Endive, Mustard Greens, Radicchio and More! 10 Recipes Made with Lesser-Known Greens

Lettuce, cabbage, and broccoli might be what spring to mind when we think about “eating our greens.”  However, as delicious and nutritious as those veggies are, we needn’t stop there.  There are, perhaps, some lesser-used greens that we ought to be adding to our dishes.

Green vegetables are a very important source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.  A variety of greens are readily available to buy at the market for most of the year, they are easy to grow in your garden, and you can even forage for some of them.  Furthermore, they are super versatile and can be incorporated into almost any dish.

Check out these OGP recipes that look beyond the humble lettuce to give you your green fix.

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help you get healthy! 

1. Endive Salad with Crispy Chickpeas

Source:  Endive Salad with Crispy Chickpeas/One Green Planet

Similar to arugula, endive has a peppery flavor. In this Endive Salad with Crispy Chickpeas by Kristina Jug and Mitja Besenšek, you mix the endive leaves with other greens, sprinkle in a handful of pomegranate seeds for crunch, use roasted chickpeas for protein and toss the whole thing in a mustard vinaigrette.

2. Mushroom Stuffed Cabbage and Radicchio with Mustard Sauce

Source:  Mushroom Stuffed Cabbage and Radicchio with Mustard Sauce/One Green Planet

Well, okay, radicchio is purple!  These Mushroom Stuffed Cabbage and Radicchio with Mustard Sauce are a work of art, and you can delight guests or treat yourself by serving them for dinner.  Valentina Chiappa stuffs the leaves with mushrooms, beans, and other veggies then accompanies them with a sweet and sour mustard sauce.

3. Sauteéd Broccoli Rabe with Red Chili Flakes

Source: Sauteéd Broccoli Rabe with Red Chili Flakes/One Green Planet

It might look like a tiny little broccoli head, but broccoli rabe is more closely related to the turnip.  Rinku Bhattacharya‘s recipe for Sauteéd Broccoli Rabe with Red Chili Flakes is simple, sweet, and spicy. This could be a side dish or a main meal.

4. Shiitake, Tofu, and Mustard Green Soup

Source: Shiitake, Tofu, and Mustard Green Soup/One Green Planet

Nutritious Delicious brings you this satisfying and umami-packed Shiitake, Tofu, and Mustard Green Soup. The generous helping of mustard greens adds a wasabi-like note that provides a punch to this clean-tasting meal.

5. Spicy Collards and White Beans

Source: Spicy Collards and White Beans/One Green Planet

Kelly Williams offers us a vegan version of a Southern favorite. Hearty and comforting, Spicy Collards and White Beans is easy to whip up and, you’ll get that vitamin and mineral boost from the nutrient-dense collards.

6. Coconut Creamed Beet Greens

Source: Coconut Creamed Beet Greens/One Green Planet

Next time you buy beets from the farmer’s market, make sure you ask the vendor to leave the greens attached.  To discard beet greens is to throw away a goldmine of nutrients and flavor. Viktoria Radichkova‘s recipe for Coconut Creamed Beet Greens showcases this often forgotten green.

7. Tofu Kebabs with Grilled Mango Sorrel Salad

Source: Tofu Kebabs with Grilled Mago Sorrel Salad/One Green Planet

Sorrel is a succulent leaf with a strong sour/citrusy flavor.  It can be easily grown in your garden, found at farmer’s markets, and even foraged. Maya Popovich’s recipe for Tofu Kebabs with Grilled Mango Sorrel Salad pairs the sourness of the sorrel with the sweetness of the mango to accompany this summer crowd-pleaser.

8. Carrot Top Salsa

Source:  Carrot Top Salsa/One Green Planet

Stop!  Don’t chuck them in your compost bin or leave them at the market.  Save those feathery, parsley-like, carrot tops and make Linda Ly‘s super easy Carrot Top Salsa, and enjoy it with chips or bread.

9. Watercress Soup

Source: Watercress Soup/One Green Planet

Watercress has a slightly bitter, peppery taste reminiscent of arugula or mustard.  This fresh Watercress Soup by Korie Kha is a healthy and nutritious taste and can be served with a bowl of rice if you are looking for a fuller meal.

10. Dandelion Green Smoothie

Source: Dandelion Green Smoothie/One Green Planet

Dandelion greens can be a little bitter, but Sara Smith combines these powerful little greens with a host of delicious fruits to make this nutrient-rich Dandelion Green Smoothie.  She invites you to play with the amount of dandelion you use to find a flavor that suits you.

Limp-looking lettuce and wilting cabbage be gone.  There are so many incredible greens out there for you to choose from, each offering its own array of vitamins and minerals.  Their versatility means you can use greens in a variety of exciting and vibrant dishes. 

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home!

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

• Weekly Vegan Meal Plans
• Plant-Based Health Resources
• Plant-Based Food & Recipes
• Plant-Based Nutrition Resources
• The Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
• Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes
• High Protein Plant-Based Recipes
• Plant-Based Meal Prep

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