Baked Greens Chips

Serves 4
6 to 8 ounces hearty greens, such as kale, chard, mustard, collards or spinach
1/4 cup olive oil (not extra-virgin)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 half sheet pans with parchment paper. Wash and thoroughly dry the greens. Tear the larger leaves into 1 to 2-inch strips. Lay the greens in a single layer on the half sheet pans, spritz lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt. Bake until the greens are dry and have darkened slightly, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove immediately from the pan on the parchment and transfer into a serving dish. Repeat with any remaining greens. Serve immediately, or store in a brown paper bag for up to 3 days.
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Cheesy Broccoli and Greens Soup

Makes about 6 cups
3 cups chopped broccoli
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
8 cups of torn dark leafy, hearty greens (about 2 bunches) like kale, Swiss chard, mustard greens, collards or turnip greens
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 cup lowfat milk
1/2 cup shredded cheese (like cheddar, Monterey Jack or Colby)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss broccoli with 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Spread on a roasting tray coated with cooking spray. Roast for about 10 minutes, stirring a few times during cooking process. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and smoked paprika, saute 1 minute. Add greens by the handfuls (cook for a minute or two and then add more until all greens are in the skillet) and saute until completely wilted - this will range from 2 - 6 minutes depending on how hearty the greens are. Season with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt and remove from heat. In a large pot over medium heat, add roasted broccoli, cooked greens, vegetable broth and milk. Cook for about 15 -20 minutes and then using immersion blender, stand blender or food processor, puree until smooth. Add back to pot (unless you used immersion blender) and stir in cheese until it melts (1 -2 minutes.) Serve warm.

Source

Mushroom & Wilted Greens Toast with a Poached Egg

Serves 2

2 slices whole wheat or multi-grain bread
2 tbsp. olive oil1 large clove garlic, minced
2 cups sliced mushrooms – you can use any variety you prefer
4 cups chopped greens, tough stems removed – you can use mustard greens, kale or chard here
1/2 teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard
2 large eggs
1 tsp. white vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste-
Toast (using your favorite method) the bread and go ahead and arrange each one on its own plate.- In a medium sized skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until faintly shimmering. Add in the minced garlic and saute until soft but not brown – 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the mushrooms, stir to combine and cook until they begin to release water. Throw in the chopped greens and stir again to get everyone mixed up. Stir in the bit of mustard and allow the greens to cook until tender but not mushy – 2 to 3 more minutes. Meanwhile, fill a medium sized soup/stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Add in the vinegar. With the end of a spatula or spoon, stir the water vigorously in a clockwise motion to create a swirl. Drop the cracked egg into the water and form slightly with your utensil. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the white is solid around the yolk but not to soft-boiled egg stage. Using a slotted spoon or small screened scoop, remove the eggs from the water. To serve, divide the greens mixture into two and top the toasted bread with it. Place a poached egg on top of the mixture. Season with a bit of fresh ground pepper and serve immediately – the joy of this is the runny egg so be speedy in serving & eating it.

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Apple Cider Braised Greens

Serves 16
1 1/2 pound(s) mustard greens
1 1/2 pound(s) collard greens
1 1/2 pound(s) Swiss chard
2 tablespoon(s) olive oil 
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/4 cup(s) apple cider
1 tablespoon(s) cider vinegar
Salt
2 red cooking apples such as Gala or Rome Beauty, unpeeled and cut into 3⁄4-inch chunks 
Remove stems from mustard greens; discard stems. Trim stem ends from collard greens and Swiss chard; remove stems from leaves. Cut stems into 1-inch pieces; cut leaves into 2-inch pieces. Rinse leaves and stems; drain well. In 8-quart saucepot, heat oil over high heat until hot. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute or until golden, stirring constantly. Add as many leaves and stems as possible, cider, vinegar, and 11/2 teaspoons salt, stirring to wilt greens. Add remaining greens in batches. Reduce heat to medium. Cover saucepot and cook greens 15 minutes. Stir in apples; cook, partially covered, 10 minutes longer or until stems are very tender and most of liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. With slotted spoon, transfer to serving bowl.

