She has also had 16 wellness books published by major publishers including the bestselling Easy GI Diet, The Macro Method, Quit Alcohol (For a Month) and Eat 5. Her books have sold over one million copies.
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This delicious dish mixes healthy collard greens with a dash of bacon. Serve it as a side dish alongside chicken, red meat or fish – or enjoy a double portion as a main course served with roasted potatoes or mash.
The dark, leafy green colour of collard greens makes them packed with healthy polyphenols. Rich in calcium, vitamin K and phosphorous – all great for bone health – collard greens are also part of the cruciferous vegetables family.
The slightly bitter compounds in these have a lot of potential health benefits – although, if you’re a supertaster, you might not be a huge fan. Adding salty bacon to the mix can dampen down bitter tastes making these healthy greens easier to eat.
If you’re counting Plant-Points, there are three plant-based foods in this recipe – four if you add the red pepper flakes.
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Ingredients
- 2 large bunches of collard greens, washed and chopped
- 4 slices of bacon, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced (see note below re FODMAPS)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (see note below re FODMAPS)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
Instructions
- Cook the Bacon: In a large pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the diced onion to the pot and sauté until translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add Greens: Gradually add the chopped collard greens to the pot, stirring to combine with the onion and garlic mixture.
- Pour in Broth: Add the chicken or vegetable broth, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
- Simmer: Cover and let simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the greens are tender. Stir occasionally and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the crispy bacon before serving. Optionally, sprinkle with red pepper flakes for an extra kick.
Cook and Prep Times
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Nutrition Information
- Servings: 4 servings
- Calories: 120kcal
- Fat: 7g
- Protein: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
FODMAP Note
If you came here from our piece on low-FODMAP vegetables, both onions and garlic are classed as high-FODMAP foods.
Onions in portions above 10 g—about one ring — can cause problems for those sensitive to fructans. The amount used in this recipe is a little higher than this, so leave it out or reduce the quantity down to 40g if you’re sensitive to fructans.
Garlic also contains fructan; just one clove is classed as high FODMAP. Because the recipe serves four, you’ll use less garlic than this per serving, but you may want to leave it out if you are very sensitive to it. Don’t forget you’ll also be using onion, which could see you FODMAP-stacking in a way that sees you reach your fructan threshold.
Be careful of any other sources of fructans during the day, as they could also help you reach your sensitivity threshold.
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