Cornbread Dressing

I know I'm posting this too late for Thanksgiving (this year), but here's something you can make for Christmas.  Vegans, I'm sorry this isn't vegan...it's got eggs.  However, I don't see why you couldn't use Ener-G's Egg Replacer in the cornbread recipe (here), and I KNOW you can skip the eggs in this recipe.  The dressing might not be as firm, but it will taste just fine.
The foundation of this recipe is from Irma Rombauer's Joy of Cooking with plenty of tweaks.  The cornbread recipe is from my sweet grandma.

Ingredients:
1/4 c. plus 2 T. canola oil, separated
1 recipe of cornbread (recipe here)
1 T. plus 1.5 t. dried sage
2 c. chopped onions
1 c. finely chopped celery
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
 3 c. vegetable broth/stock, separated
2 eggs, beaten, optional

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Pour 2 T. canola oil into a 9" x 13" baking dish, and use a paper towel to coat the dish with the oil.

Using clean hands, crumble the cornbread in a large bowl to the desired texture. (I like mine very crumbly, so I have almost no chunks in it when I'm preparing it.)  Mix the sage into the crumbled cornbread so that it is evenly distributed.

In a large skillet, heat 1/4 c. canola oil over medium-high heat.  Sauté the onions and celery until the vegetables are soft.  Stir the salt and pepper into the vegetables, then stir the vegetables into the crumbled cornbread so that they are evenly distributed.

Mix 2 cups vegetable broth/stock and the eggs, if using, into the cornbread mixture, 1/2 c. at a time, so that the mixture is uniformly moistened.  Spread the mixture evenly in the oiled baking dish, and pour the remaining 1 cup vegetable broth/stock evenly over the top.  The pan will look very moist; this is normal.

Bake for 45 minutes, and serve hot.

Braised Cabbage with Red Beans

This lovely recipe is another barely modified dish from Donna Klein's book The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen.  It's got a creamy, soft taste, and it's easy enough for a weeknight.  Serve with crusty bread for a complete meal.

Ingredients:
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 - 3/4 head shredded green cabbage (enough for about 8 c.)
4 c. vegetable broth
1 c. arborio rice (It's important to use this specific variety of rice for this dish.)
salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
2 15-oz. cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Method:
In a medium stockpot with a lid, heat the oil over medium-low heat.  Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 10 minutes).

*

Add the cabbage and 1 c. broth, tossing to combine.  Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring a few times.  Add the remaining broth, and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the rice, salt (I used 3/4 t.), and pepper.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed (15 - 20 minutes).

*

Add the beans and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until heated through (about 5 minutes).  Serve warm.
*

Serves 4.

Barley and Sprouts Salad

This amazing salad came from Food Network magazine, and it's equally delicious served warm or cold.  I served it warm with dinner, then ate leftovers cold for a snack at work the next day.  I'm nuts for Brussels sprouts anyway, and I was happy to find an interesting way to incorporate barely into my diet.  I'm always looking to make friends with new, healthy vegetarian foods!

Ingredients:
2 c. vegetable broth
1 c. barley
1/2 t. salt, separated
2 t. olive oil
12 oz. Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced (about 3 c.)
grated lemon zest of one lemon

Method:
Bring the vegetable broth and 1/4 c. water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Stir in the barley and 1/4 t. salt.  Cover and cook over medium heat until the liquid is absorbed.  (Check the barley package for times.)

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil  in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the Brussels sprouts, lemon zest, and 1/4 t. salt to the skillet.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are the texture you like them.  (The recipe calls for "crisp-tender", but I like mine kind of soft so I cooked them longer.)

Toss the cooked barley with the cooked Brussels sprouts, and serve warm, room temperature, or even cold.  Serves 4 as a side dish.

Mexican Slaw

I'm excited to share this utterly simple, utterly healthy, utterly delish side dish recipe with you from Rick Bayless's Authentic Mexican cookbook.  This goes perfectly with oven-baked burritos, but I know you'll find many other perfect combinations for it, too. 