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Spicy Creamed Greens with Roots

While I have to admit that mustard greens were probably the hardest for my family to adjust to, I have actually enjoyed cooking with them and experiencing the results. Last week, we made Saag Paneer (cousin to the ubiquitous Indian dish, Palak Paneer, but apparently Saag is traditionally made with a combination of mustard greens and spinach, whereas the palak is just spinach). It was super tasty and because of the strong curry spices, the bitterness of the mustard greens is quite muted. The same goes for this dish, which incorporates mustard into the sauce.

Spicy Creamed Greens with Roots

1 bunch mustard greens, trimmed and finely chopped

1 lb rutabagas or turnips, peeled and cubed

2 medium-sized potatoes, cubed (peeling is optional)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1-2 cups broth or water

1 cup sour cream

2 Tbs prepared mustard (Dijon, Honey or other style, or substitute 1 tsp dry mustard)

1 Tbs cider vinegar

1 Tbs sugar or honey (optional--depending if you want a slightly sweet, honey-mustard type sauce or not)

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 2-3 Tbs oil in a large saucepan or skillet. Add, onions, potatoes and rutabagas/turnips and saute (stirring occasionally) over high heat for 8-10 minutes, until vegetables start to brown and get tender. Add 1 cup broth or water to the pan and quickly stir/scrape to deglaze the browned bits; cover and cook over medium heat 5 minutes more, or until vegetables are fully cooked. Add chopped greens, stir and cover. Cook 3-5 minutes, until greens are wilted and vibrant. Meanwhile, whisk together sour cream, mustard, vinegar and honey (if using) in a small bowl. Reduce heat to low, add sour cream mixture, along with additional broth as needed to make a not-too-thick sauce for the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

**Make this a well-rounded meal by adding chopped hard-boiled eggs, chopped ham or sausage if desired.

Butternut Squash & Collard Greens Pasta with Pistachios and Brown Butter

1 lb dry pasta

1 medium butternut squash (about 3 cups cubed)

2 Tbs diced shallots or 1/4 cup diced onion

3 cloves garlic

4 cups packed baby greens, coarsely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon (or 3 Tbs white wine + 1 Tbs white wine vinegar)

3 Tbs butter

1/4 cup raw pistachios

1/4 cup bleu cheese crumbles (substitute feta cheese or parmesan/romano shavings)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Smaller pasta like penne or bow-ties work best for this dish. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat 2 Tbs olive oil and saute shallots or onions just until they start to wilt. Add cubed squash and cook over medium-high heat, turning frequently, until squash starts to brown and is cooked through. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add chopped greens and saute until wilted and bright green. Add lemon juice and pasta water and stir, scraping any browned bits from the pan, until liquid is reduced by half. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat until it starts to brown. Stir in pistachios and saute 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and toss into veggies. Toss in pasta and garnish with cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

Simple, Comforting Stew: Spinach, Carrots and Rice

I bypassed this recipe because, by nature, I tend to look for recipes that are intriguing and innovative (through the use of various combinations of ingredients and flavors), but I had to remind myself that this is what I need more of: simple, quick dinner ideas that highlight CSA veggies!

The recipe comes from Mark Bittman (the King of simple, straightforward recipes) and he indicates you can add some heft to the meal by adding some meat (leftover roast chicken, etc.) and enhance the seasonings to suit your taste (dill, cilantro, cumin, etc. would be tasty).


1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup long-grain rice, like Basmati
Salt and pepper
1 pound fresh spinach, thick stems removed, washed and roughly chopped
3 cloves minced garlic, optional
2 tablespoons butter, optional

1. Combine carrots with 6 cups of water (or broth) in a saucepan and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil, then stir in rice and a large pinch of salt. When the mixture returns to the boil, add spinach, then adjust heat so that it simmers gently.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice and carrots are very tender, about 1/2 hour, and the mixture takes on the consistency of a thick stew. Stir in garlic or butter (if you're using either or both), and cook another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve.

Winter Greens

 For some recipes and an article about using yummy winter greens:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/08/health/nutrition/08recipehealth.html 

~ Posted for Betsy Buford.

