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Cooking with Collard Greens

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July 29, 2013 by Hope Gardens

Collard greens are often associated with heavy Southern cooking which can include a lot of fattening pork and/or bacon. Here’s a vegan recipe that keeps your veggies fresher-tasting and better for you.

COLLARDS

Healthy Collard Greens

INGREDIENTS

2 to 4 bunches of fresh collard greens

4 cloves of garlic

2 red peppers

4 tablespoons of olive oil

4 teaspoons of liquid smoke

sea salt, Braggs liquid aminos, or tamari

a few dashes of garlic powder and cayenne pepper

You could also add red peppers, garlic, and even red onion. Experiment and let your palette be your guide.

DIRECTIONS

You’re going to nDed to let your greens cook down for about 30-45 minutes. Let them cook down on medium heat. Your greens will tell you when they’re ready by changing from a bright green to a paler green. One thing you don’t want is mushy overcooked greens. So watch them carefully. When the greens are cooked remove them from the heat.

Next add your spices and olive oil. Garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice. Don’t forget your Liquid Smoke if you’re trying to kick the pork habit.

I like to eat my greens with brown rice, cornbread, lentils, couscous, or even tabouli salad.

MORE WAYS WITH COLLARDS (AND OTHER GREENS)

In your morning frittata. A frittata is kind of like a crustless quiche, made with eggs and typically lots of veggies. This week my frittata included a little onion, some grated yellow zucchini, red pepper finely diced, and of course some finely chopped collard greens. Delicious! To make a frittata, saute your favorite veggies in a little extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, or butter. Whisk some eggs in a bowl and pour over the veggies. You can add in some herbs and spices to flavor it up. Let it cook slowly, without stirring. Pop it in the oven under the broiler for a couple of minutes at the end to cook the top. Voila! A yummy morning pizza.

As a wrap. Watching the starchy-carbohydrates in your diet but love a nice burrito or wrap? Lightly steam a big collard green leaf and use it instead of the tortilla.

As a bed for your chosen protein. I like to saute a little garlic and finely sliced onion in olive oil with a pinch of sea salt to bring out the flavors. Add some collard greens sliced into thin strips, and cook until a little wilted (about 3-4 minutes). Use this as a “bed” in a big bowl for some sliced grass-fed beef or broiled wild salmon.

In a marinara sauce. I like to load up my marinara sauce with veggies, and I always include something that’s dark green. Collard greens, chopped into thin strips, are a great addition. They add some nice bulk, flavor and of course lots of nutritional goodies.

In a veggie bean soup. Just the other day I made a curried vegetable black bean soup, and added some very thinly sliced collard greens toward the end of the cooking time. Super yummy.

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