Collard greens and kale offer tremendous health benefits.
With summer upon us, locally-grown Michigan produce will offer consumers with many options of fresh and healthy food. To assist consumers with selection, use and preservation tips,Michigan State University Extension has prepared several fact sheets on the Michigan Fresh website. Be sure to visit as new fact sheets are periodically posted.
As food selections are made, also keep in mind the USDA ChooseMyPlate campaign and make sure that half of your food plate is made up of a variety of fruits and vegetables. Highlighted in this article are collard greens and kale. These fresh, nutrient dense greens are available at many farmers markets and grocery stores. For raw leafy greens, 2 cups is equivalent to a 1 cup vegetable serving. Additional tips on how to include a variety of vegetables on the food plate can be found at the"Add more vegetables to your day"guide.
Collard Greens and Kale
These leafy greens are hearty and a deep dark green color. Don’t shy away from them because they aren’t as simple to prepare as softer salad greens like romaine. With just a bit of cooking, they will wilt down into a most, tender and flavorful vegetable. Choose collard greens and kale with firm and unwilted leaves that are deep green without signs of yellowing or browning. Collard greens might even have a bluish tint to them but they are easily distinguished from kale because their leaves are smooth. Kale on the other hand has large leaves that are very curly on the edges. The smaller the leaves, the more tender and less bitter they will be. Store these greens in the refrigerator in a plastic bag with as much air removed as possible for 3-5 days.
It is important to not overcook collard greens or kale, as they tend to give off a sulfur smell and taste bitter. Cut the leaves into one-half inch strips and steam for 5 minutes on the stove. Collard greens make a great addition to eggs and bean soup or can be served alone as a steamed vegetable with a dressing. Serve steamed kale with cooked apples and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and walnuts or chop kale, pine nuts, and feta cheese to mix with pasta and olive oil. Kale and collard greens also make a great addition to vegetable soups and can be wilted down right in the pot of soup.
Collard greens and kale are rich sources of powerful nutrients. They are full of vitamins C and K. They also have the ability to lower cholesterol and can reduce cancer risk as an antioxidant.
Sauteed Greens:
Ingredients:
- 1 Bunch of kale (or other greens such as Collards etc)
- 2 Cloves of garlic
- 1 Small onion
- 2 T Olive oil
- 1 t Apple cider vinegar
- 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
- Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
- Wash greens, set aside (do not dry)
- Chop onion and saute in olive oil over medium heat until translucent
- Mince garlic, add to onions
- Add greens (in batches if needed)
- Add pinch of red pepper flakes and salt & pepper
- Cover and cook on low-medium for about 10 minutes
- Add vinegar, stir well and serve
**a dash of wine or broth can be added when greens are add
Blueberry Kale Smoothie:
Kale and blueberries are nutrient dense and provide a number of health benefits. Kale does have a taste that will take getting used to, so start out with a few leaves at first and work your way up to 6-8 leaves. Spinach has a milder taste and can be used in place of the kale. Try other fruits like strawberries, pineapple, or oranges to create different flavored smoothies.
Ingredients:
- 1 large ripe banana, peeled
- 2-4 kale leaves
- 1 cup of blueberries
- 1 cup of water
Directions:
- Wash greens and blueberries.
- Add water, the banana and kale into the blender.
- Blend.
- Next add the blueberries and blend again until smooth.
Makes 1-2 servings
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FAQs
Blanch Them
Blanching your greens is key to getting that bitterness level down. Because glucosinolates are water-soluble compounds, a lot of them are leached out into the water, allowing for a less bitter green.
Do you have to soak collard greens before cooking? ›
A little bit of prep time can go a long way in making your collard greens safe to eat. 1. Start with a good soak. The best way to clean collard greens is to soak them.
Is it better to eat collard greens raw or cooked? ›
Regularly eating collard greens increases your fiber intake. Dietary fiber supports digestive health by regularizing bowel movements and nurtures the gut with good bacteria. Ways To Add Collard Greens. Collard greens are best relished raw.
Why do you put vinegar in collard greens? ›
What takes the bitterness out of collards? Collards may be a little bright and bitter, but rich ingredients like bacon and smoked ham will help cut through that. If it's still too strong, vinegar and sugar can cut the bitterness from collards, too.
How do you cook kale so it's not bitter? ›
Sauté, Steam or Stir-fry Kale: Kale is delicious sautéed with an acid to cut the bitterness like red wine, balsamic vinegar or lemon juice.
Why put baking soda in collard greens? ›
In the case of collard greens, baking soda's utility is threefold, serving as a flavor enhancer, a tenderizer, and a color protector. Baking soda is an alkali salt possessing the tenderizing and flavor-enhancing properties of regular salt.
Which is healthier kale or collard greens? ›
Collards actually beat kale when it comes to nutrients: They pack more calcium and iron than kale. Plus, they contain 5 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein per cup (cooked), compared with kale's 3 and 2 grams, respectively.
Do collard greens detox your body? ›
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, radish and collard greens contain unique compounds that can help support your body's ability to detox. They also contain phytonutrients (plant-based compounds) which can work together to help promote good health.
Are collard greens anti-inflammatory? ›
They're also packed with phytonutrients that help fight disease. “Like all leafy greens, collards are incredibly rich in antioxidants that can help reduce systemic inflammation and combat oxidative stress that can damage cells,” says Maya Feller, RD, author of "Eating From Our Roots" (Rodale Books, 2023).
How much water do you put in collard greens when cooking? ›
Bring 10 cups water and 1 large or 2 small ham hocks to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, add 3 peeled garlic cloves, and partially cover. Simmer for 2 hours, periodically checking and adding up to 2 cups more water if needed to keep the ham hock covered.
Pairing bitter greens with naturally sweet ingredients, instead of sugar, is a delicious idea. That's why bitter greens get along famously with apples, dates, figs, oranges, raisins and dried fruit. Chicory, endive, frisee and radicchio are ideal for robust salads.
How to counteract bitterness? ›
Sweetness: From sugar, honey, fruits or otherwise, sweetness will counteract bitter and sour flavours. It can also be used to cut down the heat of a particularly spicy meal. Saltiness: Salt plays two very important roles in flavouring a dish. Firstly, it balances against bitterness.
How to remove bitter taste from bitter leaf? ›
Pour in hot boiling water, stir and let it sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the leaves from the hot salty water and transfer them into cold water. This process blanches the leaves and removes the bitterness. Most people use this method when they want the leaves to be stringy after washing.
What is the best way to tenderize collard greens? ›
Slow Cooking: A couple of hours of cooking makes the collard greens tender and almost silky, but they still have substance. They braise low and slow, just like short ribs would.