Ingredients:

1/2 small head cabbage (about 10 ounces)

2 thin slices of onion, broken into rings

3 T. cider vinegar

2 T. canola oil

1/2 t. salt

Method:

Core the cabbage and slice it very thinly.  Place it in a bowl with the onion.

Mix the vinegar, oil, and salt, then toss with the cabbage and onions.

Voila!  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Serves 4 - 6.

Lemony Greek Potatoes

Eeeeeee!  Last night I made a new recipe from The Food Network magazine, and it was so fantastic!  It's a great end-of-winter dish, and finally something new with potatoes.  Note that the vinaigrette that the potatoes are tossed in is so yummy I would be perfectly happy using it as dressing for a green salad.  Make it and see what you think!

Ingredients:

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

3 T. freshly-squeezed lemon juice

1 small shallot, quartered (use regular onion of the same size in a pinch)

1 clove garlic, peeled

2 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves only

1/4 c. fresh parsley leaves, plus 1 T. chopped fresh parsley for serving

salt and freshly-ground black pepper

3 lbs. large russet potatoes, cut lengthwise into wedges

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425 degress F.

Put the olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, garlic, oregano, and 1/4 c. fresh parsley into a food processor.  Add a rounded 1/2 t. salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste.  Purée until mostly smooth.

Toss the potatoes with 1/2 c. of the prepared vinaigrette in a large bowl until wedges are coated.  Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Reserve the remaining vinaigrette.

Roast the potatoes until tender and golden, turning occasionally, 45 - 60 minutes.

Transfer the potatoes to a platter and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.  Season with salt and garnish with the chopped parsley.

Serves 6.

Veggie-Tofu Pot Pie

Here's a FANTASTIC vegan vegetable and tofu pot pie.  I know it's wrong, but I reminisce about the little freezer pot pies of my childhood.  This is a healthier, more humane walk down memory lane.  This recipe is a compilation of ideas from The Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer and The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook edited by Louise Hagler and Dorothy Bates.  Both of these cookbooks are HIGHLY recommended by moi!

The recipe is more of a weekend dish as it takes a while to make the crust and all the filling, then you still have to cook it.  But it's SO WORTH IT on a cold weekend evening!  If you like, make the crust in advance up to the point of shaping into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Irma Rombauer's pie crust recipe for a double crust goes like this.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 t. salt
3 T. cold unsalted vegan margarine, cut into chunks (I like Earth Balance brand.)
3/4 c. chilled vegetable shortening cut into chunks (Again, I like Earth Balance brand.)
6 T. ice water plus 1t. - 1 T. more ice water, as needed

Method:
Mix the flour and salt.  Using a pastry blender or working it in with your fingers, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture.  Cut in half of the chilled shortening using the same method until the flour has the consistency of cornmeal.  Cut in the remaining chilled shortening until it is pea-sized.

Sprinkle the dough with 6 T. ice water.  Blend gently into the dough until it just holds together.  If necessary to hold the ingredients together, add up to another 1 T. ice water, but no more.

Divide the dough in half.  Shape each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap.  Let it rest in the fridge for half an hour.



The rest of this recipe comes from The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook.

Ingredients:
1/4 c. flour
1 T. nutritional yeast flakes (Note that nutritional yeast comes in FLAKES and POWDER.  This recipe calls for FLAKES.)
1 t. salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 lb. Chinese-style tofu, excess water squeezed out, cut into 1/2-inch cubes  (I like to freeze my tofu for 24 hours, then thaw it.  It improves the texture.)
2 T. canola oil
1 c. onions, chopped
1/2 c. celery, chopped
2 c. frozen mixed vegetables (I used a mix that had peas, carrots, green beans, and corn.)
1 batch of Golden Gravy (second recipe in the post linked here)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine flour, nutritional yeast, salt, and garlic powder in a medium bowl.  Add the tofu and stir to coat the tofu in the powdered mixture.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the tofu and sauté until golden brown.  Add onions and celery to the pan, and continue to sauté until the onions are soft.  Add the frozen mixed vegetables and sauté until the vegetables are warm.  Stir in the Golden Gravy.

