Women's Menopause Health Center April 2008 Newsletter.

 

High Calcium Collard Greens Stir-Fry.
 

Serves 4

1 bunch collard leaves, stems removed
1 sheet nori seaweed
1 tablespoon sea salt
4 ounces buckwheat noodles (soba)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil,such as light sesame or peanut
4 teaspoons dark roasted sesame oil, divided
1 bunch scallions, including greens, sliced diagonally (about 1 cup)
4 carrots, peeled and julienned
6 fresh shiitake mushrooms,stems removed, caps sliced into strips 1/3 inch thick
1/3 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, black or white


Working with several collard leaves at a time, roll them up, then slice crosswise
into narrow (1/4-inch) strips. Wash and rinse well, but don't dry.


Pass the nori back and forth over an open flame until the color changes from purple to green (12 passes or so). Snip the sheets into 1/4-inch-wide strips; set aside.


Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the 1 tablespoon sea salt. Add the collards, simmer 3 minutes, then scoop them out and set aside in a colander. Drop the noodles in the water.


Heat a wok over very high heat. When it's hot, add the vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Then add the scallions, carrots, and mushrooms, followed by the 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the collards.


When the noodles are done, after 4 to 5 minutes, scoop them out and add to the wok, along with the soy sauce and sesame seeds. Toss well, then pour in the remaining sesame oil and toss again. Garnish with the nori strips and serve.


Per serving: 256 calories, 35% fat (10 g;1 g saturated), 58% carbohydrate (37 g) 7% protein (6 g), 5 g fiber, 154 mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 308 mg sodium.

In the south, wilted is the polite term for how collard greens are commonly served; considering how they're tossed into simmering vats of pork fat, expired might be a more appropriate description. But like most other members of the cabbage family, these sturdy, fibrous greens stand up well to even the cruelest cooking methods, and contain significant amounts of beta carotene (9,147 micrograms per 1-cup serving).

Each 1-cup serving also has 266 milligrams of calcium - about a fifth of your daily requirement. In addition to protecting your bones, consuming at least 800 mg of calcium daily can reduce your risk of colon cancer by up to 46 percent, according to a study at the University of Minnesota. While calcium from dairy is generally better absorbed that that from vegetables, the study found that risk reduction was present regardless of the calcium source, And since collard greens are low in oxalate, an organic acid that can bind with calcium molecules, the body readily absorbs the calcium they contain. (Not so for spinach; only 5 percent of that green's calcium is bioavailable..

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