Arugula (sometimes called rocket) is one of the most distinctive salad greens you'll get in a CSA. People tend to either love it immediately or need a few tries to appreciate its peppery personality. 

Storage: Wrap loosely in a paper towel. Place in a produce bag or container. Store in the crisper drawer. If it wilts, soak in ice water for 5–10 minutes. It usually perks right up. 

Add arugula to salads, sandwiches, and wraps or top pastas and pizzas.

Storage: Separate the greens from the roots as soon as possible.

• Cut the greens off, leaving about 1–2 inches of stem attached to the beet.

• Don't cut into the beet itself, or it may bleed and lose moisture.

• Store the greens separately in a bag or container with a paper towel.

The greens typically last 3–5 days, while the roots can last weeks.

• Do not wash the beet root before storing.

• Brush off excess dirt.

• Place in a perforated bag or loose plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer.

Treat the greens like Swiss chard: Sauté with garlic and olive oil, add to soups, mix into omelets or frittatas, or use young leaves raw in salads. 

For long-term storage, cook or roast the beets first, peel and slice or dice, and freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags. Raw beets don't freeze well because their texture becomes grainy.

Bok choy (also called pak choi) is a type of Chinese cabbage with crisp white stems and dark green leaves. Unlike regular cabbage, it doesn't form a tight head. 

There are different kinds of bok choy. 

1. Large bok choy: This is the garden variety one you can find in grocery stores across America. There is generally more stem than leaf on these, but the stems are very sweet.

2. Shanghai bok choy: the bright green smooth variety with spoon-shaped leaves. These are usually picked small, which is why they may also be called “baby bok choy.” 

3. Dwarf bok choy: Also sometimes called “small bok choy,” or in Mandarin, 奶油白菜 (nǎiyóu báicài), which roughly translates to “cream bok choy,” these have smooth white stems and dark, curly green leaves. 

Bok choy has two distinct textures and flavors:

• The stems are crisp, juicy, and slightly sweet—similar to celery crossed with cabbage.

• The leaves are tender and mild, somewhat like spinach.

Storage:  Do not wash before storing. Place in a loosely closed plastic or produce bag. Store in the crisper drawer.

Uses: Bok Choy can be used in sautés, stirfrys, soups, or wilted in a noodle bowl

Broccolini may look like a smaller version of broccoli, but it is actually its own vegetable. A hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli (sometimes called gai lan), broccolini is prized for its tender stems, delicate florets, and mild flavor. The entire vegetable is edible, from the stems to the leaves and flowering tops.

Broccolini has a sweeter, milder flavor than traditional broccoli. It is less sulfurous and less bitter, with subtle earthy notes and a hint of sweetness that becomes even more pronounced when cooked. The stems are tender and juicy, while the florets provide the familiar texture of broccoli in a more delicate form.

Storage: 

Store broccolini unwashed in the refrigerator, ideally in a loosely closed plastic bag or wrapped in a damp towel. It is best enjoyed within a few days of harvest, when the stems are crisp and the florets are vibrant green.

If the leaves begin to wilt, don't worry—they are perfectly edible and can be cooked right along with the stems and florets.

How to Prepare Broccolini

Start by rinsing broccolini thoroughly under cold water. Trim about a half-inch from the bottom of the stems if they look dry. Beyond that, very little preparation is needed.

Broccolini is one of the easiest vegetables to cook. It can be roasted, grilled, sautéed, steamed, or added to pasta dishes. Because the stems are naturally tender, they require far less cooking time than traditional broccoli.

One of the simplest and most popular preparations is to roast broccolini with olive oil, salt, and pepper until the stems are tender and the florets begin to crisp at the edges. A squeeze of lemon juice or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese makes a perfect finishing touch.

Storage Tips: 

Cut off the greens about ½–1 inch above the carrot. Store the carrots in the refrigerator in a produce bag, container, or wrapped in a towel. Keep them dry but not dehydrated. 

They’ll usually stay fresh for 2–4 weeks this way. 

If the carrots get limp, they can be revived by soaking in ice water for 15-39 minutes to crisp back up. 

For extra-crisp carrots and longer strorage, store peeled or unpeeled carrots submerged in water in a container in the fridge. Change the water every few days. This works especially well for cut carrot sticks.

Carrot tops are edible and can be made into pesto, added to soups, mixed into chimichurri, and used like parsley in small amounts. 

Store the greens separately and use within a few days. 