Using a cold rolling pin, roll out the first disk of dough for the bottom crust and fit it into a 9-inch deep dish pie pan.  Spoon the filling into the bottom crust.  Roll out the 2nd disk of dough for the top crust and fit over the pot pie filling.  Cinch the edges of the 2 crusts together with your fingers and trim off any excess dough.  Make an X in the middle of the pie and fold back the sections created by the X to make a vent for the pie.

Bake the pie on the middle rack of the oven for 30 - 40 minutes or until the top crust is lightly browned and the contents are bubbly in the vent.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.  Serves 6 - 8 as a single-dish meal.

Brussels Sprouts Ragout

I modified this recipe from one in the local daily newspaper, The Commercial Appeal. They cited their source as Vegetarian Times. They had it with a lemon/balsamic vinegar/maple syrup pan sauce, but I like it better with a simple shot of lemon. If you're not crazy about Brussels sprouts, this is one way to make them more approachable, mixing them with other vegetables. If you ARE crazy about Brussels sprouts (like me), it's yet another way of enjoying them!

 

 

 

Ingredients:
2 T. vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance.)
2 T. olive oil
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, washed/stemmed/quartered
2 1/2 c. thickly slicked leeks, all of the white and some of the green  (Wash the slices carefully, because leeks often have dirt and grit in the layers.
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. baby spinach, washed

salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
juice of 1 fresh lemon
1/2 c. toasted pecans (optional - Scott won't touch a savory dish with nuts in it!  You don't have to, either!)

Method:
Heat 1 T. margarine and 1 T. olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the Brussels sprouts, cover, and cook 8 - 10 minutes or until some are browned.  Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.

Return the pot to medium-low heat and heat the remaining 1 T. margarine and 1 T. olive oil.  Add leeks, cover, and cook 7 - 10 minutes or until leeks are soft and some are browned.  Uncover, add garlic, and sauté 1 minute.  If any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan, add 2 T. water to the pan and use a spatula to scrape them up, but do not remove them.

Mix the Brussels sprouts back in with the leeks, add the spinach, and cook until the spinach is wilted.  Stir in lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.  Garnish with pecans, if using.

Serves 2 - 3 as a side dish.

Tortellini Soup Verdura

This soup is from Food Network magazine and can be made lacto-vegetarian or vegan. I highly recommend the vegan version, because the soup has a very clean look and feel that I think dairy kind of corrupts. BUT, you're the one eating it, so you decide!

 

 

Ingredients:

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, diced

3 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 t. chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 t. dried thyme)

2 c. vegetable broth

1 9-oz pkg of vegetarian or vegan (like tofu or mushroom) tortellini or ravioli (You could also just use some sort of small, chunky pasta, but it won't be as "special.")

5 c. fresh baby spinach, washed and roughly chopped

salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

Method:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and 3 cups water, and increase heat to high. Cover, and bring to a boil, then add tortellini or ravioli. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until pasta is tender. (See pkg label for approximate cooking time.)

Add the spinach to the soup and cook, stirring, until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  I use plenty of both!

Serves 4.

NOTE: To made the soup a little heartier, you can add 1 15-oz. can of white beans, Great Northern beans, or navy beans, rinsed and drained.

Pumpkin Pound Cake

Here's a great seasonal recipe I got from Country Living magazine's November 2012 issue. You can use mashed sweet potatoes OR pureed pumpkin, so it's a great way to use up leftovers if you have just a bit left after opening a can or making a recipe.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

non-stick baking spray OR vegan margarine for greasing the pan plus flour

1.5 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. baking soda

1/8 t. salt

1 stick vegan margarine (I prefer Earth Balance brand.), at room temperature

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 t. vanilla OR almond extract

1 c. leftover mashed sweet potatoes OR pureed or canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

2 large eggs, at room temperature (vegans can try substituting Ener-G Egg Replacer)

1/2 c. chopped pecans

Method:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt together. (Use a fork to fluff them together if you don't have a sifter.)

