Foundation greens are what I call the mild greens, which are at least mild flavored when they are at their prime stages of development. These greens and vegetables are suitable for almost every occasion and will be accepted by almost anyone who doesn’t hate the sight of greens. Their mild flavors can serve as the neutral base for salads containing stronger-tasting greens. They are edible raw and cooked, and most can be used anywhere that lettuce or spinach are appropriate.

Don’t let my use of the term mild fool you. These greens have their own characteristic flavors and textures. They are delicious by almost any standards. Served fresh, they are excellent in salads, eaten as snacks, added to sandwiches, used as garnishes, and made into pestos and other green-based sauces. Cooked, they can take the place of almost any green in any recipe book you have.

Foundation greens can be nutritional powerhouses, packed with nutrients and phytochemicals. Wild spinach, for instance, is one of the most nutritious leafy greens ever analyzed. The plants covered in this section include wild spinach, chickweed, mallow, and purslane.