Tatiana requested I write a little bit about eating greens.  I will be truthful and say that I didn’t start eating greens until just a few years ago.  Even then it was only Broccoli Raab and I wasn’t 100% sold on it.  It wasn’t until last fall that I had the most delicious sauteed kale that I fell in love with (most) greens.  There are still a few that I don’t care for.  I’ve tried, but I can’t seem to love collards or chard.

Greens come in a wide variety.  They can be “winter” or “spring.”  As a general rule of thumb the winter varieties are a little tougher in the leaf and can stand a cooking.  The spring types are often the tops of other greens (beets) or softer leafed varieties that are good eaten fresh.  Here is my personal guide to greens.  Feel free to add your own tips and tricks.

Arugula:  We eat arugula fresh.  Put it into salads or on top of pizza.  I grow a large stand of arugula all at once, but after I harvest this batch (that is currently starting to flower) I will sow 1/a row and then another 1/2 row about 3 weeks later.

Collards: As I mentioned, we don’t eat collards.  I tried them in a cornbread, but I was not impressed.  I bet that if I cooked them like I do kale I would be much happier.

Corn Salad: I’ve never purchased it, grown it or eaten it.  Any suggestions?

Cress: I also love cress.  I grew it last year, but ran out of seed for this year.  I put it into salads.

Mustard Greens: Mustard came in our vegetable box for the first time this year.  I had never had it, but I can say it makes a wonderful addition to salads.

Bok/Pac Choi:  I’ve never grown Bok Choi, but I have eaten it.  We will cut it up and throw it into stir-frys.  We’ve also had baby bok choi cut in half and sauteed with oil and garlic… oh so good.  Pac Choi is similar, but it also makes a great salad green.

Endive & Escarole: Never grown it, but is great in salads.

Kale: I could eat kale every day.  I love kale.  I don’t eat much red meat so I make up for the lack of iron with this dark green veg.  My favorite preparation is to saute the kale in a generous amount of oil (I use grapeseed) and garlic.  Salt well and cook until it is just wilted, but still has some crunch to it.  Baked kale is also a hit in this house.  I add it to a pasta dish from the Splendid Table cookbook.  I am currently growing a Russian Red Kale.

There are many more greens out there.  I didn’t cover any of the Raabs.  The category of greens is quite vast.  I’m enjoying getting to know this highly under used dinner option.