Spice Up Your Holidays with Caribbean Collard Greens

Thanksgiving is next week! And as we prepare our hearts for all the things we’re thankful for, let’s also prepare our table with these tasty Caribbean Collard Greens!

When Turkey Day is upon us, it’s normal to think of and appreciate all of the wonderful blessings and food that we are about to receive during the holiday season.

You know the beans, greens, potatoes, tomatoes, chickens, turkeys, chickens, YOU NAME IT!! Thanks to our national Thanksgiving anthem we’re never clueless as to what’s going on the table for the holidays.

Normally when greens come to mind, collard greens are at the top of the list and if you grew up in the South you can bet there were ham hocks, or some sort of smoked meat in that pot cooking to perfection! There’s no doubt that adding smoked meats lends a well-seasoned, smoky taste that most of us have grown to love. But the ham hocks will not make an appearance in this version that we’ve coined Caribbean Collard Greens. Not only will your vegan and vegetarian friends love it, but everybody will!

But the ham hocks will not make an appearance in this version we’ve coined “Caribbean Collard Greens”.

We start off with simple fresh seasonings that send these collard greens over the moon!

• Celery
• Vidalia Onion
• Carrots
• Mini Sweet Peppers (red, orange and yellow)

This recipe is all about layering flavors with a healthy foundation of fresh ingredients and spices. This will be a recipe you’re going to make again and again. The secret to the Caribbean flavor is the coconut milk used in the recipe, my goodness! Oh, how that flavor alone will do something magical to your greens. First, you’ll begin by sautéing the chopped ingredients in coconut oil… There’s levels to this. The only tool you’ll need is a heavy bottom, or large pot to get all those ingredients cooking. The other ingredients that lend a delightful hand to this recipe are:

• Coconut milk (full fat)
• Creole Seasoning
• Red pepper flakes
• Scotch Bonnet pepper, or Habanero (optional)
• Soy Sauce
• Kosher salt & Pepper
• Grade A Maple Syrup (Optional)
• Apple Cider Vinegar

There are quite a few ingredients to this recipe, but most are quite easy to find or you may have them on hand already. Every ingredient plays a key role in making these collard greens sing! The scotch bonnet pepper in this recipe is to be left whole, meaning don’t dice it up. You only want the flavor and not so much the heat from this ingredient. And if you cannot find scotch bonnet pepper you may also use a habanero in place of it. It’s optional.

The maple syrup is optional, but I recommend giving it a try; the subtle sweetness it brings to the collard greens balances out the savory-ness.

Are you ready to make your new favorite collard green recipe for the Holidays? Well, let’s get straight into the making of this recipe. INGREDIENTS

1. 1/2 of a Vidalia onion chopped small.
2. 3 mini sweet peppers chopped small.
3. 2 celery stalks chopped small.
4. 3 medium sized carrots chopped small.
5. 2 Tablespoons of Coconut oil.
6. 1 bunch of Collard greens, washed well and chopped small, about 3 cups.
7. 1 can of Coconut milk
8. 1/3 cup of water.
9. 1 Tablespoon of grade A maple syrup (optional).
10. 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce.
11. 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper or habanero (optional).
12. 1/2 tablespoon of creole seasoning.
13. A pinch of red pepper flakes
14. A dash of Apple Cider Vinegar
15. Salt & Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse your collard greens well in water a few times until all dirt is removed and set aside. (you can also use pre-cut greens in the bag if you like).
2. Heat coconut oil in a large pot on medium-high heat.
3. Once heated, add onions, sweet pepper’s, celery and carrots into the pot and sauté for 10 minutes until tender.
4. Add cleaned collard greens to the pot and stir around until wilted down.
5. Now add all remaining ingredients to the pot and stir well to combine.
6. Let the greens come to a boil slightly, then turn heat to low, cover pot half way and let greens simmer for 30 minutes.
7. Check the taste and adjust the seasoning to taste & remove scotch bonnet pepper (if using)  and discard.

Enjoy!]]>

About Post Author