Nutrient Dense Braised Collard Greens
Oftentimes when we think of incorporating leafy greens into our diet we think of salads.
Thinking of leafy greens only as salads is often a thought that many of us have to overcome when adopting a nutrient dense diet. This recipe will change that train of thought for you, and will open you up to the world of braised, flavorful greens and the versatility of leafy greens in our diets.
Collard greens are one of my favorite things to make when serving my family a nutrient dense meal.
I enjoy the smell of the broth simmering, and the robust taste of the greens once they are boiled. My kids both request this recipe weekly, and it’s a great way to pack in a lot of leafy greens! This is a great meal to make after a holiday when you have leftover animal carcass or bones.
Collards are typically easy to find and grow, making them easy to enjoy through many seasons. They are an easily absorbable and excellent source of Vitamins A, C, B6 and K, calcium, and iron. And paired with rich broth, this tasty meal packs quite the nutrient dense punch!
INgredients
Ham bone or hocks (you can get these from my favorite farm, you can also use bacon or left over animal carcass here)
1 diced yellow onion
2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
Stock Pot filled about 3/4 of the way with water or broth
Mineral salt to taste (I use about 1 tbs for boiling and then add to taste once cooked)
1 tablespoon low glycemic sweetener (coconut sugar works great, monk fruit, etc) this is used to break up the acidity of the leaves
1/2 tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
2-3 bunches collard greens (Collards cook down quite significantly, so you can really make big batches at once if you prefer to add more greens!)
Steps:
Combine ham bones/carcass, diced onion, apple cider vinegar, mineral salt, sweetner and onion powder in stock pot. Boil for 2 hours minimum. (I typically put this on in the morning and let it boil most of the day to make a rich broth)
Pull ham bones/hocks out of the pot and shred the meat that falls off the bone. Discard bones and place meat back into the pot. (you can skip this step entirely if using bacon)
Wash and tear collard greens into strips- discard the large central vein of the leaves. (This is a great task for little helping hands!)
Put torn greens into the pot and bring to a boil, then let simmer for 1 hour minimum (sometimes I will leave these on to simmer for a few hours! I find if I let them simmer for longer the more flavor they have)
Serve warm with salt and apple cider vinegar to taste
These greens freeze wonderfully and last for days in the fridge.
Have you made these before? Let me know what your taste buds think!
