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 :-)

Kale, White Bean and Tomato Soup

As much as I love making soups in the crock pot, sometimes I just don't plan well enough to get everything into the pot in the morning to have it ready when I get home.  So, on those days when I am really craving a warm bowl of soup, but it isn't waiting for me ready in the crock pot, I want something that I can throw together really quickly. I know it can be tempting to just grab can of pre-made soup from your pantry and throw a bowl of it into the microwave, but nothing can beat the taste and satisfaction of a bowl of homemade soup, especially if it can be made in less than 30minutes. This Kale, White Bean and Tomato soup is a deliciously hearty, seasonal, and healthy dish for this time of year as the nights get colder and all we want to do is curl up in a blanket with a bowl of soup. That is surely what I did last night; so much for getting any school work done! It was well worth it though, and I even had plenty of leftovers that I froze so that I can savor this soup all throughout the cold season.

KALE, WHITE BEAN, AND TOMATO SOUP

Ingredients:

1 tblsp olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 medium carrot, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bunch of kale (any kind will do), washed and chopped

2 15oz cans of organic, diced, no-salt added tomatoes

~2 cups (or 1 can) navy beans (or any white bean)

4-5 cups Vegetable (or chicken) stock, low sodium

Salt and pepper to taste

~ 2tsp each of dried Oregano & Thyme

Directions: 

1. In a large pot, saute the onions, garlic and carrot in olive oil on medium heat until soft, about 5min.

2. Add the kale, tomatoes (with liquid), beans, stock, and salt/pepper/herbs. Stir everything together.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for about 25-30minutes until flavors are well-incorporated and kale is soft. Add additional seasonings to taste.  ENJOY!

Kale Chips

By popular demand, I am posting my recipe for kale chips.. yes, you read it right, chips made from that leafy green vegetable, kale. I went out on a limb and prepared this as an appetizer for my sister's baby shower that I hosted a few weeks ago at my house, and guess what? Everyone LOVED them!  Kale is one of the healthiest vegetables around, it is booming in season right now (translation- cheap!), and it's fantastically delicious; but for some reason, this vegetable is far under-appreciated and under-utilized.

This recipe for kale chips is a great introduction to the vegetable for ANYONE (kids, adult men and picky eaters included) and it is an amazingly healthy and tasty alternative to potato chips. Roasting the kale in a little bit of olive oil and seasonings really brings out the full, sweet flavor of the kale; the slight crunch, yet subtle chewiness is totally satisfying.. and I think the absolute BEST part about kale chips is that they are such a great conversation starter!  Not only can you feel great about eating them because they are so good for you, but you will also shock and awe anyone you make these for, I promise, and before you know it, everyone will be going home and making kale chips for their friends and families! What a trend setter you are :-)

KALE CHIPS

1 bunch of fresh kale (there are many varieties- any will work!)

~1 tblsp olive oil

pinch of salt & pepper

tiny pinch of red chili flakes for a bit of a kick (add more if you like the spice!)

Garlic powder is optional, but also delicious

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 375 degrees

2. Wash the kale really well and then dry really really well (they crisp up better in the oven when they are dry)

3. De-stem each leave, then chop into bite-size pieces

4. Toss with the olive oil (just a light, thin coating) and seasonings.

5. Spread the kale in a thin, even layer on a cookie sheet (you may need two cookie sheets depending on how much kale you have)

6. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until they start crisping up and turning slightly brown around the edges.

ENJOY!