Green leafy vegetables are one of the most nutritious vegetables out there. If you wish to lead a healthier lifestyle, eating more greens will be good for you.

Before cooking your greens, you may want to prepare them first. Make sure that they are clean and no soil or other dirt are sticking on the leaves and stems. This is more true with spinach as it is grown on sandy soil. Wash your greens well by filling the sink with cold water. Let the dirt settle on the water for a few minutes. Rinse under running water. Make sure that you check the folds and the stem that no dirt is left there. Shake dry using a colander. Cut out discolored leaves and stems. You may now tear or chop according to the recipe you are following.

Greens can be served raw with or without a drizzle of salad dressing. They can also be boiled, steamed, and sauteed. Overcooked greens will have lost their nutritional value. So however you want to cook them, You make sure that you add them last and remove from the heat once the color is starting to change – about 2 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat source. If you are blanching greens, place them in ice water after you remove them from boiling water. This will stop the cooking process.