly.  Especially attractive and delicious in a salad if you take apart the leaves and then use goat, Roquefort, or blue cheese or another soft cheese to "glue" the leaves back together and then cut in slices to show off the pretty swirls of color and flavor. 

Endive is grown in the dark to keep it from turning green but it is still considered a Green.
 

  
Escarole - adds a nice buttery yet slightly bitter and nutty flavor to salads so mix it with other lettuces.  Also has a good texture.  Nuts accentuate the flavor nicely.  As do cheeses.  Can also be added to soups like a hearty Italian white bean and Escarole soup, Lentil & Escarole Soup,  
Flowering Kale, Cole, Salad Savoy - commonly used as a garnish, very pretty, colorful and tender leaves good for salads; can also be steamed, blanched, or added to soups.  This is a cruciferous vegetable and is part of the cabbage family.  
Frisee Lettuce is also called Curly Endive.  Can be found in many herb salad mixes because of the very curly crinkly shape of the leaves and the nice peppery bite.
 		  
Kale - Green and Red - used a lot as a garnish, can be added to salads or steamed, blanched, braised and sautéed, stir fried, or added to soups.  Make creamed kale like creamed spinach but you'll need to blanch it first.  Or sauté with Red Peppers and Spinach in a warm salad.  If the stems are too tough, remove.  Many serve this mixed with sautéed bacon and onions, or mix it with potatoes.  There is a Portuguese soup with sausage, Kale and Potatoes called Caldo Verde.  Here is another version of this soup. Very nutritious.  This is a cruciferous vegetable and is part of the cabbage family.

Try Krunchy Kale (courtesy of Gina, a member)  - 
Cut the Kale leaves (discard the stems or juice them!) into similar size pieces then put on a flat cookie sheet and toss with olive oil and salt and put into a preheated 425 oven for 5 minutes but check it at 3 minutes.  You may need to flip it over for the last two minutes of cooking or you may need a minute more.  The trick is to keep it an even layer so that they crisp instead of steaming.  Watch it because you want it to barely brown.  It will be crunchy and reminiscent of popcorn!  Delish!  Be careful - easily becomes an addiction!  Thanks, Gina!
 

  
Lacinto or Dino Kale is so named because of it's primeval appearance.  This is a cruciferous vegetable and is part of the cabbage family.  
Russian Red Kale - pretty in a salad or can be steamed, stir fried, added to soup, sautéed like Spinach, or added to pasta.  Also called Canadian Broccoli.  See Kale for more recipe ideas.  This is a cruciferous vegetable and is part of the cabbage family.
 		  

Kohlrabi - "cabbage turnip" resembles a turnip with leaves.  Comes in white, green, and purple colors so is a nice colorful addition to a meal.  It is mild, sweet and flavorful.  At first it tastes like a radish without the bite, but it is also fairly juicy with a nice crunch and ends with a mild pleasant flavor that keeps you coming back for more!  Would be a great addition to a crudité platter or a salad.  Like Beets, the root and the leaves can be eaten.  Eat the bulbs raw (peel them first), steam them, or sauté them with greens.  Eat the greens raw in salads , or cook the leaves like Spinach, only you'll need to cover and simmer for 7 minutes until tender.   This is a cruciferous vegetable and is part of the cabbage family.  
Leaf Lettuce, Red & Green  - attractive addition to salads and sandwiches.  After washing, use the salad spinner to get dry so that the dressing clings better or before storing.  

Lettuce - there are a variety of lettuces so don't get stuck in Iceberg, which is much less nutritious and less flavorful.  Salads, sandwiches, you can even add some lettuces like Escarole to soups!  Basically there are four kinds of Lettuce:  Romaine, Butter (loose head), Loose-Leaf (loose leaves but not a real "head" of lettuce), and Iceberg (tight head).  And there are so many of each of these including Arugula, Endive, Frisee, Escarole, Leaf Lettuce, Mache, Mesclun (mixed baby Greens), Mizuna, Radicchio, Romaine, Spinach and Watercress.

Red and Green Butter Lettuce or Boston or Bibb Lettuce have a delicate sweet flavor with a buttery texture.  Mix with other lettuces and greens like Watercress, or a Red Leaf Lettuce for a gourmet salad.

Likable Lettuce Recipes
 

  
Mache - tender, mild to sweet and nutty flavor.  Perfect salad, maybe add some endive and nuts (walnuts or hazelnuts would be nice) and a light vinaigrette.  Very perishable.  

Mizuna - attractive, mild, and tender with a light peppery bite make it an excellent addition to your salad or sauté it lightly (needs less than a minute) with olive oil and garlic and then add a squeeze of lemon.  Nicely mixes with other vegetables in a sauté.		  

Mustard Greens - adds a nice "bite" to your salad of other greens and a nice look too.  Can be slow cooked, or blanched to remove some of the bitterness and then sautéed,  or added to soups.  Most often cooked with ham or salt pork and/or a splash of vinegar.  This is a cruciferous vegetable.		  
Napa or Chinese Cabbage - mild and delicate, white to light green leaves resembling Romaine.  Add it to your stir fry or cook another way or use it to make an interesting slaw or salad.  This is a cruciferous vegetable and is obviously part of the cabbage family.  
Radicchio - adds pretty color to a salad and a nice bittersweet bite; can also be sautéed briefly.  This actually starts out green and then turns red as it "ripens."  
Rapini or Broccoli Raab - has a bite to it and is used in Italian and Chinese cooking quite a bit.  Blanch first and then sauté, or braise, steam or add to soups.  Doesn't take long to cook.  
Romaine - crisp salad lettuce commonly used in Caesar salad. 

