And now for something completely different

While at the grocery store this weekend, I stalked the fruit aisle, looking for my next victim, I mean attempt at finding a fruit I like. After a couple drive-bys with my cart, looking at all the fruit I don't like, starfruit, kiwi, mangoes, strawberries. And the fruit I'm just unwilling to try just yet, papaya, persimmon. And the fruit I wouldn't mind trying, but I just don't know how like quinces. Quinces smell great, but I'm pretty sure you can't eat them raw. Anyhow, after spending much more time in the grocery store than necessary, looking like a fruit stalker, I decided to head for vegetables instead.


This week is your standard week of gluttony so I decided to go healthy. Of course, there's the old formula, vegetables = healthy. However there's a difference between iceberg lettuce and turnip greens. Iceberg lettuce is pretty much nutritionally decrepit. Turnip greens on the other hand are crazy healthy. They're high in Vitamins A, C, E, B6, Folate, Copper, Calcium, and dietary fiber. They're like my little spot of healthy in a week of mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes and marshmallows and pie. OK I'm totally busted again, I really don't like pie. It's kind of a double whammy, fruit and crust. Bleh. I do however like pumpkin pie filling and whipped cream. So the plate with just an entire piece of bottom crust on it is usually mine.

SO turnip greens provide one little point in the week where I can feel like I'm not slowly turning into Jaba the Hut. Well that and my Friday morning Spin class got moved to tomorrow morning so everyone else can go shopping, and I had to sign up for a Friday morning step class. So thank you Alton Brown for this delicious turnip green recipe, corny name aside.

Vlad's Very Garlicky Greens
Alton Brown

5 to 7 cloves garlic peeled
one clove garlic sliced
one clove garlic minced
enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a wide saute pan
1 bag turnip greens, cleaned and roughly shredded
salt and freshly grown pepper

Place saute pan over medium heat and then lightly crush the whole garlic cloves. When the pan is hot, add just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and add the garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until golden brown (3 to 5 minutes). Remove from the oil.

Thinly sliver the sliced garlic clove and add it to the pan stirring constantly. Once the slivers turn golden, add the greens and toss to coat with hot oil. Season with salt and pepper as soon as the greens start to wilt. Add the minced garlic during the last 30 seconds of cooking and toss the greens to distribute. Keep the pan and the greens moving constantly, if you can.

Serve as a side dish or toss with pasta and serve as a main course.