Whenever I visit a farmer's market, or browse through the goodies at my local organic food store in the spring or summer, I am drawn to the greens like flies to ripe fruit. From the olive drab of the collard to the Rainbow-Brite stalks of chard, I love them all. I bring them home, their broad, thick leaves taking up most of the space in my brown paper bag, and my husband sighs. I'm making him eat his veggies.

But oh, what veggies! Properly cooked, greens can act as a base for flavor, much like pasta or potatoes, but way, way better for your heart, your waistline, your cancer risk - everything, really. Owen at Tomatilla! describes his method for preparing greens today, which is really very similar to mine. He adds in lemon juice where I choose vinegar, uses soy sauce instead of kosher salt, and doesn't find garlic mandatory (I do). Here's how:

• Rinse and pat dry your greens, paper towels or a clean dish towel work wonders.
• Slice the greens into ribbons about 1" wide, discarding tough stalks (collards) or slicing them thin (chard).
• Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil, butter, or a combo in a large pan over medium-high heat - a skillet or wok works best.
• Chop two or more cloves of garlic and a few shallots, red onions, green onions, or a chunk of ginger; throw them in, along with some salt, pepper and (all optional) very thin slices of habanero or jalapeno; or 1/4-1/2 tsp of cumin, chipotle, or cayenne.
• Before garlic begins to brown, add greens, mixing well to coat everything with a bit of oil.
• Cook (length will depend on the type of green) until tender, stirring often to ensure the greens don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Add two tablespoons of vinegar (balsamic is my favorite) or lemon juice, kosher salt or soy sauce to taste, and a tablespoon of butter; mix well and serve.
• You can also add chunky breadcrumbs; toasted cashews, walnuts or almonds; or some crumbly gorgonzola just before serving.