This weekend, I purchased a two-pound bag of chopped collards. The idea was that the chickens and I could share. The little one wrestles a long piece until she gets a bite. So far, Janis Joplin just pecks around and leaves most of the collards.
Obviously, they don't care for collards. However, the need green stuff since they don't get out for grass and weeds. I am not taking any chances with these two expensive girls! I will try something else green for them. They love leftover salad with ranch or Italian dressing. Since tomorrow is the church dinner night, maybe there will be salad to bring them. I always eat all my salad, but many people barely touch it.
I put half the collards in a huge pot with about two inches of water. They are not steamed, but cooked very little. Collards will be eaten twice a day until they are gone. Some people don't like collards, but I do. I really prefer them without any ham or seasoning. I compromised that by putting in a Tbsp. of bacon grease. I cannot really taste it, but I do know that oil on raw salad greens helps the body to access the nutrients. Maybe it is that way when greens are cooked. At any rate, the bit of fat gives the whole pot a good mouth feel.
As I eat these, they are barely wilted, a little tough. However, I am really hungry and these will fill my stomach and satisfy the need to chew. So far, I have chewed this bite 40 times, and I still need to chew more to break them down.
Collards are the best green for the liver, low calorie, and filling. Well, for the moment I am being filled. I will probably be starving soon.
When I losing weight, I eat good-for-me foods. Then, when I get to the evil food, I am so stoked about my eating accomplishments and am physically and mentally satisfied with good food that I eat less evil food. I sort of trick myself into less of the evil food I really want and intend to eat. Actually, sometimes the craving has left me.
Let food be thy medicine~~Socrates
Later, I am going to use my prize money from the fair to buy KFC Tuesday Special--Chicken breast, mashed potatoes/gravy, cole slaw, and senior drink. I get unsweetened tea. I don't eat the skin. I feel very self righteous when I don't eat the fried skin. I cannot stand chicken skin, never have.
I do take a walk on the wild side now and then.
Your turn
Do you ever eat the good-for-you foods before you eat the evil foods? Do you like collards or other greens? Do you like them virtually unseasoned--no salt, no ham, no pepper, no oil?
I love collards and turnip greens especially well but will eat all greens. I like my turnip greens a little smokey, but I like collards sautéed with onion and garlic
ReplyDeleteAnne,
DeleteHow do you get the turnip greens smokey?
I usually put a small piece of smoked fat back in it
DeleteAnne,
DeleteThanks.
I like greens but I prefer collards cooked longer than you do. I don't want to wear myself out chewing! Do you eat Kale? I like it just fine when it is cooked a little. Raw is just too tough for me. Kale seems to be the darling of the vegetable world but I think that cauliflower is making a run at unseating Kale.
ReplyDeleteTonight my daughter fixed an interesting dish with roasted sweet potato, onion & Brussels sprouts tossed with browned butter, dried cranberries, pecans, feta cheese and rotini pasta. It was delicious. Unfortunately John doesn't care for sweet potatoes or sprouts so I won't be making this dish at home.
Janet,
ReplyDeleteI may cook them a bit longer tomorrow...lol. It took forever to get the collards from between my teeth. Collard greens are more nutritious than Kale. Yes, I like Kale just fine.
That is an interesting dish. Since I like all the ingredients, I would love it. I read that for people who don't like Brussels sprouts that slicing them in half and baking them makes them more palatable. I love Brussels sprouts but have never had them baked.
I meant roasting the Brussels sprouts!
DeleteI eat 99% of my greens raw. Since I grow them, in containers, I harvest the leaves when small and so they are not tough. I have about 2 cups lightly packed at dinner every night as a salad - collards, kale, swiss chard, Asian greens, sunflower and radish sprouts (thinnings), katuk, moringa, cranberry hibiscus, napa cabbage. In a couple of weeks I'll be adding beet greens, lettuces, carrot tops plus radish & carrot roots and maybe lemon cukes if the bugs don't kill them. I use a homemade faux ranch tofu based dressing.
ReplyDeleteDon't eat evil foods, haven't in 5 years since my diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Want my remaining years, about 15 left, to be as disease free as possible - have seen too much suffering of those who won't take the best possible care of themselves.
Stay strong, eat healthy and don't let those evil foods get a foothold
Bellen,
DeleteGood for you! More people should do as you do. Where do you get the seeds for the sprouts? I try to eat healthfully, but ithe evil foods are so good. I already eat well, just need some tweaking and more consistency. Okay, some major tweaks are in order.
Do you grow indoors or outdoors? Containers?
Linda - I grow outdoors in Earthboxes and large pots. All but 4 containers are in the lanai/screened pool area. 2 flank my front door, one with an eggplant & green onions and the other with a cucumber climbing up the rain chain & also has a collard plant.
DeleteThe radishes sprouts are just overcrowded radishes, cut rather than pulled to thin. The sunflowers are raw hulled seeds that I use on my salad. Wanted sunflowers but I'm too cheap/frugal to buy a package of seeds and again cut instead of pulled as I over planted.
This year I'm trying some things in the sand we call dirt and con hopefully thwart the nasty nematodes that sap the life out of the plant roots and kill the plants. Between the citrus trees I've laid heavy cardboard and topped it with grass clippings, made some holes or 2' long openings and planted some patty pan squash, some soaked black beans (that's a major protein source for me), several cranberry hisbiscus, & a moringa along with a few flowers that are supposed to attract pollinators. I have some Crispy Melons started in pots to transplant that should spread over a large area. Goes against the HOA rules but I figure if it's neat and the neighbors don't complain nobody will mind.
Bellen ,
DeleteThanks for the description. "Lanai" and "citrus trees" tells me you live in a place that is fairly warm year round. RATS! I cannot do any of those things, but you are certainly taking advantage of your growing area. You want sunflower seeds. I have all kinds. Email me. They are yours.
I'm A Northern girl but I have a Southern heart or maybe it would be a Southern stomach-I LOVE greens and just about all southern foods. YUM
ReplyDeleteSonya Ann,
DeleteYes, you have a Southern stomach! I suppose you are a girl after my own stomach...lol.