Who turned up the heat and humidity in Charleston? It is so hot and humid, that it doesn’t matter what time of day I go on a run…I am covered in sweat by the end of it. But, it’s worth it to come home to this pot of soup.

You should have seen my husband’s eyes light up when he walked into the house and smelled the bacon. The flavors in this soup are wonderful and allow for a healthier take on the southern collard greens.

We actually picked up a massive bunch of collards from the farmers market and I just knew this soup would be perfect with them. And it was!

Enjoy the soup and stay cool! Yes, I know that sounds counterproductive. Just go with it.

Healthier Southern Collard Soup

adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• dash of red pepper (to taste)
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (I used 4 cups water + 2 bouillon cubes)
• 8 cups roughly chopped collard greens, rinsed and stems cut out
• 12 ounces bacon, baked on non-stick foil in 400F oven for 15-20 mins until browned, cut into pieces
• 1 (15 ounce) can black eyed peas, rinsed and drained

How-To

1. In a large stock pot over medium heat, sauté the olive oil, garlic, red pepper, onion, carrots and celery until tender.
2. Add in the remaining ingredients, boiling for 10-20 minutes until the collards are tender.
3. Serve warm with swiss cheese melted over a whole grain baguette slices.