Greens Galore!

Yesterday my lovely roommate Mia came home with a wonderful surprise to share with the house that weighed about 20lbs.. No, not a puppy (like we need more animals in our house)... No, not chocolate (although, how sweet would that be!)... GREENS! All sorts of greens... in all sorts of shapes an sizes... kale, bok choy, mustard greens, parsely, dill, peppers, lettuce, cauliflower and the list goes on. Mia took a trip out to One Straw Farm for work and was coerced by Joan, the farmer, to take home with her as much as she could carry. The four or five huge, heavy bags that little tiny Mia carried home with her on the shuttle literally covered our dining room table when emptied out. Check it out.

Now I understand that not too many people would be as excited as us to recieve this bountiful bouquet of greens, but this was like Christmas morning for us and after we neatly organized everything into piles on our table (courtesy of OCD Mia) we couldn't wait to dig in. I know greens may be unfamiliar and even frightening for people, as most of us Americans are not eating many green leafy vegetables on a daily basis and are consequently missing out on all the beneficial nutrients that these vegetables provide. As a soon to be nutritionist, this makes me very sad!! So I'm here to show you that there are a countless number of ways to incorporate greens into your daily diet. Fear not the greens, my friends, but start embracing them! Tis the season!
Here are 8 simple and delicious ways to incorporate greens into your life.

1. Throw greens into soups/stews: this works well for any kind of green and almost any kind of soup that could use an extra boost of color. We added our greens to a hearty chili and it was delish!
2. Kale Chips: A healthy, crunchy snack that is a definite crowd pleaser.
3. Cook greens with eggs: Nothing like a veggie omelet in the morning to get your day going.
4. Mix greens into pasta dishes/casseroles: Add some green goodness to your next batch of mac n' cheese or pasta dish by boiling some greens right with the pasta water for the last few minutes.
5. Combine greens with beans: Not only do they rhyme, but beans and greens also taste fantastic great together! You culd do mexican black beans and greens or mediterranean chickpeas and greens with tomatoes.
6. Go RAW: Lighter greens like lettuce and spinach can definitely be eaten raw in salads, but so can heartier greens like kale and mustard greens. Just dress with lemon juice and some sea salt to help wilt the leaves a bit, and mix in some of your favorite toppings (raisins, almonds, onions, etc).
7. Keep with southern tradition: In the south, collard greens (or a combination of greens) are slowly cooked down with ham hocks and a splash of vinegar. If you don't have ham hocks, just sautee with bacon or ham pieces for extra flavor.
8. Keep it simple: Sautee whatever greens you have on hand with garlic and onions in a little bit of olive oil, and there you have a great side dish!

Any other suggestions? How do you like to eat your greens?

Lucky Black Eyed Pea Soup

Happy 2011! I hope everyone had a blast celebrating the new year and setting those infamous resolutions to start the year off on a good note.  I can't say that I intentionally set any specific goals for the next year, but I do hope to finish my grad program off strong, figure out my next career move, and have lots of fun new food adventures.  I've already been working on the latter, and for the next few weeks I will have a partner in crime in my kitchen, a.k.a. my boyfriend's sister, Emily. She's a 26 year old, incredible opera singer, who is in between performances right now, so she is staying with us in Baltimore while one of our other roommates is home for break. Emily is a ball of energy and not afraid to push my buttons and challenge me in the kitchen, so I can assure you that there will be some fun recipes and surprises over the next few weeks!

To honor my family's tradition of eating eating black eyed peas at the start of the new year for good luck, Emily and I made a hearty black eyed pea soup with chicken, brown rice, kale and lots of herbs and spices. This was the perfect soup to have after being out in the cold this afternoon watching the Ravens beat up on the Bengals. Playoffs- here we come... GO RAVENS! This soup's got everything you need for a healthy, satisfying meal in just one pot.  And if you make a big pot on Sunday then you can freeze the leftovers for ready-to-go meals throughout the next few weeks. 

LUCKY BLACK EYED PEA SOUP

Ingredients

2 cups dried black eyed peas

8 cups water

1/2 lb chicken breast

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 clove garlic

1 tblsp olive oil

1 bunch kale, washed and chopped

1-2 cups brown rice or grain blend

1 vegetable or chicken low-sodium bouillon cube (not a huge fan of these, but I do use them from time to time, as they are easy to keep on hand)

Herbs and spices: salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme, sage, red chili flakes, cayenne

Directions

1. Wash and sort the dried beans. Put them into a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 min.

2. Meanwhile, coat the chicken with a little bit of salt and pepper on both sides and cook in a pan with some olive oil. Chop or shred into small pieces and set aside.

3. In the same pan, heat a little bit more olive oil and cook the garlic, onions, carrots, celery with salt and pepper until softened. 

4. Once the beans have cooked for about 30 minutes or so and are nearly soft, add the cooked vegetables, shredded chicken, brown rice, kale bouillon cube, and the rest of the herbs and spices to taste.  Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes and adjust spices as needed. ENJOY!

Special thanks to my roommate Leann for being a taste tester of the soup! 

Mediterranean Kale, Tomatoes and Chickpeas

Here is another twist on my traditional beans and greens one-pan, one-bowl meal... Mediterranean style. I love any kind of Greek food... hummus, olives, feta/goat cheese... you name it.  I probably have no clue what "real" Mediterranean food tastes like, but all I can say is that I love the greek flavors and how easily vegetables can be incorporated into this cuisine.  Kale, onions, garlic, diced tomatoes and chickpeas can be used in a variety of cuisines with all sorts of different spices, but I especially like using greek-style spices like oregano, paprika, rosemary, parsley, thyme, pepper, etc. to really give a mouthful of flavor.  It's super easy, cheap and quick to make (especially when using canned tomatoes and beans- less than 20min); and it's also an incredibly satisfying and tasty meatless meal. Adding goat cheese at the end makes the dish creamy and tangy and really brings the Mediterranean flavor to the next level. You gotta try this!

