Greens

I have been eating lots of greens lately and cannot get enough! My favorite are collard greens but I also love kale and mustard greens. Greens are packed with minerals like calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium. They are also high in antioxidants and fiber. If I have any in the fridge, I usually end up eating them for breakfast. I juice with them every few days and cook them 2 or 3 times a week. I used to hate taking the time to trim the leaves, but I'm over that since they make me feel so good. Here is my basic cooking method:

1 bunch greens
1-2 T olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
few red pepper flakes
soy sauce

1. Cut out the central rib from each leaf. Roll and slice or roughly chop leaves and rinse in collander.

2. Chop stems and rinse. (The stems are full of minerals and add a nice crunch).

3. Add olive oil and garlic to a cold pan. Saute on medium heat until garlic is fragrant (few minutes).

4. Add stems and red pepper flakes and saute a few more minutes.

5. Add damp greens to pan and cover. Cook and stir occasionally until greens are tender and not bitter. This could take 5 to 15 min. Taste the greens to make sure any bitterness is gone.

6. Add a dash or 2 of sauce sauce a few minutes before greens are done.