Recipes: Vegetables « ForkBytes

Simple Boiled Greens

Note: this piece first appeared as the January 2009 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Serves 4 to 6

Enjoy this super easy recipe for cleansing, delicious mixed greens. It cooks in just 5 minutes and pairs well with virtually every entrée!

1 bunch kale, cleaned and chopped
1 bunch collards, cleaned and chopped
juice of 1 lemon
sea salt to taste

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add greens and cook for 5 minutes. Drain well. Place the cooked greens in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice and sea salt. Serve immediately.

Kale with Dill and Parsley

Note: this piece first appeared in the January 2009 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

This cleansing greens dish is ideal for giving your overworked system a break after holiday indulgences. It’s simple, bright, and delicious!

Serves 2 to 3

1 bunch kale
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
sea salt to taste
juice of 1 fresh lime
dash cayenne pepper (optional)

Heat oil in a pan with black pepper, add kale leaves, and sauté about 3 minutes. Add water, cover, and allow to steam for 3 to 4 minutes or until kale is tender. Remove from heat and mix in herbs, sea salt, lime juice, and cayenne pepper (if using). Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Coconut Soup

Note: this piece first appeared as the November 2008 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Serves 4 to 6

This recipe, based on the traditional Thai pumpkin-coconut soup keg bouad mak fak kham, is absolutely delicious but deceptively simple to make. Thai red curry paste is available in the Asian section of health food stores or in Asian markets. Experiment to find the brand you like best.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
sea salt to taste
4 cups pumpkin purée, preferably fresh
1 14-ounce can pure coconut milk
Thai red curry paste to taste
vegetable stock or water as needed
1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

Heat the oil in a medium soup pot. Add shallots and sea salt and sauté until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin, coconut milk, Thai red curry paste, and stock or water to thin the soup as needed. If desired, use an immersion or countertop blender to blend the soup. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and top with roasted pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin Hummus

Note: this piece first appeared in the November 2008 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

This month’s recipe is from Olga Berman, food enthusiast in the D.C. area. Check out her blog Mango & Tomato for more recipes and food photos and musings!

1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 cup pumpkin purée, preferably fresh
2 tablespoons tahini
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 roasted garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed and for drizzling
1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a blender, combine all ingredients and purée until completely smooth. If needed, add more oil and/or water to achieve desired consistency. Serve drizzled with extra olive oil.

Garlic Kale

Note: this piece first appeared as the May 2008 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Serves 4

This delightful and simple kale recipe is bursting with garlic flavor. It’s a delicious side dish with minimal preparation, so you can easily add it to any meal — even on a busy weeknight. Any kind of kale (including curly green kale, purple kale, or lacinato kale) works well.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 bunch kale, washed and cut or torn into bite-sized pieces
sea salt to taste
1/4 cup water

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook briefly (about 1 minute). Add the kale and stir briefly until the kale is coated in oil and garlic. Sprinkle with sea salt. Add the water, stepping back from the pan to avoid splattering oil. Cover the pan and cook until the kale is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately.

Quinoa Salad with Herbs & Asparagus

Note: this piece first appeared as the April 2008 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Serves 4

This delightful salad is bursting with the delicious flavors of spring. Tender green asparagus joins whole-grain superstar quinoa, sliced carrots, and fresh herbs to produce a simple, easy side dish perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Add some lean protein for an instant entrée. Serve warm or at room temperature.

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup sliced fresh asparagus, blanched
1 cup sliced carrots, blanched
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and serve.

Roasted Spring Beets

Note: this piece first appeared in the April 2008 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

Serves 2 to 4

2 large beets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the beets and blanch briefly, until skins are loose, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the beets and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water. Peel and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Place the beets in a roasting pan in a single layer. Toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cover with foil and place in preheated oven. Roast for 30 minutes, then remove the foil. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until beets are tender. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Warming Ginger-Aduki Soup

Note: this piece first appeared as the March 2008 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Serves 4

This warming, soothing soup includes aduki beans (also called adzuki, adzuki, azuki, or asuki beans), which are small reddish beans. Kombu, a sea vegetable, is also included to remineralize the soaked beans and improve digestion. Both these ingredients are available in health food stores and Asian markets.

1 cup dry aduki beans
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups chopped butternut squash
2 teaspoons grated ginger
generous pinch sea salt
1 2-inch piece kombu
6 cups chicken, fish, or vegetable stock

Rinse the beans and soak, overnight, in enough water to cover generously. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, squash, ginger, and sea salt and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved beans, kombu, and stock. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer until the beans are very tender, 40 to 60 minutes. Adjust seasonings.

You may serve the soup as is, or you may purée part or all of the soup prior to serving.

Cleansing Chard-Lemon Soup

Note: this piece first appeared in the March 2008 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

Serves 4

1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
6 cups vegetable stock
1 bunch Swiss chard, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces
sea salt to taste
2 radishes, thinly sliced

Juice the lemon and set the juice aside. Cut the rind into 2 or 3 large pieces; set these aside as well.

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and celery and cook briefly. Add the vegetable stock and the reserved lemon rind. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook until the celery is almost al dente, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove lemon rind.

Add Swiss chard and stir until chard is just wilted. Stir in the sea salt and reserved lemon juice to taste and serve immediately, topped with radish slices.

Comforting Sweet Potato Purée

Note: this piece first appeared as the February 2008 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Serves 4

This delicious, comforting dish is rich in immune-boosting beta-carotene. It’s perfect for when you have a cold or are feeling under the weather — the simple purée is easy on the digestive system and very nourishing. Of course, you don’t have to be sick to enjoy the wonderful flavors of this dish!

1 onion, peeled and cut into chunks
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 whole cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
3 slices fresh ginger
1 cup apple juice, plus more if desired
water
sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
ground cinnamon for garnish

Place the onion, sweet potatoes, carrots, cinnamon stick, cloves, ginger, and apple juice in a medium sauce pot and add enough water to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil and cook until the vegetables are very soft, about 15 minutes. Drain. Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves, and ginger.

Place the cooked vegetables in a food processor along with sea salt to taste, more apple juice, if desired, and coconut oil, and process until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Serve warm, garnished with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

ForkBytes

Grab life by the fork

Simple Boiled Greens

Kale with Dill and Parsley

Pumpkin Coconut Soup

Pumpkin Hummus

Garlic Kale

Quinoa Salad with Herbs & Asparagus

Roasted Spring Beets

Warming Ginger-Aduki Soup

Cleansing Chard-Lemon Soup

Comforting Sweet Potato Purée

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