Rose's Fresh Kale Salad
I first tried this recipe at a friend’s Thanksgiving party. From what I hear, this recipe has been passed around quite a bit, but Rose is the one who shared it with me. The kale in this recipe is crisp and flavorful. This recipe makes enough for about 6 large side servings. Who knows… maybe you’ll bring it to your next dinner party!
Ingredients
Marinade:
Juice of two lemons
5-10 cloves of garlic (depending on your taste)
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 tsp sweetener of choice (I used agave nector)
Salad:
2 bunches of kale
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (other nuts are okay, too)
1/2 cup crumbled feta*
1 cup sliced green grapes
1 avocado, diced
(*if you don’t eat dairy, you can make this without the feta OR check out Brighter Day. I just that they carry a non-dairy feta cheese! It’s made by Sunergia Soyfoods, and hey it’s not half bad.)
Preparation
Prepare kale by separating the leaves from the stems. Wash the leaves and break them into bite-sized pieces in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk marinade ingredients together. Add marinade to kale and mix thoroughly.
Add all of the rest of the salad ingredients and mix again. You can eat this salad right away, or make it ahead of time and let marinade.
Broccoli-Potato Soup with Fresh Herbs
The fresh mint and dill in this soup really make the dish. This is bound to be a family favorite! This recipe originally found in Veganomican, The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into ¼ in pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried tarragon
several pinches of fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
6 cups veggie stock
2 pounds potatoes, cut into ½ in chunks
4 cups chopped broccoli (about 1 large bunch)
¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
Preparation
Heat a soup pot over medium heat and sauteé the onion in the olive oil for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, tarragon, black pepper, and salt and cook for another minute. Pour in the vegetable stock and add the potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil.
Once the soup is boiling, lower the heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for 15 more minutes.
Pureé about 1/3 of the soup in a blender or food processor, and return to pot. Add the fresh dill and mint, then let the soup sit for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
This cranberry sauce is easy and delicious, with perfect texture and sweetness. Recipe originally from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan, by Dreena Burton. (She is a wonderfully sweet woman, and her recipes are wonderful!) You can find her blog here.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup fresh cranberries
1 cup maple syrup
1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
Preparation:
Combine cranberries and syrup in a saucepan. Stir occasionally while heating on high heat, until syrup is boiling and berries start to pop. Decrease heat to low, and cook until cranberries break down completely. Add balsamic for a bit of tangy flavor. Cranberry sauce can be served warm or chilled.
Marinated Butternut Squash: Scapece Di Zucca
This recipe is probably the most delicious butternut squash recipe I’ve ever had. It’s flavorful and spicy. It paired great with the sweet Miso-Glazed Green Beans. This recipe is interesting because you leave the skins on instead of just tossing them. Originally featured on food network, this was created by chef Mario Batali.
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, seeded and cut into 1-inch slices
2 tbsp plus 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp cup red wine vinegar
1/2 medium red onion, sliced very thin
1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1 clove garlic, sliced very thin
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season the squash with salt and pepper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
Bake in the oven until skin is just tender, about 18 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together the remaining oil, vinegar, onion, chile flakes, oregano, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Remove the squash from the oven and pour the marinade over. Allow to cool for 20 minutes in the marinade, sprinkle with fresh mint leaves, and serve.
Miso-Glazed Green Beans with Mushrooms
These beans are flavorful and sweet, with a distinctly Asian taste of fresh ginger with lemon. White mushrooms can be used in place of the oyster/shiitake mushrooms. This recipe is also thanks to Delicious Living and can be found here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons mellow white miso
¾ cup warm water
1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
1 shallot, sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
8 ounces shiitake or oyster mushrooms, stems trimmed, cut into ½-inch slices
1½ pounds green beans, ends trimmed
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Preparation
Slowly whisk miso into warm water until smooth. Set aside.
Heat a deep, 12-inch sauté pan or very wide pot over medium heat, then add oil. Add shallot and ginger; cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot begins to brown. Add mushrooms and 1 teaspoon water, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover pan to allow mushrooms to sweat, about 5 minutes. Once mushrooms have begun to soften, remove lid, increase heat to medium, and cook until mushrooms brown, about 10 minutes. Scrape mixture into a bowl and set aside.