Chicken and Greens with Coriander

I haven't tried this dish yet, but it sounds delightfully simple! Served with a side of wheat berry pilaf it would make a complete meal.

Note: it seems like it calls for an awful lot of coriander; I would suggest starting out with 3 TEAspoons, in case it was a typo and go up from there.


Adapted from the Smithsonian Folklife Cookbook

1 large clove garlic, minced
¼ cup olive oil
1 whole chicken, boiled and removed from bone
2 cups chopped spinach, chard, beet greens, etc.
¼ cup lemon juice
1 Tbs salt
3 Tbs ground coriander
1 ½ cups water
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Saute garlic in olive oil. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

Spaghetti Squash recipes

Since I'm still having trouble deciding which amongst these recipes I'm going to make to use up the spaghetti squash, I decided to share them all. I have to admit, spaghetti squash ranks up there with boiled spinach and the likes as a least favorite food memory, probably because my mother always tried to serve it like spaghetti: drowned in tomato-y pasta sauce and Parmesan cheese. So it's not something I go out and voluntarily buy, but since we don't throw food out around here, and I've come great lengths in abandoning food aversions and "outgrowing" a distaste for certain foods particularly since participating in the CSA, I have resigned myself to finding more unique ways to prepare this interesting vegetable. So here are some of the ideas that I have stumbled across recently:

• Spaghetti Squash Gratin
• Morroccan-Spiced Spaghetti Squash
• Spaghetti Squash and Red Quinoa Casserole
• Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Turnip Greens (a two-fer-one recipe!)
• Spaghetti Squash New Mexican similar to this one that is baked as a casserole (both with green chiles!)
• Tomato-Scallion Quiche with Spaghetti Squash crust

Bon Appetit!

P.S. If anyone happens to try one of these ideas, please leave your thoughts/advice in the comments!

Swiss chard on the side

This is one of my favorite ways to prepare Swiss chard. It goes wonderfully with your favorite main course - perhaps some grilled chicken or fish and a side of rice. Anything, really.

2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3-4 I'itoi onions, the whites cut into 1/8" slices and the greens into 2" sections
1 large bunch Swiss chard, washed, large stems removed, chopped
olive Oil
crushed red pepper flakes
salt & pepper

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add about a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the carrots and onions, and cook until both are soft, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and a couple shakes of red pepper flakes (about 1/8-1/4 tsp). Cook, stirring, until the aroma of the garlic is released. You don't want to brown the garlic, just cooked until soft.

Add the Swiss chard and stir until it becomes wilted. Turn the heat down to low, add a couple teaspoons of water, and cover. Cook for about five minutes longer. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper (if desired), and it is ready to serve.

Halibut with Beets, Greens and Dill-Orange Gremolata

Happened upon this on the Epicurious.com website (Parent of Gourmet, Self, and Bon Appetit magazines). If you still have some beets left from last week, this would be a great use of them, along with the dill and oranges from this week! Serve with a side of roasted potatoes!

from Epicurious.com:
The whole beet—greens and all—is used in this clever, elegant main. Gremolata—a mixture of chopped herbs, garlic, and citrus peel—is the classic topping for osso buco. This garlic-free variation gives bright, fresh flavor to the halibut.

Seasoned Kitchen Cooking Class Recipes

Here are the recipes for the dishes we cooked at the cooking class on Monday. The lasagna and artichokes were wonderful--everything else, I hope was enjoyable as well, but I honestly didn't get a chance to try them! Overall, the class went well, although if we do this again, I will surely plan on small bites or appetizers to start with! Any other feedback is greatly appreciated. Read below for more notes and recipes. My other major regret is not having anyone take any pictures!


Winter Squash Lasagna with Greens & Brown Butter Sauce (Serves 4-6)
1-1/2 cups Winter Squash mashed & drained
1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
3 cloves Garlic, minced & divided
1/4 cup basil, minced
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 Lemon
1 Egg
1 bunch Greens (chard, spinach or beet greens work best, mixed braising greens also work well)
3 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 cup Parmesan or Asiago cheese, shredded, plus more for topping
1 lb Lasagna noodles

Brown Butter Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
15-20 sage leaves
1 Tbs flour
1/4 cup broth

Cook lasagna noodles with 2 Tbs olive oil until just tender (“al dente”). Remove from heat and add 2 cups cold water to stop the noodles cooking. Drain and carefully toss with a little more oil if they stick together at all. Set aside.

