While I was in New York City last summer we stopped in this little place on the Upper East Side after visiting the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the MetropolitanMuseum. To this day I cannot recall what the name of the place was, but I absolutely loved the meal we had, and wanted to recreate it for a quick dinner (photo above). I did manage however, to snag a photo before diving into the meal, so the wonderful meal from a nameless restaurant will forever live on with this photo (below)!

Grilled Chicken Sandwich w/ Collard Greens in NYC

While in New York our meal was served with Collard Greens, but I used Kale for this recipe recreation because I’ve read so much about its health benefits I needed to try it out for myself.

I’m sure you’ve heard about Kale blog reader, and its super food and anti-cancer qualities, but in case you haven’t here is a bit of a run down for you.

Kaleis very high in beta carotene (said to help encourage health hair and nail growth), vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium (YAY!).

Kale contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties. Best to steam or stir fry kale, as boiling decreases the potency of the amount of anti-cancer properties.  

Kale also contains a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. DNA damage has been linked to the development of cancer. Did you know that getting a sunburn actually can affect how your DNA repairs its self, thus increasing the risk of cancer growth? So load up on the SPF peeps and the kale 🙂

Ingredients:

4 bunches kale

2- tablespoon canola oil or 1 tablespoon coconut oil 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons of water (throughout cooking to help steam) 1 tsp. pepper (X2) 1 tbs. lemon juice Pinch of cayenne pepper Optional addition: If you’re feeling adventurous you could also top your kale with some slivered almonds, and/or parmesan cheese.

Directions:

Rinse kale well in a large bowl of cold water.

Drain and cut off the tough stems.Cut leaves into 1/4-inch strips.In a wok or large frying pan, heat the oil over moderately high heat.Add the garlic and cook, stirring 30 seconds.Add half of the greens and cook stirring, for about 1 minute or until they begin to wilt.Add the remaining greens and cook, stirring constantly for 8 to 10 minutes. Cook until the greens darken slightly and are fairly tender.
I added some water through out, as it helps to steam the greens rather than adding more oil. I usually add about a tablepsoon at a time, as and when I feel necessary.
I was making other things, so I did put a lid over the greens periodically to encourage it to cook a little faster, but do not abandon your greens because they could scortch. Season with the pepper and lemon juice.