20 Leafy Greens Recipes for Brain Health & Vibrant Aging

Just Call Me The Leafy Greens Pusher

If there’s one food I don’t have a problem encouraging you to eat daily, it’s leafy greens. While I know green veggies are offputting for some people, I genuinely love them and feel more energized and alert when I eat them. It’s true!

If you need a little more convincing, rest assured that leafy greens are a powerhouse of nutrition. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support brain health, gut health, and overall well-being.

And I promise you there are many delicious ways to enjoy them, so keep reading to discover my favorite leafy green recipes to fuel your body and mind with greens!

Healthy Leafy Greens Recipes You’ll Love!

Leafy Greens Recipes Salads

My favorite way to enjoy leafy greens is in salads. I love the crunch, the nutrient density, and the blank slate to pile #allthetoppings on!

• Superfood Salad Bowl w/ Spinach & Honey Miso Dressing
• The BEST Apple Edamame Kale Salad
• Strawberry Arugula Salad w/ Strawberry Lemon Dressing
• Lentil Salad with Kale, Almonds, & Lemon Vinaigrette
• Healthy Kale Blueberry Chopped Superfood Salad
• Easy Kale Caesar Salad
• Spinach, Mozzarella, Tomato, Chickpea Salad
• Grapefruit Arugula Salad with Honey Mint Dressing
• Beetroot & Goat’s Cheese Salad on Leafy Greens
• Refreshing Kale Citrus and Almond Salad

Leafy Greens Smoothies & Juice

Green smoothies not your thing? That’s ok. We can still be friends. That being said, after salads, smoothies and juices are another one of my favorite ways to add leafy greens to my diet. Here are a few recipes to get you started.

• Ginger Pineapple Kale Green Smoothie
• Easy Frozen Spinach Smoothie
• Tropical Green Flaxseed Smoothie
• Apple Kale Lime Basil Green Juice

Leafy Greens Wraps

Wraps are an easy, lower-carb way to eat more leafy greens. Any sandwich filling or burger can be stuffed into leafy greens. Here are three recipes to try.

• Roast Beef Lettuce Wraps
• Lentil Turkey Lettuce Wraps
• Pumpkin Hummus Collard Wraps

More Leafy Greens Recipes

Craving more leafy greens recipes? I’ve got you covered! 

• Savory Oatmeal with Arugula, Eggs, Tomato, & Avocado
• Spicy Kale & Swiss Chard Saute
• Smoked Salmon & Leafy Greens Sandwich

Easy, Healthy Ways To Eat Leafy Greens

Lastly, here are some “no recipe” ideas for adding leafy greens to your daily diet.

• Stuff ’em into sandwiches, tacos, burritos, and wraps.
• Saute with avocado or extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
• Swirl them into your favorite soup.
• Mix ’em into scrambled eggs.
• Pile leafy greens on top of pizza for a “pizza salad.”
• Pump up your pesto with your favorite leafy green veggie.

Now that I’ve shared some of my favorite leafy green recipes, let’s talk about the nutrition and health benefits of leafy greens!

Leafy Greens Nutrition

While I’ll always encourage you to eat the rainbow, leafy greens are one of the most nutrient-packed foods you can eat.

• Low in calories.
• Low sodium.
• Low in carbohydrates.
• Some protein. One cup of cooked leafy greens contains anywhere from 1 gram (spinach) to 6 grams (kale) of protein.
• Zero cholesterol and saturated fat.
• Decent amount of fiber (5-6 grams per 1 cup cooked greens), especially kale, collard, beet, mustard, and turnip greens.
• Key nutrients: Calcium, folate, lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin K

You’ve likely noticed many leafy greens taste slightly bitter. That’s a good thing! Many leafy greens, including kale, arugula, collard, and mustard, contain glucosinolates. These sulfur-rich (and bitter-tasting) compounds may lower your risk of certain cancers (1) and help ward off intestinal and other infections. (2)

5 Leafy Green Health Benefits

1. Brain Health Booster. As I share in this post on The MIND Diet, eating leafy greens almost daily is one of the best ways to lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and boost overall brain health.
2. Lower blood pressure. Leafy greens are DASH diet friendly and a good source of potassium, which counteracts excess sodium and helps lower blood pressure. (3) Potassium also helps relax blood vessel walls, which further helps lower blood pressure. Swiss chard, spinach, and bok choy are leafy greens highest in potassium,
3. Manage your mood. Research has shown that people with low levels of folate in the blood may be more likely to have depression (4), and high-folate foods and supplementation may make antidepressants more effective. (Read more about food and mood here.) Leafy greens highest in folate are spinach, romaine lettuce, and mustard greens.
4. Protect your peepers. Leafy greens are rich sources of lutein and zeaxanthin. These two antioxidants have been shown to reduce the risk of eye diseases (5), including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. Choose kale, spinach, and dandelion greens for the most lutein and zeaxanthin.
5. Build your bones. Leafy greens are a plant-based source of calcium and vitamin K, another nutrient that can help reduce the risk of osteoporosis. (6) Choose collard greens, kale, and turnip greens to help meet your calcium and vitamin D needs.

Proceed with Caution: Leafy Greens, Warfarin, & Thyroid Disease

Dietitian tip! Although I consider leafy greens rockstars in the nutrition world, there are two instances when you should consult with your doctor or a registered dietitian nutritionist before eating them daily:

1. If you’re on a blood thinner. Large amounts of leafy greens may interfere with blood thinners like warfarin (7) (i.e., Coumadin, Jantoven) due to their high vitamin K content. You can still eat leafy greens., however, your medicine dose may need to be adjusted if you eat large amounts. Consult with your physician to find your optimal dose.
2. If you have thyroid disease. You may have read that cruciferous vegetables, including some leafy greens such as arugula, bok choy, collard greens, kale, and watercress, release a compound called goitrin. This can interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis, but this is only a concern in the presence of iodine deficiency. (8) Lightly cooking cruciferous veggies decreases their goitrogenic effect, so you can still include them in your diet. No excuses!