Combine squash puree, ricotta cheese, 1/3 of the garlic, and spices in a bowl. Taste and salt as needed. Zest and juice lemon; add both to the squash mixture along with the egg. Set aside.

In a wide skillet, heat 3 Tbs olive oil over medium-high heat. Add trimmed, chopped greens and stir once or twice until greens start to wilt and coat with oil. Immediately sprinkle in remaining garlic and continue to sauté until greens are cooked, but still bright, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Coat the bottom of a 9x13 sheet pan or lasagna pan with oil. Lay one layer of noodles in the pan. Spread 1/3 of the filling over the noodles. Layer one half of the greens mixture over the squash. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese. Another layer of noodles, 1/3 of squash, remaining greens, 1/3 of cheese. Top the final layer of noodles with the remaining squash. When you’re all done you will have 3 layers of noodles, 3 layers of squash, 3 layers of cheese and 2 layers of greens. Cover with foil or lid and bake at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Remove foil or lid for the final 5 minutes of cooking, and sprinkle with remaining cheese (this way it doesn't stick to the foil. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes while you prepare the brown butter sauce.

For the sauce:
Melt butter in medium skillet or sauce pan over medium heat. Add garlic. Once butter starts to brown, add sage leaves (careful, the butter goes from brown to burnt in a matter of seconds!). Stir quickly then add flour and stir to form a roux. Cook for 1 minute to cook flour and add broth, stirring until mixture is smooth and cooking until mixture is thickened slightly. Add more broth if desired—sauce can be as thin or as thick as you like.

Serve lasagna with sauce spooned on top and sprinkled with additional cheese if desired.


Roasted Baby Artichokes (Serves 2)
6 Baby artichokes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbs Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
1 lemon

Prepare a large bowl or pot with 1 quart of water and place lemon wedges, squeezed, into the water. Trim artichokes by removing the top 1/3 of artichoke and outer leaves. Trim stalk by 1/2-inch. Quarter artichokes and place immediately into lemon-water to prevent them from browning too much. Place olive oil and crushed garlic into baking dish. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove artichokes from water and shake excess water from them. Add to prepared dish and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Cover dish with lid or foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, until artichokes are tender. Remove lid or foil for last 10 minutes. Serve with additional lemon wedges if desired.

You can also get more elaborate on this dish and add rosemary, lemon zest, oregano, or any other flavorings that suit you, but the simple salt-garlic-pepper blend leaves the artichoke flavor to shine through.


Vegetarian Tuscan Potato Soup (Serves 2-4)
1 lb Potatoes
2 (small) Turnips
2 cups Greens, chopped (Rapini, Escarole, Kale or Chard work best)
1/4 cup Onions or scallions, chopped (if using scallions, divide greens from bottoms and reserve greens for garnish)
1/4 cup Basil, loosely packed & divided
1 tsp Fennel Seed, crushed
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
3 cloves Garlic or stalks green garlic
1/2 cup Cream or half-and-half
1 quart Vegetable broth
1 cup Garbanzo beans (cooked) or Italian Sausage (cooked, for non-vegetarian version)
Salt & Pepper

Heat 4 Tbs olive oil in soup pot. Add onions, garlic, fennel, red pepper and sauté over medium heat until onions begin to turn transluscent, about 4-5 minutes. Add beans, turnips, and potatoes and sauté 2 minutes more. Add broth, cover and bring to a boil. Cook 10-15 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add greens and half of basil (chopped), stir and bring back to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until greens are tender. Remove from heat, add cream and more broth if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Top with basil chiffonade and green onion tops if desired.

The soup, I thought, was good, but a bit on the bland side--probably a side effect from using beans instead of spicy Italian sausage as the original recipe calls for. It also needed more salt and pepper (remember: potatoes tend to absorb a lot of salt and other spices, so it leaves the remaining broth a bit on the underseasoned side).


