On the greens: never made Swiss chard? Confused about kale? These recipes, from resident greenskeeper Kate Sherwood, will make your taste buds dance.

Basic Braised Greens

  1 Tbs. canola oil
  8 cloves garlic, minced
  1 lb. greens, well washed (trim away
    the thick ribs from collards, kale, and
    mature spinach)
1/4 cup water (more as needed)
    Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    Red wine or cider vinegar, to taste
1/8 tsp. salt

1. Heat a heavy, deep skillet or pot over medium
heat. Add the oil and garlic. Saute until
fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Stir in the greens and the water. (The
liquid will not cover the greens.)

3. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot,
and continue cooking until tender (see chart
below). Stir occasionally and add more water
if needed. (The longer the cooking time, the
more water you'll need to add. Kale or collards
could take a total of two cups or more
by the time they're done.)

4. Taste and season with pepper, vinegar,
and up to 1/8 tsp. salt.

Serve warm or cold. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING (1/2 cup spinach)

Calories: 120
Total Fat: 7 g
Sat Fat: 0 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Protein: 3 g
Sodium: 180 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 14 g
Fiber: 3 g

Approximate Cooking Times

2-5 min.

Baby spinach
Frisee
Romaine lettuce
Arugula
Sorrel
Watercress

5-10 min.

Spinach
Bok choy

10-30 min.

Swiss chard
Escarole
Beet greens
Mustard greens
Turnip greens
Kohlrabi greens

45-60 min.

Kale
Collard greens

Romaine with Shallot
Mustard Vinaigrette

1 head romaine lettuce, cut in quarters
  lengthwise (trim away any discoloration
  at the stem end)
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 Tbs. coarse-grain Dijon mustard
  Generous pinch of sugar
2 Tbs. water

1. Rinse the romaine in cold water. Shake
out the excess water.

2. Heat a large skillet on medium-low heat.
Add the oil, shallots, vinegar, mustard, sugar,
and water. Stir to combine. Gently simmer
until the shallots are soft, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the romaine and turn to coat with
the dressing. Reduce the heat to low. Cover.
Simmer until wilted.

Serve warm or cold. Serves 4.

PER SERVING (1/2 cup)

Calories: 80
Total Fat: 7 g
Sat Fat: 1 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Protein: 2 g
Sodium: 180 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 4 g
Fiber: 1 g

Spinach with Toasted Pine
Nuts and Golden Raisins

  1 lb. baby spinach
  1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  2 Tbs. brown sugar
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup golden raisins

1. Heat a heavy, deep skillet over medium-high
heat.

2. Add a sprinkling of water and the spinach
and toss until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Add more
water if needed to prevent the leaves from
scorching.

3. Transfer to a serving dish.

4. Increase the heat to high. Add the oil,
vinegar, and sugar to the skillet and bring to
a boil.

5. Pour the hot dressing over the spinach.
Garnish with the pine nuts and raisins.

Serve warm or cold. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING (1/2 cup)

Calories: 180
Total Fat: 8 g
Sat Fat: 1 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Protein: 4 g
Sodium: 190 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 29 g
Fiber: 3 g

Spicy Chickpea &
Greens Stew

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
  1 large carrot, small dice
  1 large onion, small dice
  1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
  8 cloves garlic, minced
  1 lb. spinach, mustard greens, or beet
    greens
  1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and
    rinsed
    Small bunch basil
    Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Heat a large, heavy pot over medium
heat. Add 2 Tbs. of the olive oil and saute
the carrots and onions until they're soft,
2-3 minutes.

2. Stir in the red pepper flakes, tomatoes,
and garlic. Simmer until most of the liquid
from the tomatoes has evaporated.

3. Stir in the greens. Simmer over medium-low
heat until they're tender, 2-30 minutes
(see "Approximate Cooking Times" chart).

4. Add the chickpeas. Roughly chop the
basil and stir into the stew, along with the
remaining oil.

5. Taste and season with pepper.
Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING (1 cup spinach)

Calories: 300
Total Fat: 16 g
Sat Fat: 2 g
Trans Fat. 0 g
Protein: 9 g
Sodium: 350 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 34 g
Fiber: 9 g

Greener Pastures 

Keep a bag or two of washed greens in your fridge. That way, you'll be able to:

* Garnish your pasta or grilled vegetables, fish, or chicken with a generous handful (try baby spinach).

* Add some to the basil when making pesto (try baby arugula or baby spinach).

* Toss a handful or two into your soups, stews, and sauces (try bok choy, spinach, or Swiss chard).