Rarely recognized as haute cuisine, collard greens are downright presidential these days, thanks to the White House vegetable garden. Michelle Obama's recent harvest of a healthy crop of collards and other greens occasioned many photo ops and gave the first lady a chance to talk of the garden as an edible lesson ``about health and how delicious it is to eat fresh food.''

This is not the first time vegetables have sprung from White House grounds. The presidential precedent dates back to 1800 and John Adams, who started growing vegetables, not to teach a lesson but to save money. While it's unknown what Adams grew, collards seem a good bet. They're easy to grow and forgiving, with thick but elegant paddle-shaped leaves that can withstand extreme temperatures -- even South Florida summer heat.

When it comes economy, collards deliver. They're fresh, local and just a dollar a pound in markets now. Julius Caesar (for whom July was named) is said to have treated collard greens as medicine, eating them after banquets for nutrition and digestion.

Like its relatives, kale and broccoli, collard greens are rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants as well as vitamins. One cup of cooked collards delivers your full daily vitamin A, half your C and more than 800 percent of your vitamin K, as well as significant amounts of minerals including potassium and zinc.

Southern tradition calls for collards to be braised or boiled with pig parts, but we veg heads know better: Try them, shredded and raw, in that July Fourth staple, coleslaw. Yet another president, Thomas Jefferson, would approve: He's reputed to have preferred salads to all other foods.

With so much nutrition for so little money, a cool plate of raw collards might become your favorite, too. Eat up -- one cup has but 11 calories. It's the all-American thing to do.

Ellen Kanner writes about vegetarian concerns. She blogs at www.edgyveggie1.blogspot.com.

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