Beet Carpaccio Salad with Candied Pecans and Goat Cheese (Serves Two)
1 cup Mixed greens or chopped lettuce
1 Orange or grapefruit, skin removed
3 Beets, cooked
1/2 cup Red Cabbage
2 Carrots
1 oz goat cheese (Chevre), crumbled

Vinaigrette:
1 tsp Honey
1 Tbs Red Wine or Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 tsp Prepared, quality mustard (optional)
Salt and pepper

Candied Pecans:
1/4 cup pecans
2 Tbs sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves, allspice, black pepper.

Prepare vinaigrette: combine all ingredients in a small bowl or bottle. Whisk until combined. Set aside.

For candied pecans: heat sugar, water and spices in heavy-bottomed skillet until it boils. Add pecans and stir to coat. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until liquid dissolves and sugar begins to crystallize. Remove from heat and remove nuts to a small piece of parchment or waxed paper. Break apart immediately to cool (Careful! Sugar is very hot!). Set aside

Slice orange or grapefruit cross-wise into 1/4-inch slices. Do the same with the beets. Finely shred carrots and cabbage. Divide lettuce onto two plates. Layer three slices of orange in the middle, in the shape of a flower. Surround by slices of beets. Top with shredded cabbage, carrots, goat cheese and candied pecans. Dress with vinaigrette.

This is really just a fancy name for a relatively basic salad (well, at least it's a standard in our household); tart apples also pair well with the beets if you don't have citrus, and in place of slicing everything up (which requires eating the salad with fork AND knife), you can cut them up into bite-size chunks. You can also substitute any nuts or seeds for the pecans and candying them is completely optional. You can sweeten the candied nuts with honey, maple syrup or agave syrup, but the result will not be crunchy and will be somewhat sticky instead. Any good vinaigrette or poppyseed dressing pairs wonderfully with this salad, just hold the Ranch!


Grapefruit-Pomegranate-Ginger Cocktails (Makes one 8-10-oz drink)
1 Tbs Ginger syrup
1 Grapefruit
4 oz Seltzer water
2 oz Pomegranate Juice
Ice

Place ice in 10 oz glass. Add ingredients in order. Serve topped with mint sprigs if desired.


Ginger syrup (Makes 2 cups)
2 Tbs Fresh ginger, minced or grated
1/2 cup Sugar (or substitute 1/4 cup honey)
1/4 cup Honey (or substitute 1/2 cup sugar)
2 cups Water

Heat all ingredients in small pan to boiling. Reduce heat to medium and cook, simmering rapidly, for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. When cool, strain mixture into a clean, sterilized jar. Remaining ginger can be used in tor baking (flavor will be more muted but still present). Ginger syurp can be used to flavor drinks, desserts, teas, fruit salads, etc. Will keep in refrigerator for up to 6 months

I usually freeze my gingerroot to make it easier to grate, and store for longer periods of time, but end up with little knuckle-buster end pieces. So I make this syrup to use them up (or likewise to use up any pieces of ginger that you can't use for something else), but I have also bought and sliced up ginger just to use for this purpose! You can reduce the amount of water in the recipe by half or more to make a thicker syrup if desired. There is no need to peel the ginger for this recipe (I never do anyway), but it should be well-scrubbed but ginger is very easy to peel by simply scraping with the edge of a spoon.


Citrus Olive Oil Cake (Makes 2: 8x2-inch layers or 1: 9x13 sheet)
1-1/2 cups Flour
3/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Olive Oil
1 Orange, zested and juiced to make 1/3 cup
2/3 cup Yogurt or buttermilk
3 Eggs
1-1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Almonds, slivered
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 deg F. Whisk eggs, orange zest, orange juice, yogurt and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir in egg mixture until combined. Fold in oil until thoroughly incorporated. Pour batter into greased pan; sprinkle with almonds and bake 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

We didn't actually make this cake for the class, but I am sharing the recipe because it was an absolutely scrumptious cake, with the perfect texture and not-too-sweet flavor.


