leafy greens

While a huge plate of corned beef, cabbage, and Irish soda bread washed down with a pint of Guinness is a St. Patty's Day staple, it's not exactly the healthiest way to celebrate this holiday. Mix it up and go green with these healthy recipes featuring low-calorie, high-fiber leafy greens.

Better Than Trader Joe's Kale Salad

Made with raw kale, edamame, garbanzos, and cranberries, this protein-packed salad is flavored with basil and mint. Your body is sure to appreciate that kale is rich in bone-strengthening calcium, as well as immune-boosting vitamins A and C.

Spinach, Apple, and Feta Salad

Source: Flickr User ccharmon

Don't have a ton of time? This salad made with fresh spinach, sliced apples, and feta cheese, and tossed with red wine vinegar and only takes minutes to prep. Spinach helps you get your fill of folate (great for pregnant and nursing mommas), iron, and potassium.

Rainbow Chard, Avocado, Asparagus Quinoa With Orange Champagne Vinaigrette

Keep reading for this delicious chard and quinoa recipe as well as a crostini appetizer featuring arugula.

You've probably been told since you were a kid to eat your veggies, and perhaps none are as important as those leafy greens. And for good reason. Here are three important reasons to get more leafy greens in your diet.

They're packed with nutrition: Leafy greens pack a lot of nutrients in just one serving. For example, a cup of raw spinach gives you more than your daily recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which is crucial for healthy skin, eyes, and teeth (if you think that's impressive, check out the rest of this chart — a cup of romaine lettuce gives you twice the amount of vitamin A!). Other important nutrients you can find in greens include magnesium (an essential mineral that helps keep your body and mind feeling alert, relaxed, and functioning properly), iron, vitamin C, and cancer-preventing phytonutrients. Not only that but greens like spinach, kale, and bok choy give your body a healthy dose of calcium.

They're versatile: You don't have to chow down on a salad every day; leafy greens can be added to any number of meals. Sauté leafy greens in a bit of olive oil and seasoning for a healthy warm side, or steam the leaves for a few minutes to maintain even more of the nutrients. You can even sneak raw leaves into a juice or smoothie to get much-needed nutrients without having to go the salad route. For an indulgent way to sneak leafy greens into your diet, try making these vegan brownies with spinach baked right in!

They help you detox: The nutritious benefits of leafy greens don't stop at disease-fighting vitamins and minerals. Leafy greens like kale, spinach, and chicory contain high levels of chlorophyll, which help your body detox and alkalize. Cabbage and other cruciferous veggies like broccoli, kale, and turnips help detox your body by promoting better liver function.

Have we convinced you? Try these five fast and easy ways to sneak veggies into your diet.

The other night while roasting up some beets with the mister, I nearly panicked because he tried to throw away the leafy tops. Deal breaker! Well not really, but didn't he know the power of beet greens? Obviously not and he's not alone. Even though more and more folks are handling raw beets in the kitchen, beet greens are still viewed as being disposable.

If you're a fan of Swiss chard, then you'll love beet greens, as they are pretty much synonymous in look, taste, and use. When using beet greens, I'll rip the leaves from the stems and toss them raw in a salad or cook them up as a warm side dish. Because the stalks take a little bit longer to cook, I remove the leaves first and blanch the stems before sauteing everything together with olive oil, sea salt, chili flakes, lemon juice, and garlic. Beet greens also taste great in a hearty soup or in a veggie lasagna.

Besides tasting good, beet greens are packed with vitamins A and C and have a good amount of iron and calcium too. They're also pretty low in calories and don't contain any fat. The next time you buy beets, snap off the tops as soon as you can — this helps your beets retain moisture — and store the greens in a plastic bag in the fridge. They'll keep pretty well for about four days. One trick I learned is to ask for discarded beet greens at the farmers market. Since most people don't use the tops, the farms have a lot of beet greens that are just going to be thrown out. I usually end up with a ton for free!

How do you feel about beet greens? If you love them, tell me how you like to prepare them.

In the Summer months, I crave cool, crispy raw salad greens, but when cooler temps roll in, I'm all about cooked greens. I often sauté them in a little olive oil with garlic, and they're flavorful, low in calories, and full of vitamins and nutrients. If you've ever wondered just how nutritious they are, I made a little chart so you can find out.

To see the breakdown, read more

It's harvest time and farmers markets as well as local grocery stores are booming with fresh produce. Take advantage of the abundance by enjoying a delicious salad. All those veggies and greens are refreshing and satisfying, and since they're in season you can find an amazing variety this time of year.

This got me thinking about leafy greens and whether there is a huge difference nutritionally between them. I know dark-green spinach is much healthier than light-colored iceberg lettuce, but how much better?

To see the breakdown read more.