Jennifer's recipes
Baby Purple Russian Kale Salad
"Simple but so delicious."
This is truly my favorite salad.
Baby Kale( remove stems on larger leaves)
Chopped Onion
Feta Cheese
Roasted pine nuts or almonds
Dressing
Olive oil
Lemon
Sea salt to taste
Toss all ingredients in a bowl, then toss in dressing. Enjoy!
Arugula and Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
6 servings
1-1/2 to 2 pounds beets, tops removed
4 T walnut or hazelnut oil
3 T white wine vinegar
3 t honey
1 T shallots, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 bunch arugula, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/4 pound goat cheese
1/4 pound pine nuts, toasted and coarsely ground
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place beets in a shollow baking dish and roast for 1 hour, or until tender. Let cool. Peel and cut into matchsticks. Combine oils, vinegar, honey, shallots, salt and pepper in a small bowl and blend well.
Arrange arugula on salad plates and spoon beets in the center of each plate. Divide dressing over the salads. Crumble a little cheese over each serving and sprinkle with a few pine nuts.
Sorrel Pesto
Great as an interesting pasta coating or a thick sauce for fish.
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh sorrel, ribs removed
1/3 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
In a food processor or blender puree the sorrel, the parsley, the garlic, the parmesan, the pine nuts and the oil, transfer the pesto to a jar with a tight fitting lid and chill it, covered. The pesto keeps, covered and chilled, for 2 weeks. Makes about 1 cup.
Was wonderful. Would be great on flatbread too...thought I'd pass it along.
I did gnocchi with it....mmmmmmmm
How to Prepare Black Kale and Swiss Chard
These nutrious leafy greens can be prepared in a variety of ways, including:
Raw in salads
Juiced
Steamed
Soups
My favorite Stir Fry recipe:
Sautee garlic in olive oil until garlic is roasted then simmer cut-up kale or chard for 10-15 minutes, adding a teaspoon of butter.
Very nice topper for steamed filet of salmon. Both kale and chard are high in iron and calcium.
Chilled Avocado Soup
Prep: 15minutes
Makes 4 servings
2 ripe peeled avocados
1-1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 (4oz) can or jar chopped green chilies
1/2 cup whole milk
1 Tablespoon lime juice
3/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
Fresh cilantro to taste to blend, and a bit extra for garnish
Tortilla chips (crushed) for garnish
Cut the avocados in half, remove pits. Spoon avocado into a blender, add the remaining ingredients (except garnish), and puree until creamy. Chill the soup for up to 2 hours before serving, or serve immediately. Cover leftovers with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and use within 2 days.
Serving Size: 1 Cup.
Sausage Kale Soup
This recipe was very tasty and serves 8-10
1 lb Italian sausage (sweet or spicy, whatever you prefer)
2 chopped onions
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
3 boxes of broth (veggie, beef or chicken)
1 bunch of chopped fresh kale
3 medium potatoes, cubed
2 15-1/2 oz cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Take casing off of sausage and brown with onion in a soup pot. Drain excess oils and sauté with garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add broth and kale. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for one hour. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes. Add the beans and cook until potatoes are tender and beans are heated.
Yummy for a cool day!
Baked Polenta with Swiss Chard and Cheese
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 pound Swiss chard, thick stems and ribs removed, leaves cut crosswise into
1/2-inch-wide strips
3 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal) or yellow cornmeal
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
2 cups coarsely grated low-fat mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil 2-quart glass baking dish. Heat oil in heavy large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in garlic and crushed red pepper, then chard; cover and cook until chard is tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Uncover; stir until any excess liquid in skillet evaporates. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, bring 3 1/2 cups water and salt to boil in heavy large saucepan. Gradually stir polenta into boiling water. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until polenta is very thick, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Whisk ricotta and eggs in bowl; whisk in 1 cup hot polenta. Stir ricotta mixture into polenta in saucepan. Spread half of polenta mixture in baking dish. Spread half of chard mixture over. Sprinkle with half of mozzarella. Repeat layering with remaining polenta, chard, and cheese. Bake until puffed and brown on top, about 45 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.
Salad of Kumquats, Dates and Shaved Parmesan
5 kumquats
4 handfuls baby arugula
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 Medjool dates, pitted and diced
1/4 cup Parmesan shavings (made with a vegetable peeler)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Slice the kumquats into thin rounds, discarding the seeds. Combine the arugula, parsley, dates, kumquats and Parmesan in a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss. Serves 4.
