Spinach and Kale Salad With Shallot and Mustard Vinaigrette

Shallot and Mustard Vinaigrette

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 heaping teaspoons Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste

Mix all the ingredients together and whisk vigorously or blend. Can be kept in  fridge for one week.

Spinach and Kale Salad with Feta Cheese

1 bunch of red Russian kale

1 bag of spinach, washed and rough chopped

1 cippolini onion, sliced thin

6 oz feta cheese, diced

Remove stem from kale and rough chop then toss together with chopped spinach and sliced cippolini onion. 

Drizzle salad dressing into bowl of ingredients and then lightly toss. 

Add feta to the salad and serve. 

Fried Potato and Broccoli - Indian Style

1-2 heads of broccoli cut into small florets

1-2# potatoes- cut into thin half moons

1-2 onions, sliced thin

1/4tsp turmeric powder    

1 tsp red chili powder 

¼ tsp cumin powder 

Salt to taste

1 Tbsp cooking oil

¼ tsp mustard seeds 

1 tsp fennel seed

Wash the broccoli and chop it into small florets. You can use the stem of the broccoli spear also after peeling it.

Wash potatoes and slice into half moons roughly the same size as the broccoli florets.

Heat oil in the pan and add mustard seeds. When it begins to sputter, add the fennel seeds.

Add the chopped potatoes along with salt and pinch of turmeric.

Stir fry the potatoes over medium heat until they are half-cooked. You can cover with a lid for some time to cook it faster. Do not add water.

When the potatoes are partially cooked, add the broccoli florets and the onion. Stir fry over medium heat for 5 minutes until the broccoli turns dark green.

Now add the red chili powder, cumin powder. Reduce the heat and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Delicata and Green Bean Casserole

1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into inch pieces

1 Portobello mushroom, thinly sliced

2 small yellow onions sliced thin

3 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

2 cups whole milk

salt and pepper to taste

1 medium-sized delicata squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

about 2 oz. grated parmesan 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a wide pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown slightly. Add the onion slices and another pinch of salt and pepper. Decrease heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until the onions are just translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat and once just melted, stir in the flour. Continue stirring until the mixture becomes bubbly and appears liquid. Continue stirring frequently until the mixture turns golden-brown, about 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in another pan until just warmed through (do not bring to a boil). Grab a whisk and while whisking the butter and flour mixture rapidly, pour in the warmed milk. Continue whisking until the mixture appears smooth and no large lumps appear. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Continue whisking at a rolling boil for another 5-6 minutes, until the mixture thickens significantly. Add salt, pepper and optional nutmeg to taste and remove from heat. Congratulations! You just made a béchamel sauce (gravy).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the delicata squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds and pulp. Slice very thin across the squash to create little crescent moons. Toss with the olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Stir the green beans, mushrooms and onions into the béchamel sauce. Taste, and add salt and pepper as desired. Add about half of the squash to the bottom of a casserole dish then pour green bean mixture in and spread evenly. Scatter the remaining squash evenly across the top of the bean mixture. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables sliced on top appear golden and sizzling. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Creamy Thai-Inspired Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

3 cups diced peeled carrots

3 cups diced peeled sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 cups chopped yellow (sweet) onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons red curry paste

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more if needed

¼ cup raw almond butter or peanut butter

½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Up to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, if you like spice)

In a large pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, until the onion is translucent.

Stir in the curry paste. In a small bowl, whisk together some of the broth with the almond butter until smooth. Add the mixture to the pot, along with the carrots, sweet potatoes, salt, and remaining vegetable broth. Stir until combined.

Bring the soup to a low boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender.

Ladle the soup carefully into a blender. You will likely have to do this in a couple of batches, depending on the size of your blender (never fill your blender past the maximum fill line). Being careful to avoid hot steam escaping from the lid, blend on low and slowly increase the speed until the soup is completely smooth. (Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender and blend the soup directly in the pot.)

Taste, and season with salt and black pepper. If you’d like more spice, add a pinch or full ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and blend again. Transfer the soup back to the pot and reheat if necessary. If desired, you can thin the soup out with a bit more broth if it’s too thick for your preference.

Coconut Creamed Collards

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 bunch collard greens, stems removed, cut into ribbons

1 can coconut milk plus one can full of water

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 to 2 tablespoons tamari, to taste

Salt, to taste

Dash red chili flakes, to taste

Melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté until it's clear and soft. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, for another minute.

Add the collard greens to the pan. Stir frequently for a minute or two, until the collards are just wilting.

Add the coconut milk, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of tamari to the skillet and stir everything well. When the mixture is simmering, reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the greens are totally tender. If the simmering liquid starts to dry up, add a few splashes of water as you go along.

Season the greens to taste with extra tamari, if desired, as well as salt and red chili flakes. Serve.

Cherry Tomato and Onion Pie

1 refrigerated rolled pie crust 

½ cup shredded Pecorino, plus more for topping

 ½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved 

½-1 onion cut into thin slices

Drizzle with Balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided 

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons small or torn basil leaves 

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Roll the pie crust into a 7-by-10-inch rectangle or a 9-inch circle and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Top pie crust with cheese, leaving a 2-inch border. Evenly spread sliced onions on the bottom of the crust and top with cherry tomatoes, cut-sides up. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, oil and season with salt and pepper. Fold crust edges over outer edge of tomatoes, pleating as needed. Brush crust edges with remaining oil.

Bake until crust is golden and tomatoes are bubbling, 30-35 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle with basil before serving.