Recipes: 

Zulieka's Carrot Cake

Chard is one of the most productive leafy greens you'll find in a CSA. It belongs to the same species as beets, but instead of being grown for its root, it's grown for its leaves and stems. 

The leaves are mildly earthy, mineraly, similar to spinach, and tender when cooked. 

The Stems are sweet and mildly beet-like. 

There are many different kinds of chards: Japanese, Rainbow, and Swiss.

Don't throw away the stems. Separate them from the leaf, chop them up, and sauté them with garlic before adding the greens. 

Storage: Leave unwashed. Wrap loosely in a paper towel. Store in a produce bag in the crisper drawer.

Storage: 

Try the bouquet method. 

1. Place the bunch in a jar with 1–2 inches of water, like flowers.

2. Loosely cover the leaves with a plastic bag.

3. Store in the refrigerator.

4. Change the water every few days.

This usually keeps cilantro fresh for 1–2 weeks, sometimes longer.

Recipes: 

Lime Cilantro Salad Dressing

Collard greens are one of the oldest members of the cabbage family and are closely related to broccoli, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. In fact, all of these vegetables belong to the same species, making collards a true cousin of broccoli. Unlike broccoli, which was bred for its flowering head, collards were selected for their large, nutritious leaves.

One of the reasons collard greens are so beloved is that they appear in cuisines around the world. They have deep roots in the American South, where they are often slow-cooked with smoked meats and seasonings. They are also enjoyed throughout Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean, Italy and most other Mediterranean regions. Their popularity across so many cultures is no accident; collards are productive, hardy, nutritious, and adaptable to a wide range of cooking styles. 

Collard greens have a rich, earthy flavor with a slight bitterness that is milder than some varieties of kale. Younger leaves tend to be sweeter and more tender, while larger mature leaves develop a stronger flavor and sturdier texture. Cooking softens both the bitterness and the texture, resulting in a savory, almost silky green. 

Storage: 

Store collards unwashed in the refrigerator, ideally in a plastic bag or container that allows a little airflow. They will typically keep for up to a week and sometimes longer.

As with most leafy greens, it is best to wait to wash them until you are ready to use them. Excess moisture can encourage spoilage. If the leaves seem a little limp after storage, a brief soak in cold water can often revive them.

How to Prepare Collard Greens: 

Begin by rinsing the leaves thoroughly, paying special attention to the folds and creases where soil can collect. The thick center stem can be removed by folding the leaf in half and slicing along either side of the rib.

Collards are incredibly versatile. They can be sliced into ribbons and sautéed with garlic and olive oil, added to soups and stews, stirred into bean dishes, or braised slowly until tender. They also hold their texture well in longer-cooked recipes, making them an excellent addition to hearty meals.

If you're new to daikon radish, think of it as the milder, sweeter cousin of the familiar red radish. Popular throughout East Asia, daikon is prized for its crisp texture and versatility in both raw and cooked dishes. 

Daikon has a fresh, clean flavor with a gentle peppery bite. Unlike red radishes, which can be quite sharp or spicy, daikon is usually mild and slightly sweet. Its juicy, crunchy texture makes it refreshing in salads and slaws, while cooking brings out an even sweeter, more mellow flavor. 

Size can affect both flavor and texture. Smaller daikon tend to be sweeter, more tender, and milder in flavor. Larger roots often develop a stronger peppery taste and can become slightly fibrous, particularly near the top of the root if they were left in the ground longer. Even so, larger daikon are excellent for cooking, as their stronger flavor softens considerably with heat. 

Storage: 

For the best quality, remove the leafy tops if they are attached, as the greens draw moisture from the root and can cause it to soften more quickly. Store the root unwashed in the refrigerator, ideally in a plastic bag or wrapped in a damp towel. Properly stored, daikon can keep for two to four weeks.

If your daikon came with greens attached, don't let them go to waste. The leaves can be sautéed like spinach, added to soups, or blended into pesto.

How to Prepare Daikon

Start by washing the root thoroughly. If the skin is smooth and tender, peeling is optional, although larger or older roots may benefit from being peeled.

Daikon can be enjoyed in many ways. Grated daikon adds freshness to salads, dressings, and grain bowls. Thin slices work well in salads, slaws, sandwiches, and quick pickles. Cut into sticks, it makes a crisp snack with your favorite dip. Roasting transforms daikon into a sweet, tender side dish, while adding it to soups and stews lets it absorb flavors and become meltingly soft. Pickling is another popular preparation that highlights its refreshing crunch.

Hakurei turnips are often called salad turnips because they're much sweeter and milder than traditional turnips. They can be eaten raw, cooked, and even the greens are delicious. Hakurei turnips are sweet, crisp, and juicy, mildly peppery, and slightly nutty.