In a large bowl and using an electric mixer at medium speed, cream butter, sugars, and flavoring extract until light and fluffy. Blend in sweet potatoes or pumpkin puree, then eggs one at a time. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in thirds. Blend until just combined.

Spoon batter into the greased and floured loaf pan. Sprinkle with pecans, and bake until the cake tests clean when a wooden skewer is inserted into the middle, 65 - 75 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Release cake from pan to cool completely.

Makes about 8 servings.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

A big fat THANK YOU! to my very good friend Christa who turned me on to this recipe from Oprah's website.  It is, in a word, outrageously delicious.  OK, that's 2 words.  And not only does it taste great, it includes sweet potatoes, which I'm trying to work into my diet more frequently.  Yay!  This recipe can easily be made vegan by omitting the cheese from the corn toritllas.  Just brush both sides of the tortilla with oil (instead of only one, as in the instructions), and brown both sides.  Either way, it makes 12 6-inch really yummy tacos.

Ingredients:

1.5 T. canola oil, divided

1 onion, peeled and diced

2 chipotles (from a can and in adobo sauce), minced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 + 1/4 t. salt, divided

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch dice

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

additional canola oil

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 t. ground black pepper (optional - I didn't use it.)

salsa, for serving

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 T. canola oil, then diced onion.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until transparent.  Stir in chipotles, garlic, and 1/2 t. salt.  Add sweet potato, remaining 1/2 T. canola oil, and another 1/2 t. salt, and stir to coat the potatoes with oil.  Cook one minute, then move the skillet to the oven and roast potatoes 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the tortillas.  Heat a frying pan or griddle (I used another cast-iron one.) over medium-high heat.  Brush 1 side of a tortilla lightly with oil, and place the oil side down in the pan.  (NOTE:  At this point you can scatter some shredded vegan cheese over the center of the tortilla if desired.)  Cook until tortilla is lightly golden brown on the underside but still flexible.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas

Remove the skillet from the oven and immediately stir in the black beans, black pepper, if using, and up to 1/4 t. salt, to taste.  Top each tortilla with the sweet potato mixture and a spoonful of salsa.  Try not to eat too many!

Spinach and Potato Soup

Remember when I said I was trying to incorporate more sweet potatoes into my diet?  Well, ditto for leafy greens.  This recipe has both, and I am able to take credit for this one myself.  It's been a fairly warm spring in Memphis, but we had a cold snap last night.  Soup was a warm and comforting supper, and this recipe is super easy!

Ingredients:
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
water or vegetable broth (I used water plus some leek broth I had in the freezer.)
salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
1 12-oz. package frozen crowder peas
1 can diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 12-oz. package chopped frozen spinach


Method:
In a stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Sauté the onion until transluscent.  Add the garlic, and sauté a minute more.  Add the diced potatoes plus water/broth to cover.  Add 1 t. salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste.


Raise heat to high and bring the water/broth to a boil. Add the frozen crowder peas plus additional salt, if desired (I used anotehr 1/2 t. and honestly could have used a little more.), and return to a boil. When the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork and the crowder peas have a proper cooked texture when bitten, add the can of diced tomatoes with juice and the frozen chopped spinach.  Add more water/broth, if necessary.  (The soup will be very spinach-y.)  Bring the soup briefly back to a boil to ensure all soup (including frozen spinach) is thawed and warm.  Adjust salt/pepper to taste, and serve warm with crackers, cornbread, or some other tasty bread.