Baby Romaine has tender young leaves.

Romaine Hearts are the most tender leaves of the Romaine and can be cooked like Chard.

Red Romaine has a pretty red tinge to the leaves.

  
Spinach - another popular green.  Can be eaten as a salad or cooked, but doesn't need much time cooking.  Add to soups, sauté, steam or cook with other vegetables.

Baby Savoy Spinach has curly leaves that are quite tender.

  
Savoy Cabbage - milder than regular cabbage and can replace regular cabbage in most dishes.  Sauté with onion, garlic and fresh sage after blanching, adding flour (cook in some oil) and stock.  Boil to thicken.  It is obviously part of the cabbage family  

Swiss Chard - delicate flavor can be eaten raw in salads or can sauté leaves in garlic and onions or simmer in water or stock.  Stalks can actually be used like celery or asparagus in recipes.  I like to make Swiss Chard by first sautéing onions and garlic, adding the Chard and a can of Chickpeas, then some chicken stock or water and covering for about 10 minutes.  Can be added to soups and stews too.		  

Turnip Greens - having a definite bite, they should be simmered in broth for a long time to remove the bitterness.  Traditionally cooked with salt pork or ham hock for an hour but maybe cooking them with smoked turkey appeals to you more or, maybe,  healthy smothered Greens may be your thing.  You can also mix Turnip Greens with Collard and Mustard Greens and sauté with onions and bacon, then simmer in water for over an hour until tender; add splash of vinegar or hot sauce.  This is a cruciferous vegetable.		  
Watercress - pretty and flavorful addition to your salad with a peppery bite.  Can also be used in soups, sauces, salad, salad, and salad, pastas, frittata, or stir fries.  Aside from the ever famous watercress sandwiches, try one of these recipes or these recipes or how about a watercress cappuccino.  Try these salads: Watercress Salad with Lemon, Mushrooms and Watercress, Pear, Avocado, Watercress Salad or a Papaya and Watercress Salad.  Store it with the stems in water in the fridge and keep it loosely in it's plastic wrapper.  This is a cruciferous vegetable.  Watercress is a source of calcium and has many mysterious uses.  
 

Greens Facts:

  

 		 Nutritionally: Low in calories and an excellent source of vitamins A & C.  Also provide calcium, iron, fiber, beta carotene, and folic acid.  Reduces the risk of some cancers. Darker Greens like Kale, Collards, Mustard and Turnip Greens offer a powerful punch of cancer fighting chemicals and are said to help vision problems.    
  How to choose: Fresh and bright green, remember that they will wilt down when cooked so buy two.  
How to store:   Most will keep up to a week or two if you store them properly but they are perishable and should be eaten promptly. 

Store most by lightly misting them with water and wrapping them in a damp paper towel.  Endive, Bok Choy, Rapini, Kale, Swiss Chard, and Lettuces including Escarole, Mizuna, Watercress and Mache should be wrapped in a dry paper towel.  I've had good luck washing my Lettuces and then drying them carefully and storing them wrapped in a dry paper towel in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. 

The roots and the greens should be removed one from the other before storing Beets and Kohlrabi.  Roots should be kept dry. 

Keep heavier and tighter bunches of greens, like Napa Cabbage, Savoy Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts, and regular Cabbage, dry and keep in a plastic bag. 

All Greens should then be put into a perforated plastic bag in your refrigerator crisper drawer. 

Generally, the flavor gets stronger and unpleasant the longer you keep Greens, and they can wilt or go bad, so plan to eat your Greens once you buy them.
  How to Clean:  Easiest way to get all the dirt out is to cut off the ends, then put them in a sink full of warm-tepid water and then remove their ties and agitate them to let all the dirt settle to the bottom; the leaves will float on top.  Dry in a salad spinner if using for salad. 

Endive is more delicate and should not be submerged in water; only needs a quick washing or a wipe with a damp towel is needed.  Kale should not be submerged but instead needs a good rinsing.

  
  How to Cook:  Spinach, Kale, Bok Choy, Dandelion Greens, and Chard can be sautéed or steamed and don't need a lot of cooking.  They can be torn or chopped and added to soups when the soup is just about done. 

Collards, Mustard and Turnip Greens are a little bitter and need to steep in water or chicken stock to remove the bitterness.  If adding these to soup, blanch them first.  Dandelion Greens,

Arugula and Spinach, Mache, Escarole, Mizuna, Radicchio are good raw in salads too. 

A squeeze of fresh lemon juice is always a nice way to top off a green.

More Recipes:
Curried Greens

  
  Fun Facts:  Aluminum pans will affect the look and taste of Greens, but, we shouldn't be using aluminum anyway.

In my research about Greens I kept coming up with sites to feed, well, it turns out Iguanas love all these greens, especially Collards, Bok Choy, Escarole, Leeks, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, and Turnip Greens!

Cruciferous vegetables including Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Watercress, Bok Choy, and Turnip and Collard Greens, and Kale have been associated with metabolizing toxins and lowering the risk of many cancers.

  

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