How to pick and prepare leafy greens When shopping for greens, look for crisp leaves with a fresh green color. Choose organic produce to avoid pesticide residues. Try to select seasonal varieties. Collards, kale, turnip greens and mustard greens are in season from October through early spring. Swiss chard and beet greens grow from spring through fall. Dandelion greens are best in spring and summer. Tender, delicate leaves go bad quickly, so use them as soon as possible. The best way to wash them is to 'bathe' them in a sink full of water several times. Remove hard stems and stalks before cooking. If stalks are soft, you can cook them with the leaves. Tender leaves such as spinach and chard only need a few minutes to cook. Hardier ones can take up to 30 minutes. When cooking from recipes, keep in mind that they cook down considerably, to one-quarter or less. Chop leaves either before or after cooking. The easiest way to prepare greens is to cook or steam them, then saute in ghee with spices for a few minutes. You can cook chopped leaves in your dahl, soups, grains or with other vegetables. They are great for stuffing other vegetables or pies. Do not cook greens in aluminum or copper pans because they react with the sulfur compounds in the vegetables to create unpleasant odors and flavors, and this can also destroy some of the vitamin content. In addition to their nutritional value, leafy greens can add a whole new flavor and color to your meals. With the right preparation technique, they all make delicious dishes. Browse through your cookbooks for recipes or check out ayurvedic recipes at http://www.mapi.com. Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.