What’s your favorite green vegetable?

Susan D. Peters – I adore broccoli. As a child I rarely ate vegetables, however, in my twenties I became a vegetarian. I found myself exploring vegetable options. Broccoli, with its tight tree-like tops, was an intriguing new option that I quickly grew to love. I can eat broccoli battered and fried, steamed, boiled, sautéed or raw. Of late, I have been slicing and broiling broccoli with garlic, onion, sweet multicolored peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and virgin olive oil.

Laurel Heiss – My favorite green, (besides my first choice, asparagus), is Organic Arugula. I love making salads with its peppery crunchiness, often mixing it with other healthy greens like organic baby spinach, organic baby kale and shredded organic carrots, zucchini and broccoli. Putting crumbled feta cheese and dried cranberries and golden raisins on top, adds an extra flavor zing! I add arugula at the last minute, to stir fries and soups, filling or even topping omelets with it, as well as adding it into slaws of all kinds. YUMMO!

Bikundo Onyari – I am not big fan of salads since in most of our Kenyan culture its rarely emphasized. However once in a while I do indulge in salad which must mostly steamed since my stomach is sensitive to raw salad. Therefore my idea salad is made up of carrots, lettuce, and tomatoes. I love it dressed with mayonnaise.

Linda Isbell – My favorite green veggie is a mess of green beans straight from the garden. I suspect I love them because they remind me of my great aunt and uncle who always had a plate of fresh, right out of the garden treats ready for me whenever I visited them in the summer. They were the only “grandparents” I knew on my mothers side of the family – so whatever they did always smacked of great love.

Peggy Havlik Posch – My favorite vegetable is spinach. I was introduced to spinach as a young child. My grandmother used to mix together mashed potatoes, mashed carrots and chopped cooked spinach. She seasoned with salt-and-pepper and hunk of butter. And to make it even more appealing to us kids, she would and serve it up with an ice cream scoop. The concoction was delicious and we didn’t make an awful face when we ate it. Only big smiles. Today, I love spinach. Raw in salads, wilted with a bacon and vinegar dressing, cooked lightly with S&P and then there is my special Spinach Quiche. I guess my grandmother knew how to introduce me to what I considered a icky vegetable. Go Grandma!

Pratik Mamtora – My favourite green would be Brussel Sprouts. I grew up in India and never had an opportunity to taste this scrumptious little ball. I soon grew accustomed to savouring it. I like the flavourful vegetable steamed or oven roasted with olive oil, cracked sea salt and peppercorn medley. A dash of fresh lemon juice adds a nice twist.

Vicki Goldston – Give me kale first, then turnip greens, spinach, asparagus, and any green herbs from my herb garden to spice them up; olive oil too. Oh… and I’m inclusive with my greens. I will crunch ’em raw, sautéee, stir fry, wok-em and roll-em. And I’m good at begging folks who have gardens.

Anna Lott – I love turnip greens with hot sauce and vinegar, especially if the greens are from someone’s garden. Also, I prepare them with onions and garlic.

David Haws – For smell: cucumbers, hands down. Fresh from a garden, cut or broken open, droplets of moisture gleaming on the surface.

For throwing into a salad: shelled edamame. A newly-discovered gem for me.

For sheer amusement: brussell sprouts. What’s up with the miniature cabbage thing, and why does my nephew Mark love them so?!

For being underappreciated: green peppers of any kind, which look so plain next to their more mature red and yellow and purple brethren.

For being the most stereotyped: broccoli, which has never been described as anything other than a tree. A forest of trees.

For being the most underappreciated: greens (turnip, mustard, collard, kale…). Quick, easy, healthy, versatile, delish.

For pure awesomeness: baby spinach tossed with mandarin orange slices or strawberries and drizzled with any vinaigrette dressing. Or lemon juice. With optional slivered almonds. 🙂