Welcome to Green Goodness, series where we cover the health benefits of the various greens you can that grow in your garden. In this blog posts series, we cover the origins, health benefits, and share recipes using a variety of greens. Today, we are talking about Collard Greens.

Collard Greens origins are planted deep within Africa, reaching America through the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and setting down mainly in the southern states. Hence becoming the traditional Southern table staple – often cooked down with bacon or salt pork.

Collard Greens could be one of the hallmarks of Southern cooking, which giving its history is no surprise. Collards thrive in both cold and hot climates, making it a unfuzzy green that abundantly produce leaves. The leaves are thick and heartly, shaped like paddles and they have heavy stalks in the middle. Once cooked, collard greens have a earthly flavor that pairs well as a side to almost every savory dish. Try my Slow Cooked Collard Greens recipe.

If you are looking for a non-toxic and simple vegetable wash, try my Lime Water Fruit Wash. You only need a lime and water, it is that easy.

The health benefits of collard greens are hearty as the leaves itself. Collard Greens are high in Vitamin C (yes, orange are not the only ones), anti-cancer compounds, and antioxidant properties. These greens also dispel the “you can`t find calcium in greens” notion. When collard greens are packed with this important mineral along with Vitamin K which is essential for bone-building.

Chlorophyll is essential for creating healthy cells. How does the saying go “a plate of greens, keeps the doctor away”. This recipe easily pairs with my Sweet Plantain Vegetable Rice or my Avocado Pasta recipes. You can also pair this recipe with some of my other side dish recipes. Try making these crispy Tostones, Fried Sweet Plantains, Smashed Garlic Rosemary Potatoes.

The garden has been producing wonderful amounts of fresh greens, which I am enjoying thoroughly. We have a daily harvest of fresh collard greens, kale, and bok choi from the garden. What is growing in your spring-summer garden? Let me know in the comments below what you are growing. Don`t forget to join my mailing list for all the updates and happens on the blog. Thank you lots and see you in the next post.

Kiara,
My Plant Base Plate