In Season Now: Collard Greens

A roundup of recipes featuring collard greens.

Planning to eat a big bowl of greens for the New Year? Collard greens get a little sliver of the culinary spotlight on New Year's Day thanks to superstitious Southerner's. Eating the greens is thought to ensure a prosperous new year. While some deny being superstitious, when pressed they have tales of an unfortunate series of events that happened the ONE year they missed having greens and black-eyed-peas on New Year's Day. At our house we definitely make sure to get a healthy serving of greens and black-eyed-peas on New Year's.

Collard Greens have a lot to offer nutritionally. While this winter garden vegetable is in season, I urge you to try it more than just once on New Year's Day!

• In-Season: October - April
• Selection: Look for dark green leaves, avoid bunches with excessive yellow spots.
• Nutritional Highlights:
  • Contain 8% of daily value for Calcium per cup
  • 35% of daily value for Vitamin A
  • Ring in the New Year with 20% of daily value of Vitamin C per cup
  • Excellent source of Folic Acid
  • Low in Calories

• Recipes
• An assortment of recipes featuring Collard Greens. 
  • Crock Pot Collard Greens from Palatable Pastimes
  • Grits & Greens Breakfast Bake from Southern Living
  • Black-Eyed-Pea Stew with Collard Greens and Potatoes from Clean Eating
  • Collard Green Gratin from Bon Apetit
  • Lemony Collard Greens Pasta from Cookie and Kate
  • Collard Green Wraps with Tofu & Thai Peanut Sauce from Kara Lydon

Wishing y'all a healthy and prosperous 2016!

~Alaine