So often we throw away the turnip greens. It’s a huge waste when you consider that you’re basically trashing a perfectly intact head of dark leafy greens. For years I disposed of this crucial part of the veggie or worse, bought them with the greens already detached. It’s a gleaming example of food waste. When you get fresh turnips home immediately remove the greens from the turnips. Pull the greens away from the stems. Fill up the sink with water and add in the greens. Move your hand around in the sink and allow a few minutes for the sand to fall to the bottom of the sink. Dry the greens in a salad spinner and then store for later use. If you wait to go through these steps, you’ll end up wasting the greens as they shrivel in the refrigerator.

The noticeably bitter taste of the greens is linked to its stellar calcium content. It has four times as much calcium as cabbage and twice as much as mustard greens. The glucosinolates in turnip greens are phytonutrients and may have cancer-preventing properties. Turnips, as a result of the greens, are a detoxifying vegetable and an excellent source of vitamin K and omega-3 fatty acids (in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA).

The greens are much more nutrient dense than the root considering that the turnip itself is more like a starch. Though it is still an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, manganese, pantothenic acid, and copper.

Turnips Two Ways Over an Olive Oil Mash

2 large turnips, top and bottom removed, washed
Turnip greens from two turnips, washed, stems removed
2 large Russet potatoes, peeled, chopped into large chunks
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chickpeas, drained
Pinch red pepper flakes
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice turnips top to bottom into 1/2-inch slices. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, thyme, sea salt, and pepper. Toss with your hands and spread out on a baking sheet.

2. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a fork easily punctures the turnip.

3. At the same time, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add in potatoes and 1 tsp sea salt. Boil until a fork easily punctures the potato.

4. Drain water and remove from heat. Add in olive oil leaving 1 tbsp for greens. Mash with a potato masher. Season with sea salt and pepper.

5. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and garlic clove to a skillet and heat up to medium. Cook 1 minute. Add in greens and chickpeas. Pull from the heat and remove greens from skillet. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

6. Plate up with a generous serving of potatoes topped with turnips and greens. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt.