One great reason for loving winter is the abundance of fresh, tender, organic

collard greens in the market.

Softened by the frost, they taste so much better than summer collards to me.

Plus, they are done and ready to eat in a few minutes.

I am a big fan of steaming so although I often saute my greens, today I prepped

my ingredients and steamed everything for a quick and delicious meal.

I picked up some lovely, nutritious shiitake mushrooms at the market so I decided

to add them to the greens for their mild taste and chewy texture.

I had already cooked and stored brown rice and red quinoa a couple of days

ago, so that shortened my prep time significantly.

I’m happy to say that my impromptu meal of greens, mushrooms, rice and quinoa

turned out to be a very satisfying blend of textures and flavors. 

And what a nutritious meal at that!

This is what I call” comfort food”!

Here’s how this light yet hearty meal came together.

Collard Greens & Shiitake Mushrooms with Brown Rice Quinoa Pilaf

Ingredients:

1 bunch organic collard greens

1 container organic shiitake mushrooms

3 cloves garlic

1 onion

A teaspoon of dried Italian herb seasoning or

1 teaspoon of oregano

1/2 teaspoon of rosemary

1/2 teaspoon pinch of lemon pepper

A pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil

Celtic sea salt to taste

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 cup cooked red quinoa

1/2  cup shredded carrots – steamed

1/2 cup sliced scallions – steamed

Directions

Wash and slice collard greens in to strips

Wash and slice shiitake mushrooms

Peel, slice and dice onions and garlic

Add onions, garlic and mushrooms to the top of a steamer pot.

Steam for 5 minutes.

Add sliced collard greens.

Drizzle with coconut or olive oil.

Add seasonings.

Stir the greens for a few seconds to coat with oil and seasonings.

Cover and allow to steam for 5 minutes.

Check the greens to see if they are done and stir them again.

Allow them to steam for another 3-5 minutes.

Turn them off when still bright green yet tender.

Meanwhile, in another pot, steam the shredded carrots and scallions.

Add the cooked brown rice and quinoa to the carrots and scallions.

Blend the ingredients together lightly with a fork and steam until the

ingredients are warmed through.

Serve the vegetables and grains together on a plate.

Dig in and enjoy!

What are your favorite ways to prepare collard greens?

Share your thoughts and comments with us.

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