I Love Collard Greens

Collard greens are a nutritional powerhouse with sulfur compounds, antioxidants, and one of the best plant-based sources of calcium.  Plus, collard greens leaves are so versatile.  Eat them plain, as a wrap, or now as a coleslaw.

The weather turned nice so we wanted to barbeque – remnants of summer in mind!  And I love coleslaw during the summer, but, let’s me honest, coleslaw isn’t the healthiest recipe.  Most use lots of mayonnaise and other high fat ingredients that negate all the wonderful nutrition of collard greens.

So, I started playing with the idea of a collard greens coleslaw until I feel I’ve properly combined taste and nutrition.  Add a half an apple and a touch of stevia to the recipe made the collard greens even sweeter.  This may not be a traditional coleslaw but this collard greens recipe will soon become your family’s favorite.

Make the Recipe Healthier

Similar to other vegetables, greater health benefits occur when you cut the collard greens and allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes.  This activates the enzyme myrosinase that converts some of the plant nutrients into their active forms.  This recipe is best if you allow the coleslaw to marinate for at least an hour and overnight is great.  This becomes a “make-ahead” recipe!

Collard Green Coleslaw Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 shallot
• 1 bunch collard greens
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ red apple
• 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ¼ tsp celery seeds
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp dry mustard
• ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 6 drops stevia

Directions:

1. Chop shallot and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
2. Remove stem from collard greens and chop the leaf – allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
3. Toss collard greens with extra virgin olive oil.
4. Seed and chop apple.
5. Whisk together remaining ingredients.  Add to collard greens and toss.
6. Let slaw marinade for at least one hour before serving.

Serves 4

Quick Recipes

Honestly, cabbage isn’t one of my favorite foods but it’s always in my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) box and I’ve had to find ways to use it.  This is one of the benefits of being a member of a CSA, you often have to learn about new foods as well as new ways to use them.  Cabbage is one of those foods in our house.

Here’s the thing about cabbage – it’s been cultivated for more than 4,000 years, is considered the national food of Russia, and the people of Germany couldn’t make sauerkraut without cabbage.  Obviously it’s time for me to embrace some cabbage recipes.

Cabbage is an amazing detoxification food.  It is a cruciferous vegetable high in sulfur compounds which increase the liver’s ability to produce enzymes that neutralize potentially toxic substances.  It is a concentrated source of goitrogens though so for certain people with thyroid difficulties this is not a food to over indulge.

Cabbage Health Tips

The Vitamin C in cabbage starts to quickly degrade one the cabbage has been cut so either purchase small heads of cabbage and use it all or store a partial head of cabbage for only a few days.

Similar to onions and garlic, the best health benefit occurs when you thinly slice the cabbage and allow it to rest for 5-10 minute.  When slicing the cell walls are broken down and an enzyme called myrosinase is activated that slowly converts some of the plant nutrients into their active forms.  This has been shown to have the most health promoting properties.  Just slice and allow to rest before eating or cooking.

Cooking and heating inactivates the effect of myrosinase so it’s important to all the cabbage to rest.  Cooking at low-medium temperatures for short periods helps keep the active phytonutrients from being destroyed since one they are formed they are fairly stable.  So, this cabbage recipe recommends both techniques for your best health.

Curried Cabbage

Ingredients:

• 1-2 cloves garlic
• Shallots to equal ¼ cup
• 1 small head green cabbage
• 1 Tbsp whole grain mustard
• 1 tsp curry powder
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 Tbsp ghee
• 2-3 Tbsp broth
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Finely mince garlic and shallots – allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
2. Thinly slice cabbage – allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
3. Whisk together mustard, curry and turmeric.
4. Heat ghee in skillet.  Add shallots and sauté for about a minute.  Add garlic and sauté until fragrant – 30 seconds to a minute.
5. Add mustard mix and cook another minute – stirring constantly.
6. Stir in cabbage, broth and vinegar.
7. Cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.
8. Season with sea salt and pepper if desired.

Serves 2

Not Just for a Vegetarian

I love my grilling ideas for meats and vegetables (beef negimataki with millet and vegetables, mediterranean chicken with navy bean salad, shrimp with avocado mango salsa and amaranth, or grilled succotash, just to name a few – yes, I’m loading you up with grilling ideas!) . . . as you know I’m not a vegetarian.  But, eggplant recipes can’t be beat.

I have a friend (you know who you are) that swears there’s no nutritional value to an eggplant.  She continues to be wrong!  The same antioxidant that we hear so much about when it comes to blueberries is the same one in the dark purple skin of an eggplant.  Plus eggplant is low in calories (about 20 calories per cup!); it’s high in Vitamin C, folate, potassium, and manganese.  No, eggplant isn’t the most nutritional fruit (yes it’s technically a fruit) but it’s great and offers those special antioxidants that are harder to find.  Vegetarians got this one right!

Japanese Eggplant vs. Globe

Which eggplant you choose depends on your location and the recipe.  Since I was working with grilling ideas, the Japanese eggplant was best.  It’s longer body is perfect for marinading and then grilling.  I like a globe eggplant better for baba ganoush.

Grilled Eggplant

Ingredients:

• 1 large clove garlic
• 1 Japanese eggplant
• ½ cup white wine vinegar
• ¼ cup sesame seed oil
• ¼ cup coconut aminos
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp sesame seeds
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Finely mince garlic and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
2. Slice eggplant lengthwise in approximately ½ inch slices.
3. Whisk together remaining ingredients to make marinade.
4. Marinate eggplant slices for about an hour, turning to coat.
5. Cook on a hot grill about three minutes per side.
6. Sprinkle with additional salt, pepper and/or sesame seeds as desired.

Cucumber Salad for Summer

A few years ago I made my second trip to Greece.  It’s a beautiful, beautiful country.  I’ve been fortunate enough to visit both times during the summer months when a salad was super refreshing.  I love the Greek food in general but the cucumber salad is the best.  Part of what makes it different from “American” salads is that there is no lettuce and capers are always added.

Most people have heard or seen capers which are the edible flower buds of the plant as well as the fruit called capers berries.  In Greece they also pickle the capers leaves . . . and these I brought back with me.  Don’t worry if you can’t find capers leaves, regular capers work just fine or this cucumber salad is delicious without them.

Traditionally a Greek salad includes feta but I wanted a non-dairy option for a client.  So, here you go, my new favorite cucumber salad for summer, including capers.

Give this cucumber salad a try for a change of pace this summer.  A fresh from the garden cucumber and tomato offer a sweet taste to off set the saltiness of the capers.

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• ½ tsp minced garlic
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp Italian seasoning
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup cucumber slices, quartered
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• 2 Tbsp caper leaves (or capers)

Directions

1. Mince garlic and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.
2. Whisk first six ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients and serve immediately.