Rinse off the collard greens to remove any dirt. Shake to remove excess water. Roughly chop the collard greens into large squares of 1 to 2 inches in size. If the leaves are very large with thick center veins, cut out the center veins entirely with knife.

Place a large pot of water on the stovetop to boil. Once boiling, add in the chopped collard greens and boil for about 5 to 8 minutes. If you want softer collard greens then boil a little longer - and if you want crisper collard greens boil them for a little less time. Once they are drained and sautéed, they will not be cooked down much longer.

Once the collard greens are cooked to the desired degree of doneness, drain in a sieve and shake to remove as much water as possible.

In a sauté pan set over medium high heat, add the olive oil. When the olive oil is hot, add in the onions and stir around for about 2 to 3 minutes. Using a garlic press, squeeze the garlic cloves into the sauté pan and cook just until fragrant (do not color the garlic).

Place the collard greens into the pan and cook until they are hot. Add salt and black pepper if desired and transfer to a serving dish. Serve immediately.