# Kid-friendly recipes/ideas for collard greens?



## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

Anyone have any suggestions for preparing collards in a way that's especially appealing to kids?

My DD (3.5) asked what they were and if I would make them for her (thanks to Laurie Berkner's song Victor Vito







).

I typically mince my greens (usually kale) and hide them in food because my DH is not a fan, and honestly, I'm not really either. I eat them because I know they are good for you, not because I love them.


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## einalems2 (Jun 8, 2006)

Umm, throw them in a fruit smoothie? We do this with kale, spinach, romaine. One favorite is:
a small handful of kale, a banana, cup of frozen strawberries, cup of grape/apple/whatever juice and a cup of water.

Mmmmmmmm!


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## flminivanmama (Nov 21, 2001)

I made tomato soup with meatballs yesterday for dinner and I had collards so cut them up and put them in. the kids were avoiding them and I told them that people say to eat collards on new years to increase wealth in the coming year and they all gobbled them up haha


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## runes (Aug 5, 2004)

i keep a ziploc baggie of various greens (usually chard, kale, beet, spinach) in the freezer, and will add a handful or two with any soup/stew/sauce. no one notices it's even in there.

also, i put them into scrambled eggs in the morning for breakfast. i usually make a 'veggie' scramble with whatever we've got around (usually onions, mushrooms, zucchini, peppers) and a handful of greens that are minced really fine. the greens virtually disappear. 2 year old dd gobbles this up.

greens are also yummy just sauteed in some olive oil with tons of garlic. don't know if the little ones would eat this, though. i was a weird little girl and would BEG my mom to sautee dandelion greens for me. they are SO bitter but yum!!


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## flminivanmama (Nov 21, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kidspiration* 
i keep a ziploc baggie of various greens (usually chard, kale, beet, spinach) in the freezer

smart! do you chop/ tear them up before you freeze them? and you freeze them raw?


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## mombh (May 6, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *flminivanmama* 
I made tomato soup with meatballs yesterday for dinner and I had collards so cut them up and put them in. the kids were avoiding them and I told them that people say to eat collards on new years to increase wealth in the coming year and they all gobbled them up haha









, that is such a good one!! this gives me some ideas for some other foods!









I also add collards to soup , but I usually blend the soup so they don't know they are there. Works really well with a thick vegetable soup. I usually add them to soup made with lots of butternut squash , leeks and any other vegetable...their favorite treat is to melt grated cheese in the soup!!!


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## kjbrown92 (Dec 13, 2007)

I cut spinach into tiny little pieces and put it in soup, meatballs etc. If they ask, I tell them it's a spice (close enough, really).

Also my daughter loves spinach: saute it in a little bit of olive oil, with salt, pepper, and a couple of grates of nutmeg. It's still bright green, and tastes nice and fresh. She loves it with salmon. She's 2! And my husband decided he like greens after I started making them like that as well. My family always cooked the life out of every vegetable. So I err on the side of undercooking. Sometimes makes a difference in the taste.

Kathy


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## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

Thanks so much for the replies! These are great ideas!


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## Chicharronita (Oct 8, 2006)

Any bitter green tastes fantastic made with bacon and/or bacon grease.


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