Food, Recipe, and Activity of the Week - January 28, 2007
This week's features include:
Food - Collard greens
Recipe - Mediterranean collard greens
Activity - Shoveling snow
History
Collard greens are thought to be relatives of the ancient vegetable, wild cabbage, which was consumed in prehistoric times. Originating in Asia Minor, collard greens spread to Europe and then to the United States. Collard greens were first talked about in the U.S. back in the 17th century. Since then the vegetable has become particularly popular in the southern states. When cooked, collard greens have a smoke-like flavor and can be a tasty addition to a meal as a side dish, or in soups and salads. Collards belong to the Brassica family, which include other members such as kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.
The best time to buy collard greens at the grocery store is between the months of January through April because they taste the best after they experience a winter frost. However, collards are widely available throughout most of the year.
Nutrition
Perhaps the best quality of collard greens is that they contain rich amounts of nutrients such as vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene, which are all powerful antioxidants. Studies have shown that a diet rich in antioxidants can help fight off diseases such as atherosclerosis, colon cancer, osteoarthritis, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, only 1 cup of collards provides 46.1% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin C, 11.1% of the DV for vitamin E, and a whopping 148.6% of the DV for vitamin A! One cup of collards also provides 22.6% of the DV for calcium, which is important in building and maintaining strong bones. Collards are also an excellent source of folate and vitamin B6. These vitamins help keep blood homocysteine levels low. Studies have shown that high levels of homocysteine can damage blood vessel walls, leading to increased risk of blood clots, heart attack, or stroke.
Selection & Storage
When buying collard greens, you want to look for firm, unwilted leaves. The color of the leaves should be deep green and free of any brown or yellow spots. The smaller the leaves, the less bitter-tasting they will be. The best way to store collard leaves is in a damp paper towel inside a plastic bag. Store the bag of collards in a cool and enclosed environment, such as your refrigerator crisper for no more than 3-5 days. This will prevent the vegetable from forming a bitter flavor. The quicker you eat collard greens, the less bitter they will taste.
Nutrient Analysis of 1 cup collards, boiled and drained: calories: 48, fat: <1g, cholesterol: 0mg, protein: 4g, carbohydrates: 9g, sodium: 17mg, fiber: 5g, vitamin A: 5945 IU, vitamin C: 35mg, folate: 177mg, calcium: 226mg
Ingredients:
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1 bunch collard greens chopped, about 8 cups
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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1 teaspoon soy sauce
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2 medium cloves garlic, pressed
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Extra virgin olive oil to taste
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Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
Bring lightly salted water to a boil in a steamer with a tight fitting lid. Separate the stems from the greens by folding in half and cutting along side the stem, or pulling out stem. Roughly chop the greens. Add collard greens to steamer basket and steam covered for about 7-10 minutes, until tender. Toss with rest of ingredients and serve.
Nutrition Information
Serving size – 1/4 recipe: Calories 124; Total Fat less than 1g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 165mg; Total Carbohydrate 9g; Protein 8g
It is January which means unpredictable weather mixed with snowstorms for many of us. Recent snowstorm? Need to clear the driveway or sidewalk? What an opportunity to get free physical activity and manually shovel the snow! Bring out the whole family, or at least the children to shovel the driveway and sidewalk. A 150 lb. person will burn approximately 200 calories while shoveling snow for 30 minutes. CAUTION: Anyone at risk for or with a history of cardiovascular disease should have medical clearance before shoveling snow. For additional tips on shoveling snow visit the North Dakota State University Extension website at http://www.ext.nodak.edu/snow.htm
If the snow blower is used to clear the driveway and sidewalk, grab the shovel and build a snow castle instead. Another option is to make a snow lamp by making a circle of snowballs and then stacking snowballs on top of each other making the hole smaller. Finally at the end, put a candle inside and light at night; it glows beautifully.