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Crispy Collards and Kale

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Perfectly Crispy Collards and Kale make for the most delicious healthy side.  Serve them alongside your favorite protein and roasted veggies!

crispy_collards_and_kale 4 graphicThis girl has come a long ways from her frozen Lean Cuisine, 100-calorie pack, fruit snack eating days.

crispy_collards_and_kale 2Not that there is anything wrong with those every now and then or in moderation, but you definitely would not have found me going anywhere near kale five years ago, much less collard greens.  Those vegetables were gross, scary, and way too green.  Truth be told, I just never had the guts to try them.  Had I done so, I might have shocked the heck out of myself and actually liked them!

crispy_collards_and_kale 7But the world has a way of working out how it should, and one day I got brave and decided to try kale.  Surprise, surprise.  I loved it in soups, casseroles, and salads.  But over the past couple of years, I have found that my favorite way to enjoy it is about as simple as they come: sautéed with coconut oil and seasoned with a few spices you likely already have in your pantry.

crispy_collards_and_kale 6At this point I had established that I was a converted kale lover.  But then something crazy happened a couple of weeks back.  The kale looked not-so-hot at the grocery store, so I decided I better grab something else.  There was a whole ‘lotta collard greens staring back at me, so I bagged some up and brought them home.  I wasn’t sure I would like them, but as I have gotten older, I have also gotten braver.

crispy_collards_and_kale 9I used the same sauteing method for the collard greens and was surprised to find that I loved them.  In fact, I would even go as far as saying that I love them just as much as I love kale.  So at this point I have come to realize that I am:

a kale lover– check!
a collard green lover — check!
a cannot-be-without coconut oil and turmeric kind of girl — check!

crispy_collards_and_kale 3After all of these discoveries, I have found a new side dish to love.  Combining collards and kale together in a pan with coconut oil and a few of my favorite spices = heaven.  And if my opinion is not enough, Jeremy tried, loved, and continues to request this whenever we cook dinner together!

crispy_collards_and_kale 10Crispy Collards and Kale
Paleo, Whole 30, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Nightshade-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 heaping TB of organic unrefined coconut oil
1 bunch of organic collard greens, roughly chopped or torn into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch of organic kale (any variety will do), roughly chopped or torn into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp Himalayan sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Directions

1. Melt coconut oil over medium heat in a large pan.

2. Once hot, add the collard greens and kale.  Cover and cook for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently.  I like mine crispy, so you may need to adjust the cooking time to your liking.

3. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and turmeric.  Adjust seasonings to your taste.

crispy_collards_and_kaleThe crispier the better.  Seriously.

crispy_collards_and_kale 5Perfectly Crispy Collards and Kale make for the best side! #paleo #glutenfree Click To Tweet

crispy_collards_and_kale 8Have you ever tried collard greens?
What is your favorite way to eat kale?

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{ 29 comments… add one }
  • Torry @ A World Without Wheat November 4, 2015, 7:50 am
    These look great I just don't know if I would ever be able to get my fiancé to eat them as a side for dinner! Torry @ A World Without Wheat recently posted...WIAW #3My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 4, 2015, 4:22 pm
      I always love the motto... eat what I make or starve ;) hehe! But I am also lucky in that my fiance will eat just about anything that I make. I say give it a try. If he doesn't like them then there is more for you!
  • Alyssa @ renaissancerunnergirl November 4, 2015, 7:53 am
    I became a kale convert last year, and collard greens much more recently - oddly enough, because I went to a Bareburger and tried the collard green "bun" on a turkey burger and really enjoyed it! Alyssa @ renaissancerunnergirl recently posted...WIAW #30My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 4, 2015, 4:23 pm
      Oh yum! I'll have to try collard green "buns" next!
  • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine November 4, 2015, 8:14 am
    I hate on no green! But I gotta say, kale or any green chip has just never done it for me :P
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 4, 2015, 4:23 pm
      Well bummer... but at least you like them sauteed I presume?!
  • Rachel @LittleChefBigAppetite November 4, 2015, 9:20 am
    Yum! I want this whole bowl!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 4, 2015, 4:25 pm
      Honestly, I normally eat about a third of the batch all on my own... we are talking it takes up half of a large plate!
  • rachel @ Athletic avocado November 4, 2015, 11:29 am
    i gotta try the combo of kale and collard greens! I love them separate, I'm sure i would love them together! rachel @ Athletic avocado recently posted...Creamy Sweet Potato Spice Oatmeal with Pecans and Cranberries {GF + Vegan!}My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 4, 2015, 4:28 pm
      If you love them separate then I am almost certain you would love them together. The flavors really play off of one another nicely!
  • Ashley November 4, 2015, 11:56 am
    I had never tried collard greens until we move south ... and man are they good! This looks and sounds fantastic!! Why have I never put kale and collards together before?? Ashley recently posted...Maple Pecan Goat Cheese with Cranberry JamMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 4, 2015, 4:29 pm
      I honestly asked myself the same thing when I first made this. I swear, sometimes the things that seem the most obvious are not!
  • Cailee November 4, 2015, 1:04 pm
    WOW! These look amazing! What a healthy recipe! Such a fun way to get in your greens! LOVE it!! <3 Cailee recently posted...New Beginning November!My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 4, 2015, 4:31 pm
      Yes! I honestly think there are few better ways to get in your daily greens :)
  • Summer November 5, 2015, 5:42 am
    This looks so nice! Right up my avenue♥
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 5, 2015, 3:18 pm
      Thank you, Summer. You should absolutely give them a try!
  • Kelly @ Hidden fruits and veggies November 5, 2015, 7:07 am
    Josh haaaaaates kale and I'm not personally supposed to eat a ton of it, so it never really happens at our house. Collard greens though -- Josh is OBSESSED. He even buys canned collard greens to eat for lunch (<---- weirdo). We'll have to try the extra crispy method! Kelly @ Hidden fruits and veggies recently posted...Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole (Vegetarian/Vegan)My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 5, 2015, 3:21 pm
      Hmm... I dono if I could do the canned version. That is an intense obsession! ;)
  • Dani @ Dani California Cooks November 5, 2015, 1:12 pm
    Well doesn't this look yummy!! My boyfriend isn't much of a kale lover, but I'm definitely enticed to try this recipe and see what he says, since Jeremy liked it so much! Dani @ Dani California Cooks recently posted...Probiotic Chimichurri (vegan + paleo)My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 5, 2015, 3:22 pm
      I am very lucky that Jeremy likes most veggies (he's obsessed with broccoli... weird), so it could just be a total luck of the draw on my part. But for your sake, I hope your boyfriend loves them! If not, then more for you ;)
  • Joanna November 9, 2015, 8:39 am
    Crispy makes everything better ;) I love kale this way, so I see no reason not to try collards in there too!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 9, 2015, 6:32 pm
      Do it!! I bet you would enjoy them :)
  • Heather | Cook It Up Paleo November 12, 2015, 8:56 am
    The first time I ever tried kale was when my mother steamed it and topped it with EVOO. It was so terrible! Thankfully I've realized that kale can be made delicious, you just have to cook it right! Pinning this!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 12, 2015, 10:06 am
      YES! The right cooking method is key. I'm glad you have figured that out since kale is seriously delicious!
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