Tricolor Salad of Endive, Beet, and Arugula

Serves 4

2 beets (can substitute golden or chioga)1/2 cup roughly chopped pistachios (can substitute almonds or hazelnuts)

2 yellow endive
4 cups arugula
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan
Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup white wine vinegar (can substitute white balsamic or champagne)
1 1/4 cups light pure olive oil
1 minced, medium shallot
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch white sugar
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Place washed, but not trimmed or peeled beets on top of 1 cup salt on a baking sheet, and roast in a 350 degrees F oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until fork-tender. Let cool. Wearing gloves or holding with a piece of plastic wrap, cut off stems, and peel. Cut each beet in half, cut in 1/2 inch slices, then medium dice by cutting in the opposite direction. Toast nuts in a 400 degrees F oven for 15 minutes, tossing once. Combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients, mixing well, adding nuts when cool. Trim the end of the endive, cut in half, separating the leaves for each half, but reforming each as 1/2 a head of endive. For each salad, place 1/2 cup beets, 1 cup arugula, an 1/2 endive on a plate. For each salad begin with 1/3 cup vinaigrette, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Toss each of the three components, separately in the vinaigrette, making sure to toss the beets last. Top with 1/8 cup of shaved parmesan. Repeat for remaining three salads. Serve immediately. Reserve left-over dressing.

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Roasted Parsnips with Parsley

Serves 4

2 pounds medium parsnips, peeled, cut on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss first 3 ingredients in bowl. Spread parsnips in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Dot with butter.
Roast parsnips 20 minutes. Using tongs, turn parsnips; roast until browned and soft, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer parsnips to plate and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley.

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Honey-Glazed Carrots with Green Onions

Serves 2-4

1 lb baby carrots (think 1-2 bites, leave the skinny parts whole, halve or quarter fat ones) or 1 lb carrot, peeled, washed, and sliced into sticks about the size of baby carrots 
2 tablespoons butter
1 large garlic clove, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons honey 
salt and pepper
1/4 cup green onion tops, cut small (about 3-4 green onions once you discard the very tops and the white parts) or 1 tablespoon dried chives
Salt a large saucepan full of water and bring to a rapid boil. Add carrots and boil 5-7 minutes, until tender. Drain. In a large skillet or saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove garlic and discard. Add the honey, stirring to blend. Add carrots and salt and pepper to taste (it doesn't need much, a few shakes should do it). Stir around until carrots are coated. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes, until carrots begin to brown. (You may need to increase heat to medium-high on some stoves.) Pour carrots and all the "juices" into a serving bowl. Add green onions and toss.
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Roasted Potatoes and Beets with Balsamic Glaze

Serves 6

4 red beets, cut into chunks
2 potatoes, cut into chunks
1 yellow onion, cut into chunks
3-4 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ cup olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Toss beets, potatoes, onion, & garlic with olive oil, balsamic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for about 1 hour or until edges are crispy. Top with chopped fresh parsley.

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Classic Greek Horta Greens

Serves 5-6

2 lbs of Greens:
Suggestions of Greens to choose from:
Swiss Chard
Kale
Spinach
Dandelion – (Here in the United States, I’ve found that the white or green stemmed dandelions and especially the younger/shorter ones are less bitter than the red stems).
Feel free to combine different greens as well.
(Whenever possible buy organic greens to avoid ingesting the pesticides – if not available soak and rinse greens several times)
1 1/2 cups of water
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Salt to taste
2 lemons
(optional – 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder)
Cut the Greens into bite size pieces. Wash several times in bowl with water to remove any soil. If using kale with thick stems tear the leaves off the stems and discard stems.
In a large pot, add water, bring to a boil and add greens. Cover. Boil until stems and leaves are soft depending upon which greens you use. Check after 10 minutes by tasting to see if greens are tender and continue up to 20 minutes. Add more water if needed. Strain water from greens and return to pot. Add juice of two lemons, one turn of olive oil, salt and mix. Let sit for a few minutes in warm pot with flame turned off. Serve on plate or in bowl.
This makes 5 to 6 servings. Make extra since it tastes delicious the next day.
Dandelion Leaves Tip: If you want to make dandelion greens only (a bitter green) – use younger leaves if possible. Whatever length you use, I have found that by cooking dandelion greens in a steamer you reduce bitterness and follow directions to season with lemon, olive oil and salt above while still hot. Dandelion also taste milder when combined with another milder green such as Swiss Chard.
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Slow Cooker Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup

Serves 4
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 leeks, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (white and light green parts only)
3/4 cup dried yellow or red lentils
1 4 -inch piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 teaspoon curry powder
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus lemon wedges for serving (optional)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
Combine the sweet potato, carrots, celery, leeks, lentils, ginger, 3/4 teaspoon curry powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a 4-to-6-quart slow cooker. Add 6 cups water and stir, then cover and cook on low, undisturbed, 8 hours. Stir the soup vigorously with a whisk to make a rough puree. Thin with hot water, if desired. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon curry powder and cook until the curry powder is slightly toasted, about 1 minute. Stir the curry mixture into the soup and add the lemon juice, cilantro, and salt to taste. Serve with lemon wedges.
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Massaged Kale Salad

Serves 6

1 bunch kale (black kale is especially good), stalks removed and discarded, leaves thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons honey
Freshly ground black pepper
1 mango, diced small (about 1 cup)
Small handful toasted pepitas ( pumpkin seeds), about 2 rounded tablespoons
In large serving bowl, add the kale, half of lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and a little kosher salt. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside while you make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk remaining lemon juice with the honey and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stream in the 1/4 cup of oil while whisking until a dressing forms, and you like how it tastes. Pour the dressing over the kale, and add the mango and pepitas. Toss and serve.
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