Do you love the taste of Southern collard greens, but lack the time it takes to make them? Then this quick Ninja Foodi Collard Greens with Bacon recipe is for you! This article will provide step by step instructions on how to whip up a batch of southern style collard greens with bacon in less than half the time. [Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo, Whole30]
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Now if you’re a visual person and prefer to see a demonstration, I’ve created a step-by-step video tutorial that shows exactly how I make these Southern collard greens. From soaking and cutting to cooking, every step is covered in an easy-to-follow format.
Feel free to check it out, or continue reading on for the delicious details.
Health benefits of collard greens
I know I don’t need to tell you how delicious Southern Collard greens with bacon are. But did you know that collards have many health benefits? Collard greens are high in Vitamin K which makes them good for maintaining strong bones. Vitamin K also helps blood to clot and encourages healing.
Collards are also a good source of soluble fiber and are rich in antioxidants. Not to mention, collards contain several other nutrients including Vitamins A, C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. In addition to supporting liver health, collard greens can help improve digestive health and reduce inflammation.
Ninja Foodi
Healthy Collard Greens Recipe
For this Ninja Foodi Collard Greens with Bacon recipe, turkey bacon is used. This is lower in fat and sodium than pork bacon, which is high in saturated fat.
The rendered oil is typically used as seasoning in Southern collard greens. Since turkey bacon renders less oil than pork, the turkey bacon is fried in olive oil, a heart healthy fat.
This dish is also made with organic collard greens. Conventional collard greens are sadly on the dirty dozen list. The list is composed by the Environmental Working Group and contains fruits and vegetables with the most pesticides. These pesticides can be toxic.
How do you clean collard greens with salt
Collard greens grow close to the ground. When they’re harvested, they can contain dirt, grit, and even tiny insects. That’s why it’s so important to clean them well. There’s nothing worse than eating a delicious plate of greens only to bite into a mind shattering piece of grit.
Soaking collards in salt water helps to loosen debris and insects. Call me a clean freak, but I like to rinse each individual leaf first to remove visible debris.
Some people like to soak their collard greens whole. I prefer to cut my collard greens before soaking. This allows the salt mixture to reach more surface area. It also makes handling more manageable.
To soak, fill a deep pot with water. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of salt for each gallon of water. Soak cut greens for 10-15 minutes. Soaking too long can cause collards to lose some of their nutritional value.
Before rinsing, gently agitate greens using your hand. This will further loosen any clinging debris. Drain completely then rinse thoroughly for 3 minutes under running water.
What is the best way to cut collard greens
Before cooking your collard greens, you’ll want to remove the thick, fibrous stems from the base of each leaf. Some people remove the spine as well which is the central stem that runs down the center of each leaf. These spines are thick and take longer to cook.
However the benefit of cooking collard greens in the Ninja Foodi is that leaves are tenderized in only 10 minutes, spines and all! This alleviates the need for having to remove spines prior to cutting.
To cut collards, stack several leaves and tightly roll into a cigar shape. Cut crosswise into 1-inch thick slices using a sharp knife. Repeat until all greens are cut.
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Why do you put vinegar in collard greens
As collard greens mature, their leaves grow larger, tougher and more bitter. The acidity in the vinegar helps to offset the bitterness of the collards. In addition, vinegar helps to tenderize collard greens.
How long does it take greens to get tender
Traditional collard greens cooked on the stovetop can take over 2 hours to cook. Cooking collard greens in the Ninja Foodi cuts this time dramatically! Collards literally cook for only 10 minutes!
Want to see this recipe in action? Watch my full YouTube tutorial for Southern collard greens here: Quick Southern Collard Greens with Bacon.
Easy Ninja Foodi Collard Greens With Bacon Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Ninja Foodi
Ingredients
- 3 bunches Collard greens
- 12 ounces Turkey bacon Cut into 1/2 inch strips
- 1 Onion
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil Extra Light Virgin Oil for Frying and Baking
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tbsp White Vinegar
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a skillet and fry the bacon and onions until brown. Start with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add more if needed. Ideally, there should be 2-3 tablespoons of oil remaining upon completion to be used in the next step.
- Add bacon and onion mix to cleaned, cut collard greens. Pour remaining oil over the collards.
- Add garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt to taste. Toss until the greens are seasoned throughout and the oil is evenly distributed.
- Pour 2 cups of chicken broth into the Ninja Foodi. Add vinegar.
- Transfer the chopped greens to the Ninja food, and carefully mix with liquid.
- Set the Ninja Foodi to the pressure cooker setting. Cook on high for 10 minutes, performing a quick release when done to release the steam.
- Stir the greens to evenly distribute the flavors before transferring to a serving platter.
The post Quick and Easy Ninja Foodi Collard Greens With Bacon Recipe appeared first on Health Uprising Now.