Leafy greens are brimming with nutrients such as folate, calcium, potassium, magnesium and fiber. Yet, Centers for Disease Control estimates that only about 10% of U.S. adults meet the recommended daily 2 to 3 cup-equivalents of vegetables, including leafy greens. I used to be in that 10%, until I dived into understanding how my heritage and health align with these powerful leaves! Yes!!
I’ve never been a big fan of the collard leaf or dishes. I couldn’t understand why a dish so beloved in my family and culture was one I just didn’t take to. Since overhauling my diet the last few years, I’ve learned there are so many variations of foods I just had not yet been exposed to. Sometimes exposure is one you have to actively work for, to have the health you desire.
Health Through Heritage
We’re still driving the bus 🚌 on the road to deeper knowledge of the African Heritage Diet. For those that don’t know, this month I started a 6-week series teaching the program at the CareSource Teaching Kitchen in Dayton, OH. Each week we discuss a different segment of healthy eating, expanding our knowledge and our pallets :).
A bit of history…
According to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Greens flavored with ham hocks is a survival story.
Enslaved African Americans stretched their allotments of food by growing greens and using scraps of meat to add flavor and nutrients. Collard plants originating from the Mediteranean, were one of the few seeds they were provided to grow supplementing daily rations. Their “making do” became a beloved staple of southern diets and traveled with migrating African Americans throughout the United States. The word Collard comes from Latin derivation “Cole Wort”.
Callaloo a love ❤️ story…
For Valentines Day my husband and I took a cooking class from the extraordinary Chef Gabi Odebode of AfroMeals. Their goal is to introduce an African and Caribbean food experience through their services and products. Their cooking classes are where people get to taste and learn about a variety of foods, while enjoying the culture references behind the meals they are cooking.
Chef Odebode taught us how to make the most delicious Callaloo I’ve ever had. I was a bit skeptical at first, until I took the first bite. First thing I said to my husband was “we will be making this weekly haha”!
Amaranth is the main ingredient of a spicy side dish known as callaloo, a popular dish in Jamaica and Belize that originated in West Africa. In other countries of the Caribbean—including Trinidad, Tobago, and the Dominican Republic—taro is used instead of amaranth in a similar dish called Callaloo.
The Callaloo leaves we made that evening did not require harsh vinegar, or the extensive spices I’m accustomed to with Collards, in just a few steps and minutes we cooked veggies with flavors that danced happily in our mouths!
Chef Odebode is a featurd Chef on the Food Network. You can find her Callaloo recipe here:
Popular Leafy Greens
“We have access to soooooooooo many more variations of greens! 🥬
| Variety | Characteristics | Recommended Use |
|---|---|---|
| Arugula | peppery, delicate texture | raw in salads or sandwiches, versatile for cooking |
| Beet Greens | mild, slightly sweet, very tender | steam, braise or sautée, eat raw in salads |
| Bok Choy | sweet, mild, stays crisp when cooked | stir-fries, salads or soups |
| Broccoli Rabe | tender, chewy, robust flavor | sautée or braise, typical in Italian fare |
| Collards | mild, sweet, cooks to tender texture | steam, braise or sautée, shrinks less than other greens when cooked |
| Dandelion Greens | pungent, spicy, bitter | eat small leaves raw, braise or sautée longer leaves |
| Endive (Chicory) | tender, bitter, high in fiber | eat raw in salads, cook briefly for milder flavor |
| Escarole | coarse, mildly bitter | eat raw in salads, steam, braise or add to soups |
| Kale | mildly peppery, tender | boil, steam or sautée, tough stems and ribs must be removed |
| Mizuna | tender, spicy, exotic flavor | serve raw or slightly wilted, mix with other greens in salads |
| Mustard Greens | subtle hot mustard flavor | steam, braise or sautée, tough stems and ribs must be removed |
| Spinach | soft, sweet, rich flavor | multi-purpose, eat raw in salads and sandwiches, sautée, braise, add to soups, quiches or pasta |
| Swiss Chard (Red, Green, Rainbow) | tender, sweet, velvety texture | multi-purpose, wilt, sautée, braise, add to soups, casseroles or pasta, red chard may “dye” other foods |
| Turnip Greens | sharp, bitter | boil until silky for traditional Southern style |
In closing, I hope sharing my open, honest and authentic journey sparks you to keep working through yours. We’re all in this together!
In peace,
J
Want More Content?
The 7 Whispers Book is now available for purchase! Be prepared to make this book messy! Seventeen months into my personal wellness journey, a lightbulb hit. The 7 dimensions of health model, is an ongoing journey, not a destination. So, I chose to create the journal I wish I had. Elevating your health helps everyone in your life. This journal is filled with “quick read” nuggets and easy to follow templates that will help you swag and sway between each health dimension attuned to personal harmony
References:
The 4 Best Leafy Greens from the African Heritage Diet, According to a Dietitian. Eating Well online
Amaranth (Red Callaloo) Cornell Botanical Garden Online