Collard Greens and Caramelized Onions, Organic Recipe Makeover

The third time is the charm!  I have tried two other times to cook collard greens and they were tough and gross.  This time I thought about the way my sweet papaw carefully prepped the collards before cooking and decided to cook them his way.  He would wash the heck out of the collards first.  Then he would sit at the table and carefully pull all the tough stems off and just use the tender green leaves tearing them up into pieces about one to two inches in diameter...no knives, just tearing.  You know how celery has strings in it, well some collards have strings in the veins and those need to be removed, so he would just tear them out. 

Next he would get a big pot of water boiling, add a ham hock, a stick of butter, sweet onions and hot sauce then cook for about an hour before adding the collards to that delicious, greasy, meaty broth and cook for another hour or so. Now here is where I have to change his recipe some...since I'm not eating meat and don't use a stick of butter in a month, I decided to use the next best thing for cooking the collards, my homemade organic vegetable broth with a little crushed red pepper, garlic and sweet onions.  Then I served the collards over sweet, caramelized onions.  It was a little bit spicy, a little bit sweet and incredibly tender.  I could eat these everyday.  So here is the recipe.  I also made two caramelized sweet onions in another pan to serve the collards over, recipe not included below.

UPDATED: FOR ANTI INFLAMMATORY DIET

Collard Greens with Caramelized Onions  3 large servings

1 pound organic Collard Greens, washed, stems removed and torn into 1-2 inch pieces.
1 organic sweet onion, sliced
1 TBSP organic olive oil
1 TBSP organic butter not AIP
1/2 TSP crushed red pepper not AIP
1 organic garlic clove, minced
3 cups organic vegetable or chicken broth

In a large pan, saute onion in the olive oil and butter for about 3-5 minutes, add minced garlic and cook another couple of minutes.  Add crushed red pepper and broth, stir well over medium low heat. Add broth and stir.  Add collards, cover and simmer for an hour.  Drain any remaining liquid and serve immediately with the caramelized onions over the collards.

While the collards are cooking, in another pan, caramelize two sweet onions to serve on collards.

Organic Black Bean Quinoa Carrot Burgers (Recipe Makeover)

Organic black bean / quinoa / carrot burgers have become a favorite in my house!  I am so happy I have been able to add black beans back into my diet. They quickly became that "go to" meal when we can't think of what to make for dinner. These healthy bean burgers have kept us from eating out more than once!  Serve on a bed of lettuce, baby spinach and avocado/homemade guacamole and we have a filling, healthy meal.

These burgers also freeze well!

Organic Black Bean Quinoa Carrot Burgers                    makes 4 burgers / 2 servings

1/2 cup cooked organic quinoa (not SCD legal but my tummy tolerates just fine)
15 ounce can organic black beans, rinsed and drain, mash with hand masher leaving some whole or use 1 1/2 cups homemade cooked organic black beans
3/4 cup finely shredded organic carrots
1/4 cup organic Almond Flour
1 clove organic garlic, minced
1 tsp organic cumin (if allowed on your diet)
(optional 1/4 tsp sea salt)
1-2 TBSP olive oil for cooking burgers

Cook quinoa according to package directions to equal 1/2 cup cooked.  Let cool, then add shredded carrots, minced garlic, mashed beans, almond flour, cumin and salt.  Mixture will be lumpy but should stick together.  Form into 4 patties.  I like mine flattened a little so there is more crunchy surface, if you like a softer burger leave it a little thicker.  Cook 8 minutes on each side in olive oil over medium heat.  If they start to get too brown/crunchy, turn the heat down slightly.

I freeze these burgers on a cookie sheet individually, then place parchment paper between them before placing in freezer container.  This makes it easier to just remove one burger at a time.

Change Can Be Good

At my new doctor's appointment a week ago, I decided to change the way I eat which means I need to learn how to eat and cook differently and enjoy it.  I had never met this doctor and was a little apprehensive to change after years with the same doctor's office, but my insurance forced this change.  Sometimes...change is good. 

My new doctor told me to "eat more vegetables" plain and simple.  I am sure I have heard those same words before but the way he said vegetables made me chuckle to myself and I listened to what he had to say.  "If you eat more vegetables then you can't eat so much other stuff."  He wasn't telling me to go on a diet, just to eat more vegetables.  What he said just seemed to click and my journey began.

The next day my husband saw this new doctor who told him the same thing.  "Eat more vegetables and you can't eat so much other stuff" and the way he said vegetables made my husband chuckle to himself.  But it clicked for whatever reason.  And now he is eating more vegetables...