Drop green beans into the same pan, then pour in miso mixture. Increase heat a bit and cover to allow beans to steam. Stir periodically, replacing lid each time. Cook until beans they are tender, about 10 minutes.
Add mushroom mixture to beans. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are heated through and miso mixture reduces to a glaze. Stir in lemon zest and serve.
Blue Potato Gratin with Mushrooms and Chard
This gratin is incredibly delicious, but very easy to make. I urge all of you to try it with some Georgia-fresh Farmhouse Blue cheese from Flat Creek Lodge. I’m not typically a blue chees eater, but the flavor is just right for this dish.
Although the recipe is for a 2 quart pan, you can make this recipe in any size dish, using a generous layer of each ingredient. Just be sure to use less milk for a smaller size. You can find this recipe’s original, thanks to Delicious Living, here.
Ingredients
1 medium bunch chard
½ pound small blue or russet potatoes
¼ cup milk
8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced (I used portobella)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup shredded fontina or Muenster cheese (less is okay)
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove stems from chard leaves and chop. Thinly slice potatoes to about 1/8” thickness. Use a mandoline or food processor if possible. Set aside.
Pour milk into a 2-quart casserole dish. Layer the mushroom along the bottom of the dish. Next add a layer of chard. Sprinkle the garlic on top. Arrange potatoe slices on top of these layers. Sprinkle half of the fontina/Muenster cheese on top. If you’re using less cheese, just sprinkle evenly. Cover with foil and bake until potatoes are tender (about 25 minutes).
Preheat the oven’s broiler. Remove foil and sprinkle remaining cheese on dish. Broil in oven until cheese melts (about 2 minutes). For firmer texture, let stand 5 minutes.
Pomegranate and Maple-Glazed Beets
This recipe was originally published in Delicious Living, available for free at Brighter Day Natural Foods. The flavor of this recipe is a great blend of sweet and tart.
Ingredients
2 pounds beets, cubed
¾ cup unsweetened 100% pomegranate juice
3 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cold water
Preparation
There are multiple methods for juicing a pomegranate, if you so choose to. I used a citrus juicer and a very fine strainer to separate the seeds from the juice.
Put beets in a saucepan and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender (about 25 min). Drain and set aside.
For sauce, combine pomegranate juice and maple syrup into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually pour into saucepan, whisking to incorporate. Simmer for 1 min then add beets and heat through. (If sauce is too bitter for your taste at the end, add a little extra maple syrup.)
Autumn Ravioli
This recipe was originally featured with the toasted pumpkin seeds in Ready Made Magazine. It can be found in its original nature here. These raviolis remind me of my favorite holiday comfort food, perogies, a tradition that’s been in my family since I was young. This tasty recipe is a little labor intensive, so leave some time to cook it up!
Ingredients
Ravioli Filling
1 tsp canola oil
1/3 cup minced shallots
¼ cup white wine
2 tsp finely chopped thyme
1 tsp finely chopped sage
1 ½ cup (1 med) pumpkin or butternut squash
3 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
34 wonton wrappers
Sauce
1/3 cup butter
½ cup thinly sliced shallots
10 sage leaves, torn into bite-size pieces
3 tbsp white wine
Preparation
Start by baking the pumpkin or squash. Cut in half and scoop out seeds. Lightly coat the open side of the pumpkin and lay face down on a cookie sheet. Bake 45-50 minutes in a 375 degree oven, or until skin is soft. Allow to cool slightly and scoop out the flesh, discarding skin. Mash any lumps and set aside.
For the filling, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallots and cook until translucent. Add wine, increase heat to medium, and cook until wine reduces to a creamy consistency. Stir in herbs and remove from heat. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, and stir in pumpkin and Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the ravioli, work in batches. Start by laying out wonton wrappers on a dry surface. Spoon two teaspoons of pumpkin mixture into the center of one wonton wrapper. Dip your finger in water and moisten the two edges of the wrapper closest to you. Starting with the point farthest from you, fold the wrapper over the filling to form a triangle. Press the edges to seal completely. Moisten with a little more water if needed, and press edges with fork tine to ensure they are sealed. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
(We made homemade wheat noodles, but I suggest just buying wonton wrappers!)
