I know my recipe sounds a little crazy, but it tastes awesome. The cream cheese makes it so thick. This added an amazing flavor without extra calories, 1 TBS of heavy cream is 52 calories, 1 TBS of cream cheese is 50 calories. Since cream cheese is so much thicker, you can add a flavorful broth to thin it out and you save a lot of calories.
I also NEVER use vegetable oils. I love macadamia nut oil in this recipe, which gives it an amazingly nutty and naturally sweet flavor! This oil has a high smoke point of around 425 degrees Fahrenheit. This is much higher than that of olive oil. I never fry in olive oil, I only use macadamia or coconut oil; they don't break down to products that are unhealthy for the heart. Due to its chemical structure and high amount of unsaturated fats, heating olive oil = oxidative damage. Are you leaving your bottle of olive oil right on the counter? Opening and closing it multiple times a week? Any time the olive oil is exposed to air and/or light, it oxidizes. The chlorophyll in olive oil accelerates the oxidation. Oxidation causes free radicals, which increase cancer and atherosclerosis; which are "free radical" diseases. Cancer is associated with chromosomal defects and oncogene activation. The consumption of oxidized fats and oils increase death rates from leukemia and malignant neoplasia of the breast, ovaries and rectum. Atherosclerosis increases as free radical reactions from diet-derived fats in the arterial wall increases. These compounds induce endothelial cell damage and produce changes in the arterial walls.
WORST OILS: Canola, Corn, Cottonseed, Soy, Sunflower
FOUND IN: Lean Cuisines, Healthy Choice dinners, salad dressings, chips, cookies, crackers, roasted nuts…
On the other hand, macadamia nut oil has a long shelf life. It can be stored for up to 1 to 2 years without refrigeration.
Macadamia nut oil has linoleic acid, Omega-3 essential fatty acid, Omega-6 fatty acid and also palmitoleic acid. The oleic acid in macadamia nut oil has anti-inflammatory properties that makes it effective in fighting against chronic diseases, such as heart disease.
2 bunches collard greens, center stems removed and cut into 1/2" strips
Celtic sea salt
2 tsp butter or macadamia nut oil
1 cup (6 oz) bacon, cut into 1/3 inch pieces
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
1 cup cream cheese
1 cup organic chicken or veggie broth
Freshly ground black pepper
Blanch greens in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and beginning to soften, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl of ice water to cool. Squeeze dry.
Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; set aside.
Drain all but 3 tablespoons bacon drippings from pot, adding butter if needed to measure 3 tablespoons. Add shallots; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add paprika; stir constantly for 2 minutes. Whisk in cream cheese and broth; whisking often to combine until smooth. Stir in greens; reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring often, until greens are tender, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer creamed greens to a serving dish; garnish with reserved bacon. Makes 6 large servings.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Collards = 231 calories, 21g fat, 6.5g protein, 7 carbs, 1.2g fiber
"Healthified" Collards = 186 calories, 16g fat, 7g protein, 3 carbs, 1.2g fiber
