The Smartest Way to Cook Collard Greens

 If you have ever cooked collard greens before, and are not quite sure about what to do with them, you can prepare them by first removing the stems and the thick central veins in each leaf. Next cut the leaves into pieces, strips or ribbons. Some people soak the leaves in warm water with salt added, for about ten minutes before preparing them, but this is optional. However, the soaking and the salt ensure they are clean.

You can saute the greens in olive oil or bacon fat, for about 5 minutes with garlic and chopped spicy red pepper. Stir so that the leaves are coated with the oil. When the leaves are still a vivid green and wilted, add a teaspoon of red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar to the pan and toss them so that they are all evenly coated. Serve them hot or at room temperature, whichever you prefer.

It is possible to blanch the greens after first preparing them as outlined above. Chop the leaves coarsely and cook them in boiling water (salted), for about 10 minutes, when they should be dark and tender. Drain the collard greens in cold water and squeeze to remove excess water. Serve them alone or as an accompaniment to another dish.

The smartest way to cook collard greens is to fry them with garlic, mushrooms and small pieces of chopped red pepper or jalapenos. Add seasoned stock to the pan and cook until the leaves have wilted.

It's possible to eat the leaves raw, although you might find them indigestible.You can juice them though. A cup of pure collard juice would require eight cups of greens to get an 8 ounce serving. It's much easier and far less time-consuming to blend collard juice with apple juice and perhaps the beetroot juice. Collard juice can be quite bitter, so mixing it with other juices is best. For a sweet drink, blend the collard leaves with chopped mango and orange, or make a smoothie with banana the collard juice, berries that are in season (or frozen ones), ground flax seeds and almond butter. This is a particularly nutritious drink.

Collard greens are versatile and cheap, so are ideal for families and students living on a tight budget. They are packed full with vitamins and minerals and so are a healthy option. Why not pick up some greens next time you go shopping and experiment with them?

Catering Equipment for Creative Egg Dishes

 Eggs are known for their protein rich content and are a favourite addition to the breakfast meal. Besides simply frying them, there are number of ways to cook eggs as well as to present them in creative ways. Here is the catering equipment for making neat and creative egg dishes.

• Egg Rings. You get a few options when it comes to this catering equipment. There are round or square ring options as well as an omelette ring. This product allows you to fry the contents neatly in perfectly round or square shapes. When you present it on a plate it will look professional and immaculate.

• Egg Lifters. Lifters are more of an essential type of catering equipment. It allows you to lift the fried foods gently off the pan to avoid it from breaking apart. Neatly lifted fried foods will remain whole and create a well-ordered appearance on the breakfast plate.

• Egg Poachers. This catering equipment comes in different sizes. It all depends on how much you want to make. These are containers that have four or more cups inside them. Inside each cup you can load the ingredient and float them in water until it comes to a boil. The result is an oil free perfectly formed poached egg.

• Egg Slicers. This product is usually made with aluminium wires that are able to create thin and even slices. Once you've boiled the eggs, you can slice them evenly and layer them one slightly over the other to create a neat patterned layer. It is ideal for a buffet set up as well as for platters. Add some tomatoes and cucumber slices in between to create some colour on the platter.

• Egg Wedgers. Instead of slices you can make wedges. They are thicker than the standard slicers and you can get creative with the way you lay them on the plate. You can either layer the wedges on the sides or all around along the edge of a round platter. Or you can place the wedges upright with the yolk part facing upwards. You can place them in star patterns or circular patterns for interesting presentation.