Hot Chocolate Mix

Even though we've had a pretty warm winter, there have been chilly mornings and evenings that were still just right for hot chocolate.  Here's a recipe I got from Martha Stewart that allows you to make your own hot chocolate mix.  As her publications point out, you can make this mix and have enough to last you through the hot chocolate season.  It's economical, and it allows you to make vegan hot cocoa.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 c. sugar

2 1/4 c. cocoa

1 T. salt

plant-based milk, for serving

Method:

In a large bowl, sift the ingredients together.  Store them in an air-tight container.  To serve, pour 1 c. plant-based milk into a microwave-safe mug.  Zap the milk to the desired temperature, then add 3 heaping tablespoons (or more or less, to taste) of the mix and stir well with a fork to break up all the powdered lumps.

To make a larger batch, heat the plant-based milk in a saucepan, taking care not to boil it.  Add 3 T. of the mix per cup of milk used.

Citrus Tart

Here's a beautiful ovo-vegetarian (in case you're avoiding dairy) tart for your next special occasion.  I got the recipe from Southern Living magazine, and I topped it with citrus sections as they suggested.  I liked the citrus, because contrary to popular belief, citrus is actually in season in the winter.  However, sectioning the citrus was a bit tedious, and this would be equally delicious topped with kaleidoscopic strawberry and kiwi slices or maybe some other fresh fruit topping...use your imagination!

Ingredients:

CRUST -

1/2 c. sweetend flaked coconut

2 c. all-purpose flour

2/3 c. powdered sugar

3/4 c. vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance.)

1/4 t. coconut extract

FILLING -

2/3 c. sugar

2.5 T. cornstarch

1 1/3 c. orange juice

1 large egg, beaten

3 T. vegan margarine

2 t. orange zest

pinch of salt

TOPPING -

6 or so cirtus large enough to easily section with a paring knife OR

fresh fruit like sliced strawberries and kiwi OR

fresh fruit of your choice

Method:

The reason I intro'd this as "for your next special occasion" is that it takes a bit of effort to pull it all together.  You have to make the crust, make the filling, and slice or section all the fruit to arrange on top.  Keep that in mind.  Also, you'll probably want to make this a day or so in advance, because the filling needs to chill for several hours.  Here goes!

First, prepare the crust.  It's pretty easy!  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake the flaked coconut in a single layer in a shallow pan 4 - 5 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.  Allow coconut to cool completely (about 15 minutes).

Pulse the coconut, flour, and powedered sugar in a food processor 3 or 4 times or until combined.  Add vegan margarine and extract, then pulse 5 or 6 times or until crumbly.  With the food processor running, gradually add 3 T. water, and process until the dough forms a ball and leaves the sides of the bowl.

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface.  Roll it into a 10-in circle if using a 9-inch round tart pan or into a 12.5 x 10-inch rectangle if using a 12 x 9-inch rectangle tart pan.  Either way, the tart pan needs to have a removable bottom.  The rolled dough should be about 1/4-inch thick.  Press the rolled dough into the tart pan, onto the bottom and up the sides.  Trim the excess dough and either discard (gasp!) or save for another purpose.  (I used my excess to make 2 tiny crusts in ramekins for another use.)

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, and cool completely on a wire rack.

While the tart is cooling, make the filling.  Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a 3-qt. saucepan.  Gradually whisk in the orange juice.  Whisk in the egg.  Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.  Boil (still whisking) 3 - 4 minutes.

Remove the filling from heat.  Whisk in the vegan margarine, orange zest, and salt.  Spread the filling evenly into the cooled crust.  Place heavy-duty plastic wrap over the tart, directly touching the filling to prevent a skin from forming.  Chill the tart 8 hours.

Lastly, arrange your pretty citrus sections in a spiral or in rows on the tart.  I used Cara Cara oranges (which have a nice salmon color), Rio Star grapefruit (one of the reddest grapefruits), and white grapefruit (nearly colorless).  I think blood oranges would have been beautiful in the mix, but they were not available yet when I made the tart.  You could also choose to use all the same citrus for a monochrome effect.  To make your sections attractive, cut about 1/4 inch from the stem and blossom end of the citrus so that it can sit flat.  Then use a sharp knife to cut away every trace of the peel and pith around the sides.  Next use a sharp paring knife to cut the sections away from the membranes.  I found that very seedy or smallish citrus are nearly impossible to do....Alternatively, use the strawberry and kiwi slices or the fresh fruit of your choice.

