Sometimes eating a heart-healthy diet involves making small tweaks to your family’s favorite dishes to make them more healthful — like cutting out unnecessary salt or fat, or finding ways to add more vegetables and nutrients. Sometimes, it may be trying a new vegetable that you haven’t eaten before or have overlooked in the produce aisle.
Like other dark, leafy greens, collard greens earn high marks for their healthy dose of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. In particular, a 1/2 cup of boiled collard greens offers about 3-4 times the daily recommended intake of vitamin K, which promotes bone health. It’s also an excellent source of vitamins A, C and folate and a good source of calcium. Like other cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy, etc.), it’s high in fiber, the consumption of which is linked to lower rates heart disease and cancer and better management of diabetes and other chronic conditions.
This Heart Smart® version of more traditional Southern or soul food preparations of collards maintains that delicious smoky flavor with turkey bacon and liquid smoke but keeps the sodium in check. We also included vitamin-rich black-eyed peas (which provide plant-based protein and more fiber) and flavorful onions, garlic and tomatoes to the mix.
Heart Smart® Collard Greens with Black-Eyed Peas
(Downloadable/printable version of this recipe)
Yield: 10 servings (about 1/2 cup each)
Ingredients:
2 strips cooked turkey bacon, crumbled
3 cups water
5 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
3 pounds collard greens, cleaned, trimmed and chopped
2 15-ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 Tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 cup chopped (about 1 large) onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:
Combine bacon, water and chicken broth in large pot. Place on medium-high heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat and add collard greens, black-eyed peas and liquid smoke to the pot. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat canola oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Sauté for 10 minutes or until onions are soft.
Remove cover from greens and simmer additional 30 minutes.
Stir tomatoes, red pepper flakes and black pepper into onion mixture. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir tomato mixture into greens when most of the liquid has evaporated from the greens. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until greens are tender.
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: 151 Calories; 3.5 grams Fat; 0.5 grams Saturated Fat; 3 mg Cholesterol; 416 mg Sodium; 24 grams Carbohydrates; 8.5 grams Fiber; 12 grams Protein
Looking for more info and want to make an appointment with a registered dietitian? Call 1-855-434-5483 or email ContactUs@henryfordlivewell.com.
