Leafy Greens

August’s NH Harvest of the Month: leafy greens!

Common leafy greens include kale, collards greens, Swiss chard, spinach, turnip greens, beet greens, amaranth, grape leaves, mustard greens, bok choy, taro leaves, cowpea leaves, pumpkin, and squash leaves. Many cultures eat the leaves of vegetables, like squashes, while waiting for the squash to mature.

Leafy greens are low in calorie, high in vitamins and minerals, are a great source of fiber, and contain lots of antioxidants. It is recommended to eat 2-3 servings per week.

In Bhutan, turnip leaves are dried and preserved to be eaten throughout the winter. Lohm Tshoem is a dish made in Bhutan with dried turnip greens, chilis, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. The turnip leaves are rehydrated before use.

In Somalia, DRC and Sudan, amaranth leaves are commonly cooked with onions, butter and tomato.

Iraqi dolma (stuffed vegetables) stuffing is typically made of short or medium grain rice mixed with ground lamb or beef, finely diced vegetables, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses and a few spices. This filling is rolled in grape leaves in the summer and Swiss chard leaves in the winter and cooked.

This webpage includes a variety of educational materials, activities, recipes, and more about leafy greens for use at home, in youth or family programming, in the classroom, and in the cafeteria. For more New Hampshire Harvest of the Month resources for August, click here.

Lesson Plan for Leafy Greens

Developed in partnership with UNH Extension, NH Farm to School, and the UNH Education department, the Harvest Lessons lesson plan and curricular activities can be used by education professionals to incorporate leafy greens into dynamic, long-lasting learning in the classroom and other education-based settings.