It's kind of a lot of work, but the results are so pretty!  And no dairy!

Fried Apples

Here's a wonderful recipe for fried apples from Williams-Sonoma.  These are the perfect breakfast side dish to vegan Southern-style biscuits (recipe here) in the fall and winter.

Ingredients:

3 T. vegan margarine (I like Earth Balance.)

6 Fuji apples, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/2 c. sugar

1 t. cornstarch

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. salt

2 t. vanilla

Method:

In a medium nonstick skillet, melt vegan margarine over medium-high heat.  Add apples, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally to coat apples, about 18 minutes.  Remove skillet from heat and stir in vanilla.  Serves 4 - 6 as a side dish.

Sauteed Baby Collard Greens for Luck in the New Year

Happy New Year!  In the Southeastern US, we have a lot of food traditions.  One of them is that on New Year's Day, you are supposed to eat black-eyed peas for luck and greens for money.  And when people say "greens" in the South, they usually mean collard greens that are cooked with meat.   Here's a vegetarian "greens" recipe you can use for luck and money (and important nutrients!) in the new year.  It's not traditional, but it's good.  I got it from Jennifer Biggs's column in The Commercial Appeal.  She credited http://www.sweetandsavoryfoods.blogspot.com/.  I served the sautéed baby collard greens with black-eyed peas and sweet potato casserole (recipe here, topping here) for a delicious, balanced, and pretty seasonal meal.  The greens serve 2 - 4 people as a side dish.

Ingredients:

baby collard greens (The recipe calls for "one bunch" of collard greens, which is pretty ambiguous.  I got a bag of baby collards from a vendor at our local farmers' market, and I'd say it was about a 1.5-gallon bag that was full.  Remember that greens reduce in bulk significantly when cooked.)

2 T. olive oil

1 T. crushed red pepper flakes (The amount here scared me a little, but it was totally fine with the quantity of greens I used.)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

salt, to taste

vinegar (optional), to taste (I didn't use it, but it's pretty common in the South to put vinegar on greens, so feel free to give it a whirl.)

Method:

Wash the collards well in a sink full of water.  You may need to wash them twice to get all the grit and dirt off.  Remove the thick stems by folding the leaves in half at the stem and ripping the stem out.  Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces, and whirl them in a salad spinner to get most of the water off.

In a large pan with a well-fitting lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the red pepper flakes and the minced garlic, then add the collard greens and salt to taste (I salted pretty generously from a shaker...maybe 3 generous passes or so to start.), stirring everything to coat the leaves thoroughly.  Cover the pan, and allow the greens to steam for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until they have wilted.  Reduce heat to low and allow greens to continue to steam until a taste test reveals they are tender and flavorful.  Serve, splashed with vinegar if desired.

Beth's Lentils

I got the original version of this recipe from Peta's cookbook The Compassionate Cook, which I highly recommend for great vegan food.  I don't know who Beth is, but her lentils are great!  And the ease of a one-pot meal is welcome on work nights.  Serve it with cornbread for a perfect cool-weather supper.

Ingredients:

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

between 1/2 and 1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced

crushed red pepper, to taste (optional - This dish is good with and without this ingredient.  Decide whether you're in the mood for something spicy tonight!)

1/2 t. dried thyme

3 c. vegetable broth or water

1 c. lentils (I used the tiny black French lentils, which gave the dish an elegant feel, but the the plain green lentils work fine, too.)

1 t. salt (or to taste)

2 14-oz. cans of chopped tomatoes (or maybe even the fire-roasted type of tomatoes)

4 or 5 large sprigs of fresh oregano (You can substitute 1 T. dried oregano if fresh is not available.)

