Cooking Kale, Collard and Mustard Greens, Beet and Carrot Tops?

Question

I just started cooking these veggies in a crock pot. (Can't eat them raw.) I like them well enough, but am a little tired of the “dark stew.” (Salt, pepper, water and onions.) Do you have other suggestions or approaches for using these?

I'm looking for ideas and approaches rather than recipes as I tend to throw things together that are in my refrigerator rather than use recipes.

At this point I can’t tell much difference between many of these, except perhaps spinach and carrot tops and dandelions, the others seem pretty much the same. Does any one else feel this way? (I have combined them though.)

Steve, thanks for the suggestions!

Dark greens over rice, pasta and potatoes sounds great. I hadn‘t thought of that.

Thyme, sage and basil are worth a try.

Garlic, mushrooms and artichoke are good ideas.

I’ve never used artichokes before and rarely eaten them. Perhaps your suggestion will start something new.

Answer 1

The problem with some foods that you eat over and over again is we don't look for alternative methods of cooking them and we end up making the same thing again, thus "Stew". Your greens by them selves with a hock could get boring, that's the stew again, but think, in something, or on something, with something that will give the added kick you miss. I know you'll throw this out but I just gave you the thought process and now the back-up for it:
Artichoke Sauce with Mushrooms and Greens

Serves 5 or 6 (enough for 1 lb. Pasta)

Serve this luxurious sauce over pasta, rice, or baked potatoes. Use any kind of leafy green (kale, collard greens, spinach, escarole, or chard).

1 Tbs. Olive oil
1 cup minced onion
3/4 lb. Mushrooms, sliced
1-1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Dried thyme
1/2 tsp. Dried sage
1/2 lb. Greens, stemmed and chopped
3 to 4 large cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbs. Vegetable broth or water (or, for a zippier taste, white wine)
1 Tbs. White flour
2 6-oz. jars marinated artichoke hearts or crowns
freshly ground black pepper to taste
about 6 leaves fresh basil, minced
3 to 4 Tbs. Milk or cream - optional

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onion and sauté for about 2 minutes over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 tsp. Salt, thyme and sage. Stir and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add the greens, garlic, and remaining salt. Stir, cover, and cook another 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the broth, water, or wine, and wait until it bubbles. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring as you sprinkle. Cook uncovered for another minute or two, stirring constantly. The liquid will thicken.

Cut the artichokes into bite-sized pieces. Add these to the skillet, along with all the liquid from the jars. Grind in some black pepper, stir in the basil, and, if desired, stir in the milk or cream. Remove from heat and serve.

Answer 2

Dear bunny owner. Giving your rabbit veggies is not a good idea. Veggies can give your rabbit diahrrea, which is basically the number one disease that kills rabbits. One thing I hear people say very often is to go to the local pet store and ask them. Honestly, the pet stores know very little about raising rabbits and many of the things they sell, although they seem good for the rabbit may not be. It's normally best to stick to just the feed. If the feed claims to have carrots in it, it's probably not a very good feed. Heinold's feed and Purina are two good feeds. If you do give them a snack I recommend dry hay that is mainly composed of stems like orchard grass hay or timothy hay. Hay that has wide leaves like alfalfa can give them diahrrea. Also, if you keep the rabbit outside, do not go switching the feeds of the rabbit. If you switch feeds, it is best to during the winter. Rabbits are less prone to stress in the winter and therefore less prone to diahrrea. One very good snack for rabbits is bread. Most rabbits love bread. And do to the way their digestive system is designed, it is great to give them the B vitamins they need. It will also help their coat to look more shiny. Another thing some breeders will give their rabbits is called comfort. It's an herb that has small purple flowers and wide green leaves. If you go to some historic settlements you will find it in their gardens. It has a lot of medicinal purposes and is good to feed them in small amounts (only about a leaf a day, remember it's a green and greens can give rabbits diahrrea if given too much). Early settlers would dry the herb and use it to make tea. I've been raising rabbits for 24 years and have been showing them almost as long (have won several Best-in-Shows, including the Indiana State Fair). If you want to know how to raise your rabbits properly go to your local rabbit breeders and not a pet store. Who would you trust more, a person at a pet store who may have never owned a rabbit before or someone who's raised them for most of their life?

Answer 3

My husband boils them, then sautes them in bacon grease with garlic. Bad for you, but oh so good.