Storage Tips: 

Separate the greens from the roots as soon as possible. The greens continue pulling moisture from the turnips after harvest. Cut the greens off, leaving about ½ inch of stem. 

Store the roots unwashed in a plastic bag or produce container in the refrigerator. They'll stay crisp for 2–3 weeks, sometimes longer.

Store the Greens by wrapping them loosely in a damp paper towel and place in a bag in the refrigerator. Best used within 3–5 days.

Miso Glazed Turnips

Raw Japanese Turnip Salad

There are several types of Kale. 

Russian Kale is sweet, grassy, mildly earthy, slightly nutty, and a little bitter when grown in colder weather. 

Wash thoroughly because, like most farm greens, dirt can collect near the stem. Fill a large bowl with water, swish the leaves, lift them out, and repeat if necessary. Remove or keep the stems. With young spring kale, keep the stems and slice thinly. With large mature leaves, remove the thick central rib and chop leaves separately. 

Storage: Wash, wrap the bunch loosely in a paper towel (to absorb excess moisture), and place it in a produce bag or loosely closed plastic bag. Store in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. 

Kale is quite versatile and can be used in soups, pasta dishes, fritattas, or eaten raw in a salad. 

Recipes: 

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Crisp Chickpeas

Mizuna is a Japanese mustard green that looks a bit like a feathery cross between arugula and frisée lettuce. It's one of my favorite CSA vegetables because it's versatile and much milder than many people expect. 

Mizuna has a mild peppery bite (less intense than arugula), a slight mustard flavor, crisp stems, and tender leaves that aren't bitter. 

For the longest life: Don't wash it until you're ready to use it. Wrap loosely in a paper towel. Place in a perforated plastic bag or produce bag. Store in the crisper drawer. 

Toss mizuna in any of your salads. It can also be added to stir-fry or pasta dishes in the last minute or two of cooking, like arugula. 

Red Rover Radishes are a crisp, bright-red radish variety known for their mild, peppery flavor. 

Compared to some traditional radishes, they’re often a bit sweeter and less aggressively spicy, especially when fresh from a farm or CSA. 

Both the roots and greens are edible. The flavor becomes sweeter and softer when cooked. The greens are comparable to turnip greens. 

Storage Tips

1. Remove the greens first (they pull moisture from the roots).

2. Store roots in a bag/container in the fridge.

3. Store greens separately and use them quickly.

The roots usually keep for about 1–2 weeks refrigerated. 

The greens are best within 2-3 days.

Scallions are young onions harvested before they form a large bulb. Both the white and green parts are edible, and they're one of the most versatile vegetables you'll find in a CSA share.

The white part is sharper and more onion-like. The green tops are milder, fresher, and slightly grassy. 

Storage: Wrap in a slightly damp paper towel. Place in a produce bag. Store in the refrigerator crisper drawer. 

Scallions are an excellent garnish; they are also great in salads, stir-fries, and grilled. 

Snow peas are one of the first signs of late spring and early summer. Unlike shelling peas, which are grown for the peas inside, snow peas are meant to be eaten whole pod and all. Their crisp texture and sweet, fresh flavor make them a favorite for snacking, salads, and quick-cooked dishes.

Snow peas have a delicate sweetness that tastes unmistakably of spring. Their flavor is mild and fresh, with subtle grassy notes and a satisfying crunch. While they are sweet, they are less sugary than snap peas and have a lighter, more vegetal flavor.

Cooking softens their crunch slightly and brings out more of their natural sweetness, but they are equally delicious eaten raw. 

Storage: 

Store snow peas unwashed in a bag or container in the refrigerator. They are best enjoyed within a few days of harvest, when their sweetness and crisp texture are at their peak, but they can often keep for up to a week if stored properly. 

Because snow peas lose moisture quickly, keeping them cold and avoiding unnecessary handling will help preserve their crunch. 

How to Prepare Snow Peas: 

Before using snow peas, give them a quick rinse and trim the stem end. Many snow peas have a fibrous string that runs along the seam of the pod. Pulling off the stem usually removes the string at the same time. 

Snow peas are wonderfully versatile. They can be enjoyed raw as a snack, sliced into salads, or added to grain bowls for extra crunch. They are also excellent in stir-fries, where they need only a minute or two of cooking to become bright green and tender-crisp. Snow peas pair particularly well with garlic, ginger, sesame, soy sauce, mushrooms, carrots, and scallions.