Olive Oil Almond Tuiles (Makes 10-12 Tuiles)
1/4 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
2 Tbs Flour
2 Tbs Semolina
1 Egg white
1/2 tsp Lemon or orange zest
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, scraped

Whisk all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Spoon mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheet and spread into thin, rounds (an offset spatula works ideally for this task). Cookies can be made as large or small as you like. Bake at 375 degrees F for 5-10 minutes (depending on size of cookies), until edges are slightly browned--careful, they burn QUICKLY! Remove from oven. Remove cookies from paper immediately and mold if desired (lay over a rolling pin to make traditional tuiles, over inverted muffin tin to make tulips or baskets, over a wooden spoon handle to make cigarettes, etc.). Let cool. Serve as is, or along with other desserts (ice cream, lemon curd, fruit compote, etc.)

These delicate little cookies are so simple it's not even funny. The ONLY fussy part about them is getting the batter thin enough on the cookie sheet to make a delicate, crispy, cookie. If it is too thick, the result will still be tasty, but will not be crispy, more cake-like instead. It is also VERY, VERY important to use a large or extra large egg for the white. We used small-medium (as they were from the farm, and not sized), and the cookies ended up extra sugary, which made them burn quickly and have an odd texture, not conducive to shaping.

Vegetable Lentil Soup

Here's a delicious vegetarian recipe that will use up all the extra veggies in your crisper drawer.

Essential ingredients:

1/2 large yellow onion
3-5 carrots (about 1.5 cups chopped)
4 celery stalks (about 1.5 cups chopped)
4-6 cloves garlic
1 TBSP thyme leaves
1 tsp oregano
2 bay leaves
2 16 oz cans tomatoes plus juice
1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed
1.5-2 liters stock (I used mushroom but chicken or beef would work as well as a non-vegetarian option)
Olive oil

Optional ingredients - use whatever you have on hand and would like in the soup. This is what I had:

1 red bell pepper
3/4 c. flat-leafed parsley
1/4 c. freshly shelled peas
6 i'itoi (green) onions, white and green parts
2 cups chopped greens - I used mizuna but kale or chard would work nicely too

Chop the veggies ahead of time and keep in separate piles.

Put about 2 TBSP olive oil into a large soup pot. Heat until the oil starts to shimmer, then add the onion, carrot and celery to the oil. Cook on medium heat until the carrots start to soften; about 7 minutes. Stir often. The vegetables should sweat, not brown.

Add the garlic, thyme, oregano and optional veggies (minus greens) to the pot. Cook, stirring often, for about three minutes, until you can smell the garlic cooking.

Add the stock and lentils to the pot. Chop the tomatoes and add them and the juice from both cans*. Stir it all together and add the bay leaves. Poke them down into the liquid.

Cover and bring the soup to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 45 minutes, then check the lentils for tenderness. Cook longer if needed. Once the lentils are tender, season the soup to taste with salt** and cracked pepper. Fish out the bay leaves and discard them. Add the greens to the pot. Cover and cook for another 20 minutes.

*This is very much a tomato-based soup. If you don't want such strong tomato flavor, reduce to one can and add two more cups stock to the recipe.
**Add salt at the very end. If it is added earlier in cooking, the lentils will be tough.

Serve with a salad and hot bread with butter. YUM.

What else would work well in this soup? Turnips, added with the greens. Kohlrabi, added with the 2nd batch of veggies. Spinach, added about five minutes before serving. 1/4 c. wheat berries, added with the lentils.

It's a versatile recipe! Enjoy!

Bubble & Squeak, Colcannon, Rumbledethumps, Stamppot...Call it what you like, we call it comfort food!

I have been making some variation of these traditional European dishes for quite some time now, but never really knew how similar they were to one another. The dish can be SOOOOO easy to prepare; quick, simple, warm and comforting. It can be a meal in itself, or it can be served with any number of meat side dishes; corned beef, sausage or ham is common, and frequently is mixed right into the hash, but a fried or poached egg is delicious as well.

Traditionally, these hashed potato and cabbage (or kale) dishes were a way to use up vegetables leftover from a Sunday roast dinner. Most frequently, the potato and cabbage are the only vegetables, but you can use carrots, turnips, sweet potatoes, or any other veggie that suits your taste. Adding some chopped dark greens helps liven up the color contrast a bit as well. If it suits your taste, you can also mix in diced or shredded cheese (strong Irish cheddar.

