Get to Know Your Greens

Kale

Curly kale, shown here, is deep green with ruffled edges. Tuscan kale, aka dinosaur or black kale, has bumpy blue-green leaves.

This earthy, bitter green is sweeter in winter, but it's packed with nutrients year-round. Just one cup of raw kale supplies a day's worth of vitamins A and C and six times the daily requirement of bone-boosting vitamin K.

Fresh ideas: Make chips by stripping the leaves off the tough, inedible stems and tearing them into one-and-a-half-inch pieces. Toss with olive oil and salt and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crispy. For a simple no-cook side dish, slice kale into one-inch ribbons, add a tablespoon each of olive oil and lemon juice and a dash of salt; then gently massage with your fingertips until the leaves are wilted. Top with freshly ground black pepper, nuts or seeds for crunch, and either avocado slices or a sprinkle of pecorino.