Although grown year round, collards’ peak season is the first quarter of the year, so the time is now. Although uniquely tolerant of both cold and hot climates, collards (and kale) actually benefit from frost, which causes them to produce sweeter leaves.

Here are just some of its many virtues:
One cup of cooked collards contains 49 calories and 4 grams of protein. They are one of the best non-dairy sources of calcium, surpassing an 8-ounce serving of milk. (This is a tidbit worth posting on the refrigerator, especially for your lactose-intolerant loved ones.)
Collards boast a unique trifecta: Anti-inflammatories in the form of Omega-3 fatty acids (who knew?!) and Vitamin K; Antioxidants in the form of beta carotene, Vitamins C and E and manganese; and detoxifiers in the form of glucosinolates, compounds that are being studied for their abilities to ward off cancer as well as cardiovascular disease.
The only reason not to eat your collards is if you’re taking blood thinners or you’ve got pre-existing gallbladder or kidney issues (collards are a considerable source of oxalates). Everyone else: Jump in that collard pool!

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Southern Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds smoked turkey wings necks or tails
• 4 lbs collard greens or 2 bunches
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 large onion sliced
• 4 garlic cloves diced
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon green jalapeno hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cushed red pepper
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Wash, roll, cut and drain greens.
2. Heat Canola oil on med-high heat in a large pot and add sugar and onions cooking until translucent.
3. Combine turkey meat, brown sugar and vinegar and cook until sugar dissolves, stirring continuously.
4. Add the collard greens and toss to coat the collard greens with the vinegar mixture. Add the chicken stock and green hot sauce and red pepper flakes. Season the collard greens with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
5. Cover and allow greens to simmer and reduce the heat to low.
6. Cook greens until they have reached desired tenderness, approximately 2 hours until.
7. Remove turkey meat and separate from the bones and shread the meat into bite sized pieces. Discard the bones and skin and add the meat back in with the collard greens and stir.
8. Season the collard greens taste with sea salt, freshly ground pepper and serve.

As spring is fast approaching, and it starts to get warm outside, we often tend to put the breaks on all of the warm and fuzzies about soups that have kept us warm all winter long.  Instead of preparing to store the stock pots over the next few days, I’ve decided to give this week one good run on all of my favorite soups and gumbos. Now …that I’ve made a mental note, lets keep in mind that vegetable soups are ideal for late winter and are a great way to incorporate into our diets some of those three to five daily servings of vegetables that the U.S. department of agriculture recommends. Finding a variety of vegetables is particularly challenging at this time of year in many parts of the country, where the farmers’ markets are often bare despite the fact that the calendar says it’s spring. Still, it’s easy to make delicious combination of onions, garlic, carrots, celery, turnips and canned tomatoes. All of these vegetables are easy to keep on hand even in the depths of winter.  I’m convinced that one of the reasons the french diet is such a healthy one, despite the butter and cheese, (that I absolutely LOVE…might I add) is that dinner in France is so often a simple vegetable soup made with whatever ingredients are fresh. Soups fill you up, they’re comforting, and they offer a lot of concentrated nutrition in a bowl at a reasonable cost, both caloric and monetary. They’re simple to make and oh so forgiving!  Despite the fact that chefs use chicken stocks made daily, most french homemakers do not. Water will be just fine for this weeks offering. You may already have what you need in you fridge to get started on your delicious ground turkey and vegetable soup. Hope you enjoy!! 

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Homemade Turkey and Vegetable Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 packet Sazon
• 1 onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 medium potatoes peeled and diced
• 3 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 can 28 oz diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 can condensed tomato soup
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups mixed vegetables fresh or frozen

Instructions

1. Brown onion, ground beef and garlic until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
2. Add potatoes, broth, tomatoes, tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce, seasoning and bay leaves. Simmer covered 10 minutes.
3. Stir in vegetables and simmer 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.