collard greens

Leafy greens are all the rage these days. Sure, they're chock-full of nutrients and vitamins, but they're also delicious. Collard greens are no exception. The mildly smoky flavor in the this Southern vegetable staple is great for cooking. Collard greens come from the same species as cabbage and broccoli, but like kale, this vegetable doesn't form a head. The leaves are dark blue-green and smooth, and they're a great source of vitamin C and fiber.

Collard greens are a very important part of Southern cuisine, often prepared with smoked ham hock. Since the leaves resemble folded money, traditionally, they are enjoyed with black-eyed peas for good fortune on New Year's Day. But the South isn't the only place that appreciates this cruciferous vegetable. Portuguese cuisine makes great use of collard greens. Popular soup Caldo verde, meaning "green broth" in Portuguese, employs collard greens as a base. In addition, the juice of pressed leaves is thought to alleviate several maladies, including bronchitis!

For more ways to eat up your collard greens, keep reading.

I'm a little sick of the traditional Thanksgiving meal. That's why this year I plan on serving slightly different versions of old favorites — like a turkey roulade instead of a whole roasted turkey, for instance.

Rather than the usual green bean casserole, I'm reaching for a neo-Southern riff on the creamed spinach standby, and plan on impressing guests with creamed collard greens. Unlike creamed spinach, this vegetable side isn't swimming in heavy cream; the cream adds subtle body, while smoky bacon rounds out the collards' bitter character.

But the pièce de résistance is really the crispy, cheesy crumb topping. Be sure to make a generous amount, because the more, the better. Add a new tradition to your meal when you keep reading

We're in the midst of Spring cleaning, and the first order of business — other than tossing out over-the-hill foods — is clearing the pantry, fridge, and freezer of those one-off items that are still hanging around. Our latest series, Cabinet Cleanout, will focus on using the resources we have on hand, and little else.

Last Friday, with the temptation of Thai takeout dangling over my head, I opted to be economical and imaginative with little more than bacon, collard greens, and tomatoes. The pantry was stocked with dry pasta, frozen brown rice, and prepared millet, and while I deliberated pasta with greens, I decided to make bacon-flecked wilted collards, served on a bed of creamy millet the same way a Southern restaurant might offer greens with grits.

I felt healthfully satisfied at the end of dinner, and the vegetable crisper was looking tidier. What imaginative dish would you have come up with using the same ingredients? To see how this meal came together, read more.