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Here is yet another winter vegetable that I’ve never thought of fondly…collard greens. In all seriousness, I felt the same way about collard greens as I 
did about kale. I had never tried it before our switch to real food, and I certainly didn’t have any plans to run out and buy any. However, once I started to understand the importance of eating locally grown foods that are in season, my views changed. So I set out to find a way to make collard greens into a tasty dish that didn’t take all day long to cook (it only takes about 25 – 30 min).
This recipe is also a perfect example of flavoring your meal with meat rather than having meat as the main course. You could pair it with some baked sweet potatoes and whole-wheat biscuits to make one delicious, filling and healthy meal. I do want to preface this recipe though by saying that my children have been accepting of most of what I have posted so far, but as you can imagine this unfortunately is not one of them!
Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 1 bunch collard greens we have also used a combination of collard and mustard greens, rinsed
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- salt to taste
Instructions
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Remove the center ribs from the collard greens and discard. Cut the leaves into small strips (we used culinary scissors).
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Place the greens into a large saute pan fitted with a lid. Turn the heat to medium, add 2 - 3 tablespoons of water and cover. Cook for several minutes until leaves are wilted.
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Transfer the wilted collard greens to a plate and wipe the skillet dry. Turn the heat back on to medium and cook the bacon on each side until brown. Drain the bacon on paper towels, but leave the bacon grease in the pan. Break the cooked bacon into small pieces.
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Add the diced onion to the bacon grease in the pan over medium heat. Cook until the onions are soft, about 2 minutes.
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Add the collard greens back into the pan along with the vinegar, maple syrup, red pepper, and 1/4 cup water. Simmer for 5 – 10 minutes until the liquid reduces then add the chopped bacon to the pan and season with salt (if necessary).
Recipe Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
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These are my newfound vegetable and favorite new recipe!!!! Thank you so much Lisa for posting this. I don’t like them sweet so I just omit the maple syrup and their fantastic.
I Love Collard Greens, i don’t even cook in some liquid first,I just saute with some oil, onion and Garlic..yummy! I’ll have to try this recipe too!! Thanks Lisa.
My family has a recipe where we cook a big batch of greens on top of chicken on the bones in a dutch oven- when the chicken is done, the greens finish cooking in the chicken juice while someone shreds the chicken to add back in. The only seasoning I think we use is black pepper and a little soy sauce- it’s one of my favorite dishes from childhood!
I have an amazing recipe for collard greens that my 14-year-old adopted daughter from China absolutely loves. If you ask her what her favorite American food is she will always tell you, “collard greens!”…and she’s only been in America for a year and a half:)
2 lb bag of shredded collards
2 (32 oz.) containers of organic, low sodium chicken broth
2 packs of good bacon, chopped
chopped onion
minced garlic
sprinkle of red pepper flakes
2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
sprinkle of salt
in a big stock pot brown the bacon. add onion and saute. add garlic. add collards, broth, and the rest of the ingredients. cover and simmer at least 2 hours… the longer, the better.
You can even add a couple packs of chopped ham for more of a meal. the chicken broth gives it a yummy soup-like quality.
Thanks for all of the inspiration for better health! I frequent this blog and recipe file on a daily basis and have shared it with many people.
Collards are as southern as it gets. My kids love them they are 12 and 6 with a dash of homemade pepper sauce on top. I cook mine much the way that Rebecca does.
I tried collard greens for the first time tonight as part of week 5 mini-pledge. This recipe was SOOOO GOOOD!!! OMG – this is my new favorite food! I’m doubling the recipe next time though – I only got 3 servings out of it.
I thought I didn’t really like greens but maybe that’s because I’ve always had them out of a can. I made these for dinner tonight and they were fantastic. Even the husband liked them. Served it with your skillet cornbread and pinto beans. Glad to have a new vegetable side! Thanks :)
Forgot to rate it.
Before Food Network, I don’t think people in my region knew what collards were. I prefer Swiss Chard, which I know this recipe would work with. My mother used to make Wilted Lettuce, using leaf lettuce, cider vinegar, and bacon — no sweeteners.