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven or large pan over medium heat.  Sauté the onion, carrot, and crushed red pepper (if using) in the oil until the onion is transluscent, about 5 minutes.  Add the thyme and sauté one minute longer.

Add all remaining ingredients except oregano, bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer.  Cook until the lentils are tender, about 50 minutes.  Add the oregano after simmering 40 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Warm Kale and Potato Salad with Mustard-Lemon Dressing

I tried a new recipe from Martha Stewart last night, and I felt it was worth sharing. Since The salad is a nice change of pace during the late winter when in-season produce is limited. The only real change I made was cutting down the mustard, so if you love mustard, amp it back up.  Here's the 411:

1.5 lbs. small potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 T. plus 2 t. extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly-ground pepper
1/2 t. mustard, or to taste
1 T. finely grated lemon zest
2 T. lemon juice
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 lb. kale, trimmed, cut into large pieces, and rinsed well (I just used 1 bunch of kale...no idea what it weighed.)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Combine the potatoes, onion slices, 1 T. oil, and 3/4 t. salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with pepper, and toss to coat. Spread mixture in a single layer. Roast, stirring potatoes and scraping the bottom of the pan every 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until potatoes are brown and crisp (35-45 minutes).

Combine mustard, zest, and juice in a bowl. Heat remaining 2 t. oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown (about 2 minutes). Add kale and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 6 minutes. Add mustard-lemon mixture and toss to coat. Cook until heated through. Sprinkle with 1/4 t. salt, and season with pepper. Toss with potatoes.

I served it with a side of Great Northern beans, a warmed baguette, and a glass of red wine.

Martha says the recipe serves 6, but I'd say that's only as a side dish. As a main dish, it serves about 3-4. Here's the per-serving info she gives: 268 calories, 1 g. saturated fat, 6 g unsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 48 g carbs, 389 mg sodium, 8 g. protein, 7 g fiber.

Swiss Chard with Pasta and a Lemon Shot

Don't judge me, but tonight was the very first time I've cooked with Swiss chard which, I believe, is a member of the beet family. I tried to grow it in my autumn garden this year, but I think I sowed the seeds too late for them to be productive. They sprouted, but then they didn't go anywhere. Maybe I didn't water them enough. I'm a VERY lazy gardener, especially when it comes to watering.

So while Scott's catching up with his very first best friend, Kareem, with whom he reconnected on Facebook (I guess Facebook is not 100% evil.), and while Romeo plays with a bug he found, and while Grace and Elvis sleep despite the fact that they've been sleeping since they "got up" this morning, I thought I'd post my Swiss chard project for the evening. It turned out fabulously!! I can't wait to eat it again! Here goes:

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 T. vegan margarine
1 shallot, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard (I got the kind with brilliantly red stems.), washed
1 t. salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I like a generous amount. You may not.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 lb. penne pasta (or, you know, you choose the shape)

First, rip the washed chard leaves from their stems and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice the stems, sort of like celery.

Start a large pot of salted water on the stove to reach boiling. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

In the meantime, melt the vegan margarine with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the minced shallot in the oil/margarine combination until it is transparent. (Don't all recipes start sort of like this?) Add the chard stem slices, the salt, and the black pepper. Sauté for 4 minutes, then add the garlic. Sauté a couple of minutes more, until it feels right. Once it feels right, add the chard leaves to the oil/butter/shallot/stem mixture and sauté until the leaves are wilted and coated with the oily sauce that is developing. Chard is a very wet green, and this will make a lot of moisture in the chard mixture. This is fine, so don't panic. Once the leaves are wilted down to a satisfying consistency when you bite one, squeeze the 1/2 lemon over the leaves and mix thoroughly.

Toss this with the finished pasta and serve immediately (with more freshly ground pepper, if you like...I do.). How cool are you for cooking with Swiss chard?!