December is a wonderful month for using those late-season greens from your CSA, like Swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula and kale. Inspired by our first craft beer dinner, Mahasti visited one of our favorite local farms, Hines Valley Farm, to see what seasonal greens were available and what would pair best with a selection of beers from Oskar Blues Brewery.

The fine folks at Hines Valley had a great selection of tasty kale and collard greens. Both greens partner well with the tartness of the cranberries and the sweetness of the reduced balsamic vinegar. Rye berries offer health benefits such as being low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. They also serve as a source of fiber and Vitamin B6. Although we served this salad as a side to English-style bangers, it could work very well as an entree on its own.

1.5 cups Rye berries

3 cups Water

3 cups Kale

3 cups Collards

½ cup Onion

2 Tbl Vegetable Oil

½ cup + 1 Tbl Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tbl Olive Oil

1.5 tsp Salt

1 ½ cup Dried Cranberries

Soak rye in 3 cups of water overnight. Bring 2 cups of water to boil, drain the rye berries and add to boiling water. Boil berries for 5 minutes, drain , run under cold water and set aside in a large bowl.

Meanwhile dice onions. Cut greens in half lengthwise then into thin strips.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onion and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, bring to boil, and boil for 2 – 3 minutes until reduced by ½ . Add greens and lightly sauté. Add  sautéed greens to bowl with rye berries. Add remaining tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, 1.5 tsp salt and dried cranberries. Toss until all ingredients are mixed together well.

Serve at room temperature – or refrigerate and serve cold.

Good afternoon! Mahasti would like us to share the recipe from the most recent appearance on her twice monthly cooking segment, hosted by WBIR every first and third Saturday of each month. We think this is the perfect recipe for the beginning of fall.

The onions and pears in this dish lend a sweetness to your plate that balances the savoriness of the collard greens. You’ll also notice the arrival of those popular fall spices – cinnamon, clove and allspice. Besides being delicious, those three spices offer a few health benefits as well. Cinnamon helps prevent inflammation and regulates blood sugar; Cloves contain antioxidants; and allspice has anti-inflammatory properties.

Try this recipe at home and share your successes with us on Instagram. Use the hashtag #tomatohead so we can find you.

3 pears, peeled, cored and sliced

¼ tsp black pepper

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground clove

¼ tsp ground allspice

1 tsp sugar

¼ cup onion, diced

¼ cup oil

8 cups packed, Collard Greens

½ tsp salt

1 Tbl Balsamic Vinegar

In a medium bowl toss pears with black pepper, cinnamon, clove, allspice, and sugar. Heat oil a large

skillet over high heat. When oil is shimmering add onions and pears and sauté for 3-4 minutes until

pears are soft. Add Collards and sauté for 1-2 minutes until the greens begin to soften. Add salt and

balsamic vinegar. Continue to sauté until collards are soft – approximately another 3 minutes.

Serve immediately as a side with Chicken or steak.