In addition, you can prepare the dish in any number of ways, from a simple hashed/mashed version, to fried patties of hash. We have also prepared a version of this dish as more of a soup/stew to which I add egg noodles when I add the cabbage. The proportions listed below are flexible and forgiving. I usually use about a 1:1 ration of potatoes to cabbage, but it very easily accommodates more cabbage or more potatoes depending on your preference. One item to note, if you opt for doubling the cabbage, you might need to add an egg to hold it together for frying into patties.

1 lb potatoes, cubed (we usually leave the skins on, but this is up to you)
1 lb cabbage, chopped roughly
2-3 cups water or broth*
2 scallions (or I'Itoi onions), chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbs butter or olive oil (optional)

Place water or broth in large pot with potatoes and garlic. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook 10-15 minutes or until almost cooked through (this will depend on how big your chunks are). Add cabbage and return to a boil. Cook until cabbage is tender, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, add onions, salt and pepper, butter or oil (if using) and mash coarsely with a potato masher. At this point, you can serve the dish as-is (or dressed up to your liking), or you can opt to fry the mix into patties. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat with a few tablespoons of oil. Scoop mixture about 1/2 cup at a time into skillet; flatten to 1-inch thick patties with a spatula. Cook about 3-5 minutes on each side until browned and slightly crispy, adding more oil as needed. They are tricky to flip because there's not much holding them together, which is why I prefer to skip this step; you could possibly try coating the patties in breadcrumbs first, but I personally haven't tried this to know how it would work. Serve the patties or hash topped with sour cream or yogurt if desired.

*You can use more water, as if for boiling the potatoes and cabbage completely submersed, but you will have to drain it off and add the cooking liquid (or milk) back in if you are mashing the mixture. Also, if you opt to include egg noodles as mentioned in the headnotes you may need more water, or you can cook them separately and add them to the vegetables when they're finished cooking. When adding noodles, there is no need to mash the vegetables, just toss it all together with plenty of butter, salt and pepper!

Wheat Berry Chili

It was cold, snowy and windy Saturday here in Flagstaff and I definitely had a craving for a thick, yummy and spicy stew. I thought a stew would be a perfect vehicle for the wheat berries we got last week and I was right! They are sweet, earthy and chewy and provide great texture in a vegetarian chili. Wheat berries remind me of barley, and like barley, are a great source of dietary fiber. This recipe makes enough for about 4 hungry people.

Before starting the recipe, I soaked a 1/2 c. of wheat berries in 4 c. of water overnight. I also soaked the pinto, black and kidney beans overnight in enough water to cover by 5 in.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. wheat berries, soaked

1/2 c. black beans, soaked

1/2 c. pinto beans, soaked

1/4 c. kidney beans, soaked

1/2 onion, chopped

1 portobello mushroom, sliced

1 serrano chile pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped

1 14.5 oz can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes

1/2 head spinach, chopped or torn (any winter green would work nicely here)

chile powder

salt to taste

olive oil

For the topping:

sharp cheddar cheese, grated

avocado

cilantro

blue corn chips

To Prepare:

I cooked the wheat berries in the same water I soaked them in. I boiled them on a low flame for about an hour. I kept tasting them to see if they were done. They should taste chewy, but not hard. Drain and set aside. After soaking overnight, I drained the beans and cooked them in about 6 c. of fresh water over a low flame for about 2-2 1/2 hours. Again, taste and check for doneness. If you had a pressure cooker, you could save time here or use canned beans. Once the beans were done cooking, I drained them (reserving the bean water) and left about a cup of their cooking water still in the pot. To this I added the wheat berries and the can of tomatoes. I happened to have some leftover quinoa from the previous night and I threw that in as well. I put this on a low simmer. While that was simmering, I sauteed the onion, serrano, chipotle, garlic, portobello mushroom in some olive oil and salt. When that was done cooking, I added it to the pot of beans. Then I added the spinach. I threw in a little chile powder and some salt to taste. If the stew looks too thick, you could thin it out with some of the reserved bean water. I let it simmer for another 15-20 minutes to let the flavors combine. I served it garnished with grated cheddar cheese, avocado and cilantro. I also added some blue corn tortilla chips for scooping.

