Greens are the one thing that I could eat every day and not get tired of them. Collards, turnips, mustard, kale, cabbage, etc. I love them all! Sometimes, I mix turnip greens, roots, and mustard to add bite. You may be wondering where is the water? But…I don’t boil them. Most greens have enough water in the leaves to cook without adding much water, if any. You keep more flavor and nutrients this way. Some people call this method “frying” the greens, but it’s more like a stir fry. I also like to stop the cooking while they are just tender, but still bright green.
Collards, turnips, kale, mustard, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and asparagus are all cruciferous vegetables. Collards and kale are superfoods, rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, B6, C, E, and K, as well as fiber. They help boost immunity, decrease risk of osteoporosis, and fight cancer. Dark leafy greens are great sources of calcium, iron, and folic acid, so they are great for expecting mothers. They also promote bone growth and development. I guess being affordable, easy to grow, and tasty are just bonuses!
This is all good, because I’m quite sure that I survived my pregnancies on greens and fresh fruit. I had a pretty rough go with the morning sickness (which should be called 24-hour sickness). Greens, fruit, and crackers were the only things I could tolerate for the first 2 trimesters. The kids turned out ok, so maybe it was the greens! One of my coworkers is vegan, so I found vegan ham bouillon, which is amazingly good, to make these greens for her. You can substitute vegan bouillon in any of my recipes. You’ll notice that I often use bouillon instead of salt. That’s because it adds flavor, not just salt.
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Collard Greens
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
Description
Greens are the one thing that I could eat every day and not get tired of them. Collards, turnips, mustard, kale, cabbage, etc. I love them all!
Ingredients
- 1 –2 Bunch Fresh Collard Greens (usually enough to fill and overflow a plastic grocery bag)
- 1 large onion
- 5–6 garlic cloves
- 4 slices bacon (can substitute olive oil for vegetarian recipe)
- 2–3 tsp ham bouillon (regular or vegan)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, if needed
Instructions
- Fill sink or tub with cold water. Place leaves in water one at a time until all are in the water. Submerge the greens and gently shake or agitate them. Place leaves one at a time on a dry towel or in clean drainboard and allow water to drain.
- Coarsely chop greens into 2-inch squares or bitesize pieces, discarding ends of stems and any unsavory pieces. Set aside.
- Coarsely chop onion and garlic separately.
- Place bacon in bottom of stockpot or large pot and cook on medium until fat starts to render and edges start to brown. Add onions to pan and stir for about 3minutes. Add garlic and stir. Put all greens on top of onions, bacon, and garlic. Add ham bouillon and cover with lid.
- Leave for 5-10 minutes and every couple of minutes turn mixture over with tongs. Replace lid and continue process until greens “cook down” and become tender. Serve with cornbread. Any other accompaniments are optional!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Sides
- Cuisine: Southern
Keywords: Southern food, Greens, Collards