One of the most popular side dishes for any holiday feast, particularly in African American families, is collards greens. The best thing about collards is that they are one of the healthiest green vegetables that you can eat because they are loaded with vitamins and nutrients, and are great for your digestive system.

For the longest time, even though I love them, I couldn’t eat other people’s collards because they usually had meat in them. My grandmother Muddie,  like many southern cooks of her time, traditionally added pork to just about every green vegetable on her menu. It didn’t matter which vegetable, whether it was collard greens, string beans or cabbage, the norm for her was to add either bacon or some other piece of pork. In her way of thinking, it was the best way to season vegetables.

These days, manypeople replace the pork with turkey wings or turkey butts,  but it is very possible to make fantastic green vegetables with no meat whatsoever, using olive oil, and herbs and spices.

Most people cook their collards for hours because they are tough and chewy. But if you take the spine out from the greens, which is the toughest part, you really only have to cook them for about 30 minutes. Personally, I like the spine and leave it in because it’s great for roughage. Collards are also full of phytonutrients that help your body get rid of toxins and help fight off cancer. Most essential for cooking great greens  is the seasoning, and I start with a great broth and then add the greens.

Vegetarian collards

3 lbs of fresh collards

Two white onions, diced

One red pepper, diced

1/2 cup virgin olive oil

One head of fresh garlic (pressed)

1 tbsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

3 tbsp sage powder

2 tbsp oregano

1 tsp turmeric

3 packets Sazon

3  tbsp oregano

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup light brown sugar

2  tsp cayenne pepper

5 vegetable bouillon cubes

Directions

• Separate and soak collard greens in a sink of cold water, making sure that all dirt is off, then pat dry.
• In a large Dutch oven, boil and then simmer one gallon of spring water.
• Add red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, sage powder, oregano, turmeric,  Sazon, fresh garlic and vegetable bouillon cubes. Lower the heat to simmer and cover.
• Stack collard green leaves on top of each other (5-7 at a time), then roll tightly and slice, cutting horizontally about one inch apart. Then add to simmering pot, along with fresh peppers and onion, and cover tightly.
• In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, brown sugar and cayenne pepper, and add to pot.
• Add apple cider vinegar and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until greens are soft enough to spear with a toothpick.

Note: If you choose to take the spine out, greens will cook in about 25 minutes.

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