This stew definitely satisfied my craving! It was warming, hearty and delicious. I tend to like things spicy, so adjust the flavors to suit your preference.

Drink Your Greens!

Another fresh use of all kinds of greens is to add them to smoothies. By blending the raw greens, the enzymes and vitamins are preserved and they are broken down to be most easily digested. The combination of fruits and greens make a wonderful breakfast or a nutritious snack. Many people swear by the health benefits of a daily green smoothie.
A simple method to prepare a green smoothie is to fill the blender with washed and roughly chopped leafy greens (any kind, or even a mixture of several varieties can be used). Add just enough water or fruit juice to get things moving. Allow the blender to run long enough to create a smooth texture. Then, add the fruit. 3-4 pieces of fruit is a good ratio to a blender-full of greens. A banana is always a good choice for sweetness and texture. Oranges, mango, pineapple chunks, unpeeled apples, or a few handfuls of berries can be added according to flavor preferences. Supplements such as ground flax seed, coconut butter/oil, omega 3-6-9 oil, or any others are other great additions to boost any smoothie creation. Natural sweeteners such as maple syrup, agave nectar, and stevia can also be used. Get creative and have fun with all the possibilities!
Check out the following sites for more recipes and information on the benefits of green smoothies:

• Green Smoothie Girl
• eatsprouts.com
• Video: How to make a Green Smoothie
• We Like it Raw: Green Smoothie Recipes
• Ode to Green Smoothie
  

Arugula Salad with Beets and Goat Cheese

Here is a delicious salad from the food blog Simply Recipes that would be great in case some of you haven't used your arugula or beets from last week. Remember when you take your beets home to separate the root bulb from the greens. The greens will stay fresher that way. If you're stumped on how to prepare the greens, here is a recipe for beet greens from the NY Times.

In case you were wondering about how good beets are for you nutritionally, here is a brief article from the NY Times entitled Beets: The New Spinach. You will find links to more beet recipes here and instructions on how to roast beets.

So many ways, so little time...

Inspired by our abundance this past week, I am working on compiling a list of 100 different ways you can prepare leafy greens. Note: this does not include salad greens or cabbage, but the heartier and/or bitter greens we get a lot of.

The list is currently incomplete with the hopes that I will reach the goal of 100 very soon. If you have ideas for me, please feel free to share them as well.

Here is the list:
http://eatingisforfood.blogspot.com/2008/12/100-ways-with-greens.html

Happy experimenting!

Easy Greens Pizza/Pasta Sauce

Here is an easy way of using up quite a bit of the leafy greens we get in the bag that is also tasty. While I'm not a big fan of traditional pesto, this sauce is very similar to pesto and can be used interchangeably if desired. Excellent with tangy goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, etc. Here is a picture of the sauce used on a polenta-crusted pizza, of sorts.

• 1 bunch greens, washed and tough stems removed (so far I have successfully made this with lots of different greens: mustard, mizuna, arugula, turnip, beet, chard and any mix; I have not tried it with kale, however)


• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed (or roasted if desired)


• 1 tsp salt


• 1/2 tsp black pepper


• Oregano, basil, thyme, crushed red pepper, etc. to suit your tastes


• 1/4 cup olive oil

Blanch greens in boiling salted water. Drain, reserving liquid (if you are averse to the bitterness of the greens, you can discard all of the water and use fresh water for the sauce). Transfer greens to blender with garlic, olive oil and spices. Add enough cooking liquid or water to aid blending (adding by the 1/4 cup as needed)--it's better here to err on the side of less liquid than more. Puree mixture thoroughly. Transfer to a heated skillet and saute briefly to help the flavors meld. You may need to adjust the amount of liquid in the mixture depending on your use: for pizza sauce, it should be thick enough to spread, but for pasta sauce it can be thinner. If you ended up with a sauce too thin, you can simmer it longer to drive off the water, but the more you cook the greens, the fewer nutrients they retain. Also note that some greens (spinach, chard, probably others) contain oxalic acid, which will cause them to discolor (darken) when cooked in cast iron.