Meatless Monday: Chopped Cranberry ‘N Collards Salad

Thanksgiving might be over but the chance to enjoy the season’s wealth of fresh foods hasn’t gone anywhere. Try this tart and tasty salad, perfect for your leftover turkey day ingredients.

Collards are a member of the cruciferous family, just like kale and cabbage.  Crucifers are well known for their liver detoxification and cancer fighting properties.

Cranberries  are probably best known for treating or preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs) for their phytonutrients like proanthocyanidins and tannins that help prevent the E.coli bacteria from attaching to the urinary tract cells and flush it out.  Cranberries, a good source of fiber, are also rich in Vitamin C and other antioxidants that can protect our arteries from the damaging effects of LDL or “bad” cholesterol.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 orange, plus peel for zest
1 apple, honeycrisp or other sweet variety works best
1 bunch collard greens or 16 leaves
1 Tbsp. honey

Directions:
1.) Wash cranberries and collards well.
2.) Chop collard green leaves and place into bowl, save stems for your next green juice.
3.) Peel orange, wash apple and juice both in your juicer.
4.) Place cranberries and honey into food processor.  Chop them coarsely adding orange/apple juice in small batches.
5.) Pour cranberry mixture over collards.
6.) Zest orange peel with a grater over salad.
7.) Serve and enjoy!

Looking for a juicy version of this sensational side?  Try the Cranberry Citrus Juice!

Substitutions:
Cranberries – raspberries
Collard Greens – mustard greens, kale, green cabbage
Orange – lime, tangerine, grapefruit
Honey – maple syrup, agave nectar, stevia