MEDITERRANEAN KALE, TOMATOES & CHICKPEAS WITH GOAT CHEESE

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
2 cloves garlic
1/2 onion, chopped
olive oil
1 can (~2 cups) chickpeas
1 can organic diced tomatoes
Greek spices (whatever you got!): salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, thyme, paprika, parsley, etc.
Goat Cheese (Feta would be great also)

Directions:
1. De-stem the kale, wash the leaves well, and chop into bite-size pieces or strips.
2. In a saucepan, saute the garlic and onions in the olive oil for a few minutes on med-high heat until soft.
3. Add in the kale and cook about 10 minutes until the leaves cook down and soften (you made need to add a few splashes of water or broth)

4. Add in the tomatoes, chickpeas and spices and cook until heated through and well-combined.

5. Serve portions into bowls and stir in goat cheese until creamy. Add a nice glass of wine and that's what I call a healthy and happy dinner :-)

Messy Green Tacos

Yes, I know it's Tuesday, not Monday. I already failed on a promise that I would post a great veggie-friendly, hearty recipe every Monday for Meatless Monday. I was up late working on a paper due a midnight (got it turned it at 11:30 with 30min to spare.. woo!) so I have to admit that I just popped into the oven a Trader Joe's frozen spinach pie for dinner with some acorn squash. Still meatless, but not quite homemade. What can I say? There are some nights I just don't have the time or desire to cook a meal from scratch!  So here is a meal I made last week and didn't have a chance to post yet, but its a perfect fit for a easy, hearty and healthy Meatless Monday meal. 

MESSY GREEN TACOS

With the plethora of greens in my fridge recently, I have had to get creative with what I how I cook them. (Yes- even I can get sick of eating my greens sometimes). I found a box of hard shell corn taco shells in my pantry from a while back, and I thought, "Why not try greens in tacos??" Okay so they aren't really "green" tacos, but they have greens in them and they certainly are messy! So fun! I sauteed up some radish tops with onions, garlic and leftover chickpeas with some mexican spices (lots of cumin and chili powder with a touch of cayenne for some heat) for a flavorful, colorful, and nutritious taco stuffing. Any type of cooking greens and beans will work great, and feel free to throw in whatever leftover veggies you have in the fridge- that's the beauty of the recipe-less dish! Once the filling is all cooked up, just stuff the tacos and top with your favorite salsa, hot sauce and shredded cheese, and there you have a fun and messy way to eat your greens!

Greens, Beans and Grains

Still recovering from Halloween weekend and craving anything but sweets, I decided to make a quick, easy and uber-healthy one-pot dish for dinner tonight; and it can be summed up in three of my favorite words: Greens, beans and grains.  Let me expound upon each of these so you can understand my obsession with this combination as a weeknight go-to meal.

GREENS- By greens, I am referring to any of the dark, leafy greens that typically are cooked before eating: collards, kale, turnip, mustards, etc. You have most definitely heard this before, but let me tell you again that dark, leafy greens are nutritional powerhouses that should be added to everyone's diet! They are packed with all sorts of nutrients, including calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A, C, E, and K, fiber and many more. There are numerous studies in the scientific literature reporting the health benefits of eating this food, particularly their role in the prevention of cancer. Greens are widely available this time of year in farmers' markets and they are delicious when sauteed up with some onions, garlic and olive oil.

BEANS- I could go on all day about why beans and legumes should be a staple in everyone's diet. They are not only an excellent source of important nutrients and are well-known to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancers; but they are inexpensive, filling, easy to prepare and they come in all sorts of varieties.  Beans are a great and extremely satisfying meat substitute, as they are packed with protein and high in fiber. I am a big proponent of dried beans, which take a little bit of extra time to prepare, but it's totally worth it and you don't have to worry about the high sodium or potential BPA contamination from canned beans (but I do understand how convenient canned beans can be). I usually just make a big pot of beans over the weekend and savor them in many different ways throughout the week.

GRAINS- Last but not least, I turn to grains to complete this wonderful combination of nutrient-packed, satisfying foods. We've all heard it over and over, but let me just emphasize that whole grains are a crucial part of a healthy diet.  Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that, unlike processed or refined sources of carbohydrates, retain more B vitamins, vitamin E and all the fiber. There are so many different varieties that are becoming more and more available in supermarkets, so don't be afraid to try something new.  I am a huge fan of brown rice, whole wheat couscous, quinoa, amaranth, and barley, though the lists goes on and on, and even I am still trying new kinds! Like beans, I usually make a huge pot of grains to have for the week to use in a variety of dishes- such a time saver during the busy week.

GREEN, BEANS AND GRAINS
I could go on and on about these three foods, but I'll spare you and just say that ANY combination of them can be thrown together for a delicious, quick, easy, satisfying, and extremely nutritious meal. Today I happen to have on hand some collard greens, black eyed peas, and brown rice, so that's what I threw together.  Simply sautee the chopped up greens with some garlic, onions, and olive oil until well-softened and then add cooked beans and grains along with some spices of you choice.  Again, be creative and try new combinations to keep things interesting, fun and tasty!  ENJOY!