A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

What's in This Pot???

I've always been tempted by restaurants that advertise "Soul Food" I've never stopped...either I have other plans for a restaurant or I couldn't find anyone to go with. I watch the cooking shows on TV. They are cooking "greens" for hours it seems. Lately I've been watching Dr. Oz. I enjoy his program...not in agreement with everything he says, but willing to learn more about what is healthy to put into my body. It seems that his program and others have caused a big turn around in our "greens" department at the grocery. I have tried to buy kale in several stores....only to fine an empty space where it should be. I asked a grocer what was going on and he told me that greens have never been so popular in the produce dept. They used to have bundles of kale, collards, mustard greens past their date of freshness...and had to toss them. I went into our little local grocery, looking again for kale. I found a plastic tub of prewashed "super greens" for salads. They had just got a shipment of greens. I brought home kale and collards. I've never eaten collards or cooked them, for that matter. This morning I got up before 6 and started cooking them. After checking some recipes on the internet, I made up my own recipe using some of the ideas that I read. Here's how it went....
I had two bundles of collards. I washed them and cut the tough stems off and cut the leaves in thirds. Then I diced a lg. red onion. (Dr. Oz says to use red onions...the more color the more nutrients) I put some olive oil in my dutch oven and browned the onions. Then I had a piece of salt pork. (Dr. Oz wouldn't approve) I just sliced three slices about 2X3 in. and added them to the onion. Got this all browned and added 32 oz. chicken stock to the pan. Then I put the collards in and mixed them all around. I added salt and pepper and a toss of red pepper flakes. Put on the lid and turned the flame down to low. These have cooked now for about 4 hrs. I sampled one and it was tender. Now, I added two cans of cannellini beans to the mixture. I had a small amount of ham leftover and cut that up and added it. A spoonful of white vinegar and a little more pepper. Now this is our meal for today. I didn't add very much meat to this recipe...so I think that it can still be called healthy. I'm going to try to have greens more often...maybe 3 or 4 times a week. I have a recipe starting to be created in my head using linguine and broccoli. Just thought...I could add carrots to this dish. Soon we will sprout long ears and have a little twitch in our nose.
Balisha

10 comments:

acorn hollow said...

yummmm so wonderful.
Cathy

Sissy said...

Yum! I'm on my way!

Amber Star said...

Oh no...now we won't be able to buy greens! *L* I haven't cooked greens since last winter. I usually buy turnip greens and mustard greens and add a turnip. We make some cornbread, too.

garden girl said...

Looks delicious - enjoy! I've always loved greens cooked like that Balisha.

Even George our dog loves greens. Kale is one of his favorites, mine too, even raw.

Judy said...

Well--it looks kind of good, but.....I don't really like green veggies. However, I could eat a whole head of cauliflower and a bunch of carrots--steamed, but not soft and squishy. I think I dislike green because once when I was little, my Dad made me sit at the supper table until I had eaten all my peas--He went out to milk the cows, came back in and there I sat. The peas were cold and yucky of course. He went in to the living room, read his Farm Journal and then went to bed. Still i sat in the dark kitchen. My mother finally came at midnight and woke me up. I HATE peas to this day--except raw one--love those.

Barbee' said...

Oh, that looks yummy! My problem, though, is that I would want a large hunk of cornbread to go with mine..., and you know what cornbread does to the figure.

Anonymous said...

it was mmm mmm good!!

Diana LaMarre said...

That looks pretty good to me! I, too, would love a big hunk of warm cornbread slathered with real butter.

Balisha said...

We tried to make cornbread to go with it, but had no baking powder in her cupboard...so we did without. I love cornbread...my Mom taught me to put a piece in a tall glass of milk and eat it with a spoon. I used to love cornbread days.

Anonymous...Sounds like you must have had a wee taste of it :)

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Wonderful
My daughter in Florida cooks them all the time. Raves on their health benefits.
I cook them some.
Now cooking turnip greens from my little patch...