There's a Wide World of Spinach Stand-Ins

Even with bagged spinach back on grocers' shelves, the recent outbreak of food- borne illness has startled many into realizing what a leafy-greens rut they had fallen into, convenient though it was.

There's a whole world of dark, leafy greens out there. If you're looking for varied tastes and textures, here are some other greens to keep in mind:

Eaten Raw

ARUGULA (rocket) The substitute most often mentioned in recent weeks as a baby spinach stand-in, but even the younger arugula leaves are spicy. Hothouse-grown plants are milder; those raised in very hot weather are more bitter. Arugula grown on local farms may have thinner leaves that are more easily bruised.

BABY CHARD Almost as mild as baby spinach and a little sweet. Sturdy yet tender additions to a mixed green salad.

DANDELION GREENS Tender, with a subtle bitterness. Young greens are good in mixed salads, topped with a sweet dressing.

MIZUNA Japanese mustard green often found in mesclun mixes. Its pungent flavor, similar to that of arugula, strengthens with age. Leaves less than three inches long have a milder bite.

TAT SOI (flat Chinese cabbage) A bok choy cousin that tastes like slightly bitter spinach. Whole leaves are used in green salads, pasta and potato salads.

WATERCRESS (upland, winter cress, English cress) Sharp-tasting radish flavor. Trim the root balls and tough stems if using in a salad.

Eaten Cooked

BEET GREENS Close to spinach in flavor. Best cooked the day they are purchased; preparation is similar to that for chard. Pull off and discard the ribs before cooking. Look for them from spring through the fall.

CHARD (ruby and rainbow Swiss chard, leaf beet) Similar in flavor and texture to spinach. Thick and thin stalks as well as leaves are edible. Unless the chard is young, stalks should be separated from the leaves and cooked longer. Available through November.

COLLARD GREENS Mild flavor, a little stronger than cabbage. Leaves are chewy unless they are cooked for a long time over low heat.

KALE (curly, flowering, dino or Tuscan, red Siberian) Full-flavored, it can be cooked to a spicy sweetness; discard the stems before cooking. Some varieties available much of the year in grocery stores, but experts say cooler weather yields the tastiest leaves.