October already - where does the time go. The tomatoes are winding down, the squash is maturing, and the kale and collards are ready to harvest. The temps are beginning to dip into the 30s and the possibility of frost is real - so it looks like fried green tomatoes are in our future.
I’ve been ready to clean out the green bean bed but every time I go out there my little green frog friend is quietly sitting on the leaves and I just don’t have the heart to destroy his habitat so it sits there but I know one day soon I will have to take it down and he will have to move on.
Every year I struggle to decide what to do with the collard greens. I really like them but when I think of them I think of bacon, ham, and black-eyed peas - none of which I love. I've stuffed them with a spicy tofu mixture and baked them in a rich tomato sauce. I’ve also blanched them and used them in place of a wrap for sandwiches or frozen them to use later in soups and stews but I never get rave reviews from Dan in either of those situations - the real problem is they are fibrous so you need some way to break them down.
I’ve been experimenting off and on this summer and think I’ve finally found something that Dan gave the thumbs up on - Northern Collard Greens - vegetarian style.
Ingredients:
3 strips of veggie bacon
1 lb collard greens
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 - 2 small summer squash - small chunks
1 cup zucchini - small chunks
1 - 2 veggie sausages thinly sliced
1/4 cup veggie broth - divided
1 T apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Microwave veggie bacon until slightly crisp. In a pan add collard greens, cherry tomatoes, broth, and apple cider vinegar. Stir gently over medium heat to combine for approx. 6 minutes. Add the zucchini, summer squash, veggie sausages, and a bit more broth and simmer until the collards have softened.
I served them with a little leftover orzo rice and some baked acorn squash (from the garden). We'll definitely try them again. Thanks for stopping by!
