Page 23 - Florida Sentinel 2-19-16 Edition

Recipes
Cookin’ With Collards
From Tonia Turner
Collard Greens & Ricotta Stuffed Shells
1 box of large shells, cooked and drained 1 (16 oz.) frozen bag of collard greens,
drained
1 (8 oz.) container of ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 teaspoon each: salt, pepper & garlic 2 cups mozzarella cheese
For The Sauce
1 (12 oz.) can of crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning
DIRECTIONS: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, collard greens, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika until smooth. Then stuff the mixture into each of the shells. Arrange the shells in an oven safe baking dish. Meanwhile, com- bine the crushed tomatoes, sugar, and Italian seasoning in a bowl. Then pour as much sauce as desired over the shells. Top with the low fat mozzarella cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
Collard Greens & Cornbread Turkey Tacos
Stack of plain pancakes
For Johnny Cakes (taco shell):
2 cups fine-ground yellow or white cornmeal 1 tablespoon sugar
11⁄2 teaspoon salt
2 cups boiling water
1⁄2 cup milk
Butter (for the pan)
DIRECTIONS: In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, sugar and salt. Pour in boiling water and mix until you form a paste. Gradually add in milk and stir, stopping occasionally to check the consistency of the batter. It should feel like thin mashed potatoes. In a cast-iron skillet or on a griddle, melt 1 tbsp butter. Spoon tablespoonfuls of the batter onto the skillet, spreading them out to about a 2-inch diameter. Cook on each side until golden brown, about 4-6 minutes. Make sure you have a generous layer of butter on the bottom of the skillet or griddle when mak- ing these so they soak up the flavor.
For Turkey Filling: One pound of turkey (shredded), chipotle seasoning, and 1 lime DIRECTIONS: Simply take the shredded chicken and sautee it with half teaspoon of olive oil and chipotle seasoning until coated and warm. Finish with squeezing one lime on top of
sauteed chicken and let it rest.
For Collard Greens: One stalk of collard greens, lemon pepper, olive oil, and one small onion DIRECTIONS: Shred the collard greens into strips like coleslaw. Then sautee in olive oil, chopped onion and a pinch of lemon pepper for 5-7 minutes until slightly soft. You still want the crunch of the collards. Lastly, compile all ingredients like a taco and top with fresh chopped
peaches.
Ham & Greens Pot Pie With Cornbread Crust
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
4 cup chopped, smoked ham
2 small bell peppers (any color), diced 1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups ham or chicken stock
1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen, chopped collard
greens
1 (15.5 oz.) can black-eyed peas,
drained & rinsed
1⁄2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
salt & freshly ground black pepper
For The Cornbread Crust:
1 cup + 2 tablespoons white cornmeal
3⁄4 cup + 1⁄2 tablespoon flour
11⁄2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar & 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten & 11⁄2 cups buttermilk
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 425° F. Place oil in a large, deep pan over medium-high heat and add ham. Sauté until it starts to turn golden in spots, 5-10 minutes. Add diced veggies and sauté for another 3 minutes or so, until they just start to soften and color. Sprinkle flour over everything, and cook while stirring for another minute. Gradually pour in stock or broth and cook, stirring, until liquid begins to thicken, ~3 minutes. Bring to a boil, add collard greens, re- duce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Stir in black-eyed peas, crushed red chile flakes, and salt and pepper to taste (may not need much salt because of the ham and broth). Spoon into a large baking or casserole dish, or into smaller ramekins. While the mixture is simmering, you can make the cornbread batter by stirring together the dry ingredients and then whisking in the wet ingredients until just combined. Pour the cornbread batter evenly over the casserole dish(es). Depending on the size you used, you may not need all of the batter.
Slide into preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cornbread is set and golden brown.
Collard greens are not just a ‘holiday’ food. The versa- tility of ‘cookin’ with collards’ is limitless and the health benefits make them even more delicious. So, step outside of the box and reap the rewards and benefits!
This connection between collard greens and cancer pre- vention should not be surprising since collard greens pro- vide special nutrient support for three body systems that are closely connected with cancer development as well as cancer prevention.
These three systems are: (1.) the body’s detox system, (2.) its antioxidant system, and (3.) its inflammatory/anti-inflammatory system.
1. The Antioxidant Benefits of Collard Greens - As an excellent source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and manganese, and a good source of vitamin E, collard greens provide us with 4 core conventional antioxidants. But the antioxidant support provided by collard greens extends far beyond the conventional nutrients.
2. Collard Greens’ Anti-inflammatory Benefits
- As an excellent source of vitamin K and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids (in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA), collard greens provide us with two hallmark anti-inflammatory nutrients. Vitamin K acts as a direct regulator of our inflammatory response, and ALA is the building block for several of the body’s most widely-used families of anti-inflammatory messaging molecules.
3. Collard Greens & Cardiovascular Support - Of particular interest here has been the isothiocyanate (ITC) sulforaphane, which is made from glucoraphanin (a glu- cosinolate) found in collard greens. Not only does this ITC trigger anti-inflammatory activity in our cardiovascular system, it may also be able to help prevent and even pos- sibly help reverse blood vessel damage.
4. Collard Greens and Digestive Support - The fiber content of collard greens—over 5 grams in every cup—makes this cruciferous vegetable a natural choice for digestive system support. You’re going to get 85% of your Daily Value for fiber from only 200 calories’ worth of col- lard greens!
5. Other Benefits - Current and potentially promis- ing research is underway to examine the benefits of col- lard greens in relationship to our risk of the following inflammation-related conditions: Crohn’s disease, in- flammatory bowel disease, insulin resistance, irritable bowel syndrome, metabolic syndrome, obesity, rheuma- toid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and ulcerative colitis.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 11-B