A Guide to Greens

Share article A Guide to Greens on:
FacebookTwitterPinterestPrint

You know that greens are nutritious—now make them delicious! Wilted, blanched, sautéed, braised or even puréed, these greens add great balance and depth to any dish and pair especially well with garlic, lemon and olive oil. With these shopping and cooking tips, you’ll be turning over a new leaf in no time.

How to Choose & Store Your Greens

When buying greens, look for crisp, young leaves with vibrant color. Discard any bruised, slimy leaves and stems before storage. Most will keep for a few days when tightly wrapped in paper towels and stored in the refrigerator. Wash just before using. Pre-packaged greens are a real time-saver too. Look for pre-washed Sprouts Lettuce in the Produce Department.

How To Eat Your GreensBrunch of greens in a bowl

Bok Choy

Don’t stop at stir-fries! Fold these sweet, vitamin C-packed leaves raw into salads, slaws or even chicken noodle soup. Try making a simple side dish with mushrooms, bok choy and miso paste.

Collard Greens

This fiber-rich favorite is more versatile than you might think. Try collards folded into your morning frittata or added to your homemade marinara sauce.

Kale

Bursting with vitamin C, kale makes a hearty Caesar salad, brightens vegetable soups, and will even supercharge a pesto. Roast small pieces with a little olive oil, salt and pepper for a light and flavorful snack chip.

Mustard Greens

These vitamin A-filled leaves add a jolt of color and flavor to a meal, complementing meat as well as fish. Try them in braises, curries and pastas too.

Dandelion Greens

These peppery, vitamin K-loaded leaves are best served simply: sautéed in garlic and olive oil and given a spritz of lemon. You can also toss into a salad in place of arugula.

Turnip Greens

If you’ve already used your turnips in another recipe and have a pile of tops covering your cutting board, use these dark, spicy greens as you do kale or collards. They pair well with salty meats, heavy cream or fresh garlic. Or, try a fresh green smoothie for a vitamin-packed breakfast.

Swiss Chard

Chard is a nutritional powerhouse. The stems can be used much like celery, chopped and sautéed to add depth to soups. Use its slightly sweet leaves to class up a pasta dish. (Psst! A little nutmeg adds a special flavor too.) We sell red, green and rainbow varieties at Sprouts.

Spinach

Tied with kale as the most nutritious of all the greens, it delivers more than a dozen flavonoids (anti-inflammatory and cancer-fighting compounds) and half the recommended dose of vision-maintaining vitamin A.

Radicchio

Sometimes bitter is better! Okay, so it’s not green, but this red-leaf Italian chicory is traditionally used in salads. It’s also excellent grilled and drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

Escarole

It may look like romaine, but this bold and bitter green is much more flavorful. It has a delicious nutty flavor and is a wonderful accompaniment to rich meats, a topping for stews or soups, or a wrap for scallops and shrimp. Plus, you’ll find about 65 percent of your daily recommended bone-healthy vitamin K in just half a cup.