Collard Greens with Cumin and Apricots
Q: What’s the one thing, ANYONE can do, to help move them towards ANY of the health goals they might have?
A: Eat. More. Vegetables.
Seriously though guys. Trying to lose weight? Maintain weight? Heal your body of an illness? Have more energy and vibrancy? Trying to save the planet?
Eat more vegetables.
If you feel disappointed in that answer, I’m actually excited for you. Because if you feel disappointed, it’s probably because you’re not yet aware of how exciting and delicious vegetables can be!!
Let’s chat real quick about why I love collard greens.
Collards are a great green to buy at the beginning of the week (or whenever you do your grocery haul) because they’re versatile at every stage of freshness. When they’re nice and crisp and perky, you can finely slice them for slaws or salads, OR turn their giant leaves into a healthy wrap. (wrap inspo here and here.)
And if you happen to forget them for a couple of days in the back of the fridge (guilty), you can add them to soup or stir-fries, or let them shine as their own tasty side dish.
To take your collard greens from hum-drum to fabulous though, don’t be afraid to experiment with different spices!
Spices are crazy healthy (many cultures use them medicinally) and they also do wonders to fight food boredom.
And today, we’re playing around with cumin.
You didn’t think cumin was just for taco seasoning, did you??
It turns out that cumin loves apricot (and apricot loves it back ❤️). And together, they turn collard greens into something magical.
Something delicious, and healthy, and easy to throw together on a busy night. AND something different enough to shake you out a food rut and keep your taste buds excited and satisfied.
(I can already feel you veggie skeptics out there starting to reconsider)
Alright, I’ve obviously sold you on the flavor profile, so let’s move on to a few technical tips and how-tos.
To cut your collard greens, stack a few leaves together, and roll them up—sort of like a big, green, vitamin-filled cigar. Then you just chop, chop, chop until you’re left with pretty collard green ribbons. (After I’ve chopped all the way down the cigar, I like to do one chop straight down the middle, so those ribbons are a bit shorter). 
Next, you’ll want to pick your fat of choice. GOOD NEWS: The fat will actually make these collards HEALTHIER, because our bodies absorb vitamins better with some fat. –> And it will keep us full, and happy, and satisfied so we don’t end up binging on a box of cookies at 10 pm.
Personally, I like to use bacon grease (that I save in a jar whenever I cook bacon). It’s a real flavor home-run with collard greens, and it means none of that bacon went to waste.
But you can definitely use coconut oil or olive oil if you prefer! 
Then you just saute some onion, garlic, and your apricot and cumin and add the collard green ribbons right on top.
Next goes in a little broth, everything gets covered with a lid, and you let it all steam up for just a couple of minutes.
The result is a wonderful marriage of tender greens, sweet onions and apricots, and mellow background notes from the cumin.
It’s a spin on collard greens that will turn any veggie skeptic into a believer!
…And my new favorite way to fill my plate with greens!
Collard Greens with Cumin and Apricots
Ingredients
- 2 bunches of collard greens, ends removed and chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 8 dried apricots (unsweetened), finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- Drizzle of honey (optional)
- 1 cup low sodium broth (can sub water in a pinch!)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- oil for cooking (leftover bacon grease, avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil)
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt, sauteing for 2-3 minutes.
- Reduce heat slightly and add garlic, cumin, and apricots and continue to saute for another 2 minutes.
- Add broth and collard greens, salt, and pepper and cover the pan, allowing the collard greens to steam for about 10 minutes, checking to be sure the broth hasn't evaporated completely. Add more broth or water as needed.
- Remove lid and stir in apple cider vinegar, optional honey, and pepper to taste.
Notes
I always save the grease when I cook bacon and store it in a glass container in the fridge. It's perfect with collard greens, but feel free to substitute another oil if you prefer!
9 responses to “Collard Greens with Cumin and Apricots”
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Love this dish! Even though I live in the Midwest, I never see collard or mustard greens, but I can definitely see this made with spinach and kale. Great recipe!
Yeah kale would be delish also!!
Love, love, love collards & love your take on them here! I’m looking forward to trying them with apricots now!
Thank you koritsi!! I always want to change things up when I start getting bored with the regular veggie rotation 🙂
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