Having trouble with picking greens? Why not try collard greens?
These greens are tasty, but they are super healthy and beneficial to your health.
If you love munching on greens, you should try collards.
With that said, not everyone likes their greens. That’s a given.
It is more a problem when you have your health goals in mind, but eating vegetables is just going too far.
Well, why not give it a try first?
This article will explain to you what do collard greens taste like and what are its health benefits.
You can then decide if these greens are something you can learn to love and add to your lifestyle.
What are Collard Greens?
Collard Greens come under the cabbage family, and by nature, they are cruciferous.
The stem of the collards is tough, and their leaves are mostly dark green, which is broad and leafy.
These vegetables grow up to two feet high and are one of the healthiest foods on the planet.
These greens are rich in iron, calcium, fiber, and vitamins.
They also contain essential nutrients and components known to detoxify toxins from the body.
They are known to prevent diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart conditions, and cancer as well.
Collards are not as well-known as other green vegetables. This may be so, as collards are mostly common in the southern U.S.
They come under the plant group such as brussel sprouts, turnips, bok choy, broccoli, kale, and mustard greens.
Moreover, their characteristics are almost the same. Hence they are prepared in similar ways.
Collard greens are usually fibrous in nature, indicating a good amount of water content.
What do Collard Greens Taste Like? Do Collard Greens Taste Good?
Collard greens have a strong smell and are acidic. It leaves a bitter taste in the taste buds, but not as bitter as kale.
Collards bring out a pleasing coarseness that is noticeable, however, not overpowering.
The green taste in the collard is delightfully softened. Thus, collards are not that bitter and blend well with garlic.
You will find soft, juicy collards during the start of spring and best at the end of winter.
The leaves of collards are strong and a little hard, hence you need a longer time to cook to make it soft.
Though soft, it will still be chewy adding a pleasant contrast to a mix of different vegetables.
Collards blend well with dishes that require low flame such as simmering, sautéing, or better yet steaming to seal in the supplements.
It helps to soften and lessen the bitterness.
As mentioned in Wikipedia, Collard originated from the name colewort, popularly known as collard greens.
It is similar to Swiss chard as both their leaves are bitter.
Collard won the most affordable cruciferous award as it was reasonably priced and highly nutritious.
In addition, Healthline considers collards as one of the healthiest green vegetables. Collard greens contain more iron and calcium compared to other greens.
As per the information provided by USDA, one cup of raw collards has 11.5 calories and 0.22 grams of fat. It contains 2 grams of carbohydrates and 1.4 grams of fiber.
It is more than the supplements provided by bok choy or swiss chard. Moreover, when boiled, collards provide more fiber than the other two vegetables.
Unlike the other greens, Collard greens contain 83.5 micrograms of calcium. Most leaf greens, collards included are full of nutrients.
Collard is also a great source of vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, magnesium, beta-carotene, lutein, etc.
How to Cook Collard Greens
Let’s look at some of the ways you can prepare collard greens:
1 – Wrap the Greens up
You can use collards for wraps. After washing the leaves properly, remove the tough stems, and then put the fillings on it before wrapping the leaves up. Simple as that!
2 – More Greens to your Salads
Remove the stem and midrib then cut the collard leaves into bite sizes.
Put it on a bowl with any other greens and herbs you would like to add. For meat lovers, you can always add bacon or any other meat products.
3 – Preserve the Leaves by Blanching
Once again, cut off the midrib of the greens then boil salted water in a pot.
Blanch the leaves in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes and strain off the excess water.
Let the cooked collards cool on a layered sheet pan or shock it in ice water to cool it faster.
4 – Sautéed Collard Greens
Remove the central ribs of the collards and cut the leaves into pieces.
Simmer the leaves in boiling water for 10-15 minutes before squeezing out the excess water.
Warm one tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and add the herbs, spices, and minced garlic.
Once sautéed, put in the greens. Stir frequently until it is nicely heated.
A more well-known collard greens dish is the classic southern style. You can try out Jenna Weber’s recipe to prepare this traditional collard cuisine.
On a side note, before you start cooking, always wash the collards thoroughly in cold water.
Next, cut the stem and the central ribs of the leaves. If you are making a stew, you can add the stem as well.
Conclusion
Greens play a vital role in enhancing our health. You can easily achieve your diet goals by consuming your greens daily.
With all the essential nutrients collard provides, it is genuinely beneficial to your health.
Along with improving your heart conditions, these greens significantly maintain your cholesterol and blood pressure levels as well.
You can prepare varieties of delicious dishes with this vegetable from wraps to sandwiches to stew.
If you are a vegan, these greens could be your new best friend. There is no risk in trying out your own collard greens recipe.
Just find the perfect style that suits your taste, and you’re good to go. So do not miss out on these healthy greens!
What Do Collard Greens Taste Like? Do Collard Greens Taste Good?
Ingredients
- Collard greens
- Ingredients from your favorite recipes
Instructions
- Depending on the recipes you choose, the taste can vastly differ.
- For authentic results, it is important to choose a recipe that will highlight the original flavor.
- Have fun experimenting with different recipes and taste tests!
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