What’s in Season?

Don’t let the March cold keep you from exploring local, seasonal produce. Here are some tasty, affordable options!

  • Collard greens
  • Lettuce
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Shallots
  • Spinach
  • Mushrooms

This month’s featured produce:

Collard Greens

  • Contain around only 35 Calories in every 100g
  • A great source of Vitamin K, Vitamin A, and Calcium
  • Also contains Potassium and Dietary Fiber
  • A form of cabbage, and is a member of the mustard family
  • When buying greens from a farmer’s market, they may be dirty. Don’t let that worry you! A quick scrub under warm water and they are ready to cook.
  • Collard green stems can reach 3-4 feet in height
Bell Peppers

Kickin’ Collard Greens

Serves 4. Cook time: 1 hour.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of collard greens, cut into two-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon of olive oil
  • 3 strips of bacon
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of pepper
  • 3 cups of chicken broth
  • (optional) 1 pinch of red pepper flake

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until the bacon is crisp.
  2. Remove the bacon from the pot and crumble into bits, then return into the pan.
  3. Add the chopped onion and cook until the onion becomes clear in color (around 5 minutes).
  4. Add in the garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Then add in the chopped collard greens and cook in the mixture until the vegetable begins to become soft or wilted.
  5. Pour in chicken broth then add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if wanted. Then turn heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Stuffed Peppers

[adapted from Choosemyplate.gov]