Expand your fresh vegetable repertoire
There’s more to veggies than lettuce
Use your Bug Checker MAX PRO Light Board to check all sorts of delicious leafy greens.
Have you tried other leafy green vegetables besides iceberg lettuce and Romaine?
Not sure where to start. Read below to learn some more choices.
Leafy Greens
Arugula
Dark green jagged leaves with a hearty, peppery flavor and a delicate texture. Good raw or cooked. Mixes well with other greens and is great in salads and sandwiches.
Bok-Choy
Soft, dark green leaves and long, thick white stalks with a sweet, mild flavor. Best known for use in stir-fries, Bok-choy remains crisp, even when cooked to a tender stage. The stalks require longer cooking than the leaves, so add separately. Can be added to salads and soups or simply steamed.
Boston/ Butter lettuce
This is a type of butterhead lettuce, with soft, tender leaves. It’s terrific in salads and sandwiches, or the leaves can be used as a bed for other dishes
Dandelion leaves
Dandelions have pungent flavored leaves that are spicy and slightly bitter. When the leaves are small, dandelion greens are wonderful raw; when longer and tougher, braise or sauté them. Fresh dandelion leaves contain protein, fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin C and A.
Green-leaf lettuce
Green leaf lettuce contains large amounts of vitamins A and K. A good lettuce will have fairly large, loose heads and thick, “crumpled” leaves. The leaves will be medium to dark-green in color blending to nearly white ribs or veins.
Kale
Kale is a crisp and hearty vegetable, with a hint of earthiness; the green leafy provides a wide
range of nutrients. It is a healthy addition to a varied diet, and people can use it raw, sauteed
or braised. Kale contains Fiber, Antioxidants, Calcium, Vitamins C and K, Iron
Mustard Greens
Curly tender leaves that pack a hot mustard punch. Combined with other greens, mustards will lose some of their peppery influence, adding just enough sharpness to make the dish exciting. Remove stems and tough ribs. Cook for 10-20 minutes. The longer they cook, the milder their flavor becomes. Steam, braise or sauté.
Red-leaf lettuce
This leaf lettuce, one of hundreds of varieties of lettuce grown throughout the world, has a mild, watery flavor and soft, buttery leaves tinged with red. Similar to Green Leaf Lettuce. Red leaf lettuce’s mild flavor and soft, colorful leaves make it a popular addition to salads
Romaine lettuce
Romaine combines good flavor and crunch, plus it has a decent shelf life in the refrigerator. It’s the preferred green for Caesar salad. Romaine lettuce is often used in the Passover Seder as maror, to symbolise the bitterness inflicted by the Egyptians whilst the Israelites were slaves in Egypt.
Sorrel
Common sorrel has been cultivated for centuries. The leaves may be puréed in soups and sauces or added to salads and schav. Schav is a cold soup similar to borscht that is perfect for a hot day.
Spinach
Tender, sweet green leaves that cook quickly. Fresh raw spinach tastes like a richly flavored lettuce. Extremely versatile; great raw, lightly wilted, sautéed or braised as well as in soups, quiches or pasta dishes.
Swiss Chard
Red and green chard are both tender, sweet and comforting with a velvety texture. Rainbow chard is a treat with its pink, yellow and orange stems. Among the most versatile greens, chard can be prepared in numerous ways: lightly wilted, sautéed, braised, in soups, casseroles and more.
Fresh Herbs
Basil
Basil is most commonly recommended to be used fresh; in cooked recipes it is generally added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavour. The green aromatic leaves are used fresh and dried as flavorings or spices in sauces, stews, salad dressings, vegetables, poultry, and more.
Cilantro
Cilantro/Coriander Soft, dark green leaves and long, thick white stalks with a sweet, mild flavor. Best known for use in stir-fries, bok choy remains crisp, even when cooked to a tender stage. The stalks require longer cooking than the leaves, so add separately. Can be added to salads and soups or simply steamed.
Chervil
A delicate, aromatic herb with a mildly sweet flavour, chervil is widely used in French cooking and is one of the ingredients of the classic Mesclun Mix. It is known to stimulate the appetite and increase vitality. Chervil makes for a delicious addition to pesto and can be used like parsley in a variety of dishes.
Marjoram
Marjoram looks similar to oregano but these two herbs are actually quite distinct. Marjoram has a fresh, tangy flavour but is much milder and sweeter than oregano and tastes slightly earthy. When cooking with marjoram, bear in mind that its oils are easily destroyed by heat and thus it should be added to dishes just before serving.
Mint
Mint is an aromatic herb that is very versatile in the kitchen. It is often used for sweet and savoury dishes, in desserts and in drinks. Spearmint and peppermint are perfect for steeping in hot water and drinking as a tea. For the more adventurous, try mint in Middle Eastern dishes.
Parsley
The fresh flavour of parsley goes with nearly any type of food, from salads to grilled meat. Parsley is often used in pasta sauces, stews, soups, casseroles and bean dishes. Parsley is often enjoyed at Pesach seders for the “yerakot”.
Sage
Sage has long been prized as an herb with both culinary and medicinal uses. It contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that aid in the digestion of a big meal. Sage has a rich, earthy and slightly lemony flavor and is best used sparingly, as it can easily dominate other recipe elements.
Thyme
Thyme is a popular herb in many kitchens. It has narrow, pale gray-green leaves that have a pungent, woody aroma. Most culinary experts agree that it blends with and enhances many other herbs without overpowering them. When cooking with thyme, note that one fresh sprig is equal to one half teaspoon of dried thyme.
Resources for Checking Vegetables
- Debugging Your Home by David Bistricer Jewish Action Online-OU Magazine
- CRC Fruits and Vegetables Checking Guide
- Star-K Requirements For Vegetable Checking
- OU Checking Vegetables for Insects
- Bug Checking Video Join an insightful conversation between host R’ Yitzchok Hisiger and STAR-K Kosher Administrator R’ Sholom Tendler. This is Episode 5 of the Let’s Talk Kashrus program, part of The Kashrus Awareness Project. Enjoy the Q&A session discussing various kashrus concerns related to smoothies.