Slow Cooker Kale

Adding dark, leafy greens to my new diet has been a fun and interesting challenge. I really love the texture, the nutrition, and the taste of dark greens. However, I do not like the prep work involved. De-stemming, cutting, blanching, shocking, etc. So I decided to come up with a recipe that would allow me to cook a large quantity of greens without much prep work, so all I would have to do throughout the week is re-heat them.

My slow cooker kale is a “spin” on collard greens. It has the sweet and spicy aspects of braised collard greens and I used turkey bacon in place of bacon or ham hocks. I also added some extra veggies to pump up the flavor and texture of the dish.

Slow Cooker Kale

 

Makes 6 servings

1 serving = 1 hefty cup = 2 Points Plus

• 4 slices of turkey bacon, cut into small pieces (I prefer using Butterball brand)
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 packet of Truvia
• 1 # kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 2 cups of water
• salt and pepper to taste

Spray the bottom of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the slow cooker with the onions and pepper.

Place half of the kale on top of the onions and peppers. Sprinkle with half of the turkey bacon, garlic cloves, and crushed red pepper flakes. Place the rest of the kale on top and finish with the rest of the turkey bacon, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes.

Combine the Truvia, chicken broth, and water. Pour this mixture over the kale. Turn the slow cooker on high for an hour. Turn it down to low and cook for 7-8 more hours. Make sure to stir the greens every 3 hours or so. Add more liquid if necessary.

This method works great with kale because it softens it just enough while allowing it to hold some texture. I love the sweet and spicy combination with a little smoky background from the turkey bacon. Another great aspect is the liquid leftover after the braising process (also called pot liquor or potlikker). This liquid is super flavorful and delicious! Serve the greens with a little extra liquid…great for dipping cornbread or crusty bread into. Mmm…greens.