I recently shared my Dad’s Fall greens garden, which happens every single year around their house. He loves growing greens and we grew up eating greens in our family all the time. I had to learn to acquire a taste for them, but as I got older I appreciated fresh greens and all the nutrition they bring. There aren’t many foods that pack the nutrition punch that greens do and so I try to eat them when they are in season. My mom cooks them down the old-fashioned Southern way, with ham or bacon, letting the fatty meat season the pot. They are served with vinegar based pepper-sauce and we all love eating them this way.
But, I like to mix things up too and when I had this spinach dish at my sister’s house last year that she made with sautéed spinach, I figured it would work just as well with mustard greens. She had it in a restaurant and copied it at home. It turned out delicious and I’ll definitely be making my greens like this again. Very flavorful! I’ve tried it with Kale too and it’s equally delicious.
My dad would hate this dish, by the way!
Here’s how I did it:
Sauteed Greens
One big bag or bunch of mustard, spinach, or kale, washed and big stems removed.
Add a drizzle of olive oil to a big pan, with minced garlic. Add in the greens and start stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste. The greens will start wilting down pretty fast. I then added a small can of diced tomatoes with peppers (for a little heat!), along with chopped kalamata olives, which really gives it flavor too. My sister added pine nuts to hers, but I didn’t have any of those, so I used sliced almonds for a little crunch.
This is the diced tomatoes I used from Red Gold. They send me their products to use periodically and they have wonderful canned tomatoes.
Eat and enjoy, it’s a very tasty side dish!
looks good. THIS I will try!!! I’ll bet it is great with Swiss Chard!!!!! thanks for posting
I am with you on the swiss chard! The olives must really make this dish. Rhoda, your Dad may like this after all. If not, I’m sure your Mom would. Have they tried it yet?
No, I told my mom about it, I think she might like it. But I doubt she’ll fix it that way.
It would be heresy in my family, too, Rhoda, but I am determined to try your new way with several of the varieties of greens. But first I have to fix a pot of turnip and mustard greens the old southern way. It sounds like it wouldn’t take very long using spinach since I like my spinach just barely wilted.
Connie, it has to keep the nutrients intact not cooking it as long. I really loved it!
This sound delicious Rhoda and I’ll be tying it with some collards as they and turnip are my fave greens! Does your family do tomato gravy with collards? That’s the way I learned to love them, a spoonful at a time taught by my father in law who reminds me so of your father!
Hey! My mom does make tomato gravy, but not with collards. We always had it for breakfast with grits and bacon. So good!! I have my mom’s tomato gravy recipe on my blog too.
I think I would love these!
Red Gold tomato products are canned in my hometown of Elwood, Indiana. I only use their catsup, which is hard now that I live in Arizona. I order it a case at a time because no stores out here carry it.
MIchele, thanks for sharing, I know they are family owned and I love that. Their products are great!
I found this:
http://smile.amazon.com/Red-Gold-Tomatoes-Garlic-Oregano/dp/B00TTC5X7A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447119762&sr=8-1&keywords=red+gold+tomatoes&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011
There are some other Red Gold products there. Living in WA state and being from Louisiana, I have had to search for my favorite things. Amazon is a great resource and with Amazon Prime, it’s not too pricey. And they sell clothes and have free movies and music now.
This recipe looks wonderful, except for the olives?!?!. Definitely heretical! But, I’ll think I’ll try it, I might get my non-Southern husband to eat greens.
Hey Nancy, those Red Gold products are good, glad you found them. And don’t pooh-pooh the Kalamata olives until you try it. They add just that perfect bit of flavor to the dish.