DAY 27 OF 365: HELLO COLLARD GREENS. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?

So today I realized that I love collard greens. I don’t know what I was so scared of them. I bought them last week with the rest of my leafy greens and they sat in my fridge because I was terrified to cook them. I was made to believe that they were going to be very difficult to cook and that after all the effort that I would put into making them that I would probably not like them. Well, let me tell you. They were extremely easy to make and even better tasting. Per “Greens, Glorious Greens” collards are a nutritional goldmine. According to the USDA composition of foods, collard greens outrank broccoli, spinach and mustard greens in nutritional value. A cancer fighting vegetable along with kale and broccoli, collard greens are low in calories, high in fiber, and rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, calcium, and B vitamins. In a nutshell, collards are not only a healthy vegetable but they are tasty as well. Below is the recipe that I used for the collard greens. Try it out and let me know what you think. It can be found in “Greens, Glorious Greens”. I added the apples.

COLLARD GREENS WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND APPLES

Serves 2 to 3

¾ lbs of collard greens (6 or 7 cups, chopped)

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

3 onions, sliced into thin crescents

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 apple, peeled and chopped

Salt to taste

Wash collards, remove stalks and stack 4 to 5 leaves. Slice into strips, approximately ¼ inch wide

In a large skillet or cast iron pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden and sweet. Make sure not to burn. Add garlic and apples and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes, until golden.

While the onions are cooking, bring 2 to 3 cups of water to a boil in a 10 to 12 inch skillet with a lid. Add collards, cover and cook over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The greens are cooked when they are tender but still bright green. Make sure to add salt to the water. It will help keep the collards bright green. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Add greens to onions and garlic. Season with salt to taste and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Serve hot, drizzled with additional olive oil if you dare.

You can find this recipe (without the apples) and many others in Greens, Glorious Greens. I definitely recommend buying it if you don’t already have it.
Today was my second session with my Nutritionist, Jessica. It was great filling her in on all my progress the past 3 weeks since our last visit. Last week Jessica chatted with me about the importance of leafy greens; this week we chatted about grains. What I learned today is that whole grains are some of the best source of nutritional support, containing high levels of dietary fiber and B vitamins. And, because the body absorbs them slowly, grains provide long lasting energy. So my homework is try all different types of whole grains and experiment with ways of preparing and cooking them.
Well, time for bed. I have a busy day tomorrow. I also want to take a class at the gym Sunday. I am thinking about going in for some cardio and then checking out a yoga or spin class. I also have some quinoa that Jessica gave me to try. Well till tomorrow.