Bring a large saucepot of at least three quarts of salted water to boil.
For the sauce, melt butter in a separate large saucepan over medium-high heat. As soon as it melts, add shallots and cook, watching constantly until butter starts to brown, about two minutes (if butter smarts to smoke, lower heat). Add sage leaves and cook until shallots start to caramelize and butter is a nutty brown. Remove from heat to carefully add wine, then return pan to heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
Once the water in the saucepot reaches a rolling boil, lower heat slightly and cook ravioli in batches, about two minutes per 10 to 12 pieces. When ravioli float to the surface, they are ready. Remove from water using a slotted spoon, and transfer to saucepan with browned butter. Repeat until all ravioli are cooked.
Toss ravioli with sauce, then transfer to a platter and serve immediately.
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
If you have extra pumpkin seeds from all of that jack o’lantern carving this week, don’t toss ‘em! Save them for a tasty toasted snack. This toasted pumpkin seed recipe is thanks to Dominique Andrews of Ready Made Magazine. Top salads or yogurt with these seeds, or just keep them around to munch on.
Ingredients
Sweet spice blend:
2 tsp light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Savory spice blend:
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Preparation
1. Remove the seeds from the stringy pumpkin flesh with your fingers. Discard any moldy or darkened seeds.
2. Carefully rinse the seeds in a colander to remove any clingy fibers, then drain the seeds and transfer them to a cookie sheet.
3. If you want to remove the hulls (the white protective coating on the seeds, which are edible and high in fiber but tough to chew), first break them up with a rolling pin, then drop the seeds into a large bowl filled with water. Stir vigorously, bringing all the kernels into contact with the water and breaking the surface tension. The kernels will sink to the bottom. Discard the shells floating on the top, then drain the water in a colander to retrieve the seeds.
4. Spread them out on a cookie sheet and place in an unheated oven to dry overnight.
(Before moving on, I would suggest popping them in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes. This will make them extra crispy!)
5. Whether hulled or not, pumpkin seeds can be toasted with a sweet or savory blend of spices. Heat two teaspoons of canola oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
6. Add 1 cup of pumpkin seeds, stirring to coat with the oil. When some of the seeds start to puff, add the spice mixture of choice and stir to coat all the seeds.
7. Toast until seeds start to pop and turn golden brown, four to five minutes.
Garlic Greens over Quinoa
If you’ve never eaten a vegetable like chard or kale, this is the time to try it out! Both greens can be harvested year round, so they are great for winter recipes. If you’ve ever had hesitation about tasting these good-for-you greens, this easy recipe will change your mind.
High in protein and amino acids, Quinoa is an acient whole grain that can be substituted for rice. I use Alter Eco Fair Trade red quinoa from Bolivia, purchased at Brighter Day, but any type can be used. Fair Trade products benefit small farms, improving their techniques and working conditions.
Ingredients
For Greens:
1 large bunch kale or chard
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
For Quinoa:
1 tbps oil
1/4 cup mushroom, chopped
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1/2 boullion cube
Small bunch cilantro, chopped (optional)
Preparation
1. Combine quinoa, water and boullion cube in pot. Heat on high until boiling. Reduce heat and cover until all water is absorbed. Add mushrooms, cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and set aside.
2. To prepare greens, separate kale leaves from thick stems. Add water to a pot until it’s about 1/2 in deep. Add salt and heat on high until boiling. Add greens and cover. Cook for about 15 min, stirring occasionally.
3. Heat oil and garlic in sauce pan. Sauté until lightly browned. Add greens and vinegar. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring with tongs.
4. Serve greens over a scoop of quinoa.
5. *Optional step* Save stems and chop. After removing leaves from pan, sauté the stems with the garlic oil left in the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes and serve with the rest of the dish. The stems can take a little longer to cook, but are full of nutritional goodness!
A printable recipe card can be found here!
