Collard Bread

Just suppose perhaps the baking powder isn't good? I used it out of the new can. And Mrs. Lynde says you can never be sure of getting good baking powder nowadays when everything is so adulterated. ~Anne of Green Gables

Good intentions...crisper drawer...healthful vegetables...blah blah blah...

This is a savory quick bread, so don't think zucchini bread when you look at it. Think soda-bread with vegetables included, or think quiche with integrated crust. It's tasty, with just enough honey to balance the natural bitterness of the greens. This will be breakfast tomorrow, along with eggs made to order.

I used up a bunch of raw collard greens in this recipe, but you could also use it for doing something with the leftover greens from last night's dinner. Really, you could use any leftover cooked veggies, up to 2 cups worth, chopped small.

If you're starting with raw greens, count on prep time to wash, chop, cook and cool the greens before you start making the bread.

1 bunch collard greens
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion

10 ounces (~2 cups) whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons honey
1 egg
2 ounces Parmesan cheese

To prep the collard greens:

Place a skillet over low heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Cut the ends off the stems and then cut out the rib of the greens from the leaves. Wash the stems thoroughly, then cut into small pieces, about ¼ inch. Add stems to the skillet, stir and cover. Cut onion in small dice and add to skillet, stir and cover. Wash leaves carefully, stack and cut into thin strips then cut again to make small squares. Add to skillet along with about 1 ounce of water, stir and cover until greens are dark and wilted, and stems are soft. Remove from skillet to drain and cool. This can be done up to one day ahead.

To make the bread:

Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger and salt. Set aside.

Grate the parmesan cheese.

In another bowl, beat egg, then add milk, oil, and honey (if you use the same measure for the honey as for the oil, your honey will slide right out of the measure, no sticking.) Stir to combine. Add cheese and greens and stir to combine.

Stare at wet mix, and realize you are an egg away from a quiche.

Lightly oil the inside of a loaf pan.

Add wet mix to dry mix and stir only long enough to get all of the flour moist, then stop. You will be tempted to give it one more stir. Don't do it. This will never be smooth or pourable and you will look at the mass of stuff in your bowl and think “this will never work.” Breathe.  It will be okay. Transfer mixture to loaf pan, smoosh it down into the corners a bit, smooth the top a bit, then put it in the oven and trust in your baking powder.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.