Green Treat Sauté

Kale, collards, green beans, and red peppers – it doesn’t get much better than this for health or pleasure. My grandmother used to say “put butter and garlic on anything and it will taste delicious.” I expect she’s right. If you don’t do dairy, then olive oil can be substituted for the butter. Any way you choose to do this recipe, it really is a green treat.

Ingredients

1 bunch of collard greens (see below for preparation instructions)
1 bunch of kale (see below for preparation instructions)
1 lb. green beans
½ red pepper
2-3 tbsp. butter or olive oil
2 crushed cloves of garlic
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Black pepper and salt to taste

Directions

Fill a pot with enough water to amply cover the collards once they are chopped and bring the water to a boil.

Remove the central stem from the collards. Place 4-6 leaves on top of each other and roll them up width-wise into a tight tube, then slice them into thin strips. Follow this pattern with all the collards until they are all cut into thin shreds. When the water comes to a boil, simmer the collards, uncovered, for 6 minutes. After the collards have cooked for 6 minutes, toss them in a colander and rinse them with cold water to instantly stop them from cooking any further.

Remove the central stem from the kale. Place 4-6 leaves on top of each other and roll them up width-wise into a tight tube, then slice them into thin strips. Follow this pattern with all the kale until it is cut into thin shreds.

Snap the ends off the green beans and chop them into short lengths less than an inch long. Chop the half a red pepper into small bits.

Put the oil/butter into a deep dish frying pan and bring it to a high heat, then turn it back to medium and place the crushed garlic, red pepper, and kale in the pan. Sauté the vegetables, turning gently, for 2-3 minutes (until the red peppers soften). Add the collards and the lemon juice and mix to combine the veggies. Continue to sauté for another couple of minutes, until the collards warm back up. Add pepper and salt to taste. This dish is best if served immediately. It is an excellent companion dish to pasta, rice, and/or beans.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!