Chocolate Beet Cake
1 1/2 c cooked, peeled and pureed beets
3 oz unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
1 c butter (or oil)
1 t vanilla
1 3/4 c flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
edible flowers to garnish: red, white or pink roses, sweet woodruff
blossoms, French lavender or gladiolus blossoms...
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare beets and set aside. Melt chocolate in double boiler, remove from heat and cool slightly. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the sugar, butter (melted) or oil, vanilla, melted chocolate and beets, stirring well after each addition. In a separate bowl, sift together all dry ingredients (flour, soda and salt) and set aside. Combine dry ingredients with the chocolate mixture and beat JUST until blended. Pour into a greased and floured 9"X13" pan and bake for about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool before frosting.
Rich Chocolate Frosting
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
3/4 c butter
1 c sugar
vanilla
1/4 c flour
1 c milk
Melt the chocolate in double boiler. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a bowl, cream the butter, add the sugar and beat for 5 minutes until smooth. Add the vanilla and cooled chocolate and beat righteously. Set aside.
In a saucepan, combine the flour and 1/4 c of the milk, stirring until smooth. Gradually stir in the rest of the milk. Bring the milk to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and quickly cool by placing the saucepan in a bowl of cold water, stirring all the while. When cool, add to chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly. Spread the frosting over the cake and refrigerate just until it sets. Garnish with flowers. Serves 15-20 unless they are all farmers.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
1 five-inch cake, 4 servings
1-1/2 cups raw walnuts, unsoaked
dash salt
10 pitted medjool dates, unsoaked
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa or carob powder
1/2 t vanilla extract (optional)
2 t water
1/2 cup fresh raspberries for garnish (optional)
Place walnuts and salt in a food processor fitted with the S-blade and process until finely ground. Add the dates, cocoa powder, and optional vanilla and process until the mixture begins to stick together. Add the water and process briefly.
Transfer to a serving plate and form into a 5-inch-round cake. Chill for 2 hours. Decorate the cake and plate with fresh raspberries before serving, if desired. Covered with plastic wrap, Flourless Chocolate cake will keep for three days in the refrigerator or two weeks in the freezer. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Brownies
8 brownies, 4 servings
1-1/2 cups raw walnuts, unsoaked
dash salt
10 pitted medjool dates, soaked
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa or carob powder
1/2 t vanilla or cherry extract (optional)
2 t water (for a moister brownie; optional)
1/4 cup chopped cherries (optional)
Chop 1/4 cup of the walnuts and set aside. Place the remaining walnuts and the salt in a food processor fitted with the S-blade and process until finely ground. Add the dates and process until the mixture sticks together. Add the cocoa powder and optional vanilla and process until evenly distributed. Add the water, if using, and process briefly.
Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the reserved chopped walnuts and dried cherries, if desired, and mix well using your hands. Pack the mixture firmly into a square container. Chill at least two hours before serving. Stored in a sealed container, brownies will keep for up to one week in the refrigerator or one month in the freezer.
Variation: for chocolate chip brownies, replace the dried cherries with chocolate chips. Although these brownies aren't totally raw, they are much healthier than the traditional version.
Peppers Stuffed with Herbed Goat Cheese
Here's a great recipe/appetizer for the mini bell peppers:
6 mini bell peppers
1 log of moist goat cheese
2 finely chopped tablespoons of any of these herbs (rosemary, thyme,
oregano, marjoram, sage, or any other herbs you've got laying around)
Salt and pepper
Mix the herbs, salt and pepper with the goat cheese. Slice lengthwise one side of the pepper -- enough to remove the seeds and inside of the pepper. Stuff it with herbed cheese mixture, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Cook at 400 for 20 minutes
Serves 6
You can use as much or little of the cheese mixture you would like. Also,
you can prepare the cheese mixture the day before.
Butternut Squash Souffle
If you need something to do with your butternut squash, try out this savory recipe. It is a really easy desert or side dish. We make it for holiday dinners. It has a crustless, pumpkin pie flavor. Two out of three kids enjoy it!
For souffle:
3 cups coooked mashed butternut squash, about 2 pounds whole
2/3 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar or Splenda
1 large egg
3 egg whites
1/3 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon butter or margerine, melted
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
For topping:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated brown sugar or Splenda
3 tablespoons pecans, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter or margerine, melted
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Coat a two-quart casserole or souffle dish with oil or non-stick spray. Prick squash with knife in several places and microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes, or bake in over @ 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove and when cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place halves, cut-side down in glass baking dish; add 1/4-cup water, cover tightly with lid and microwave 10 minutes or bake at 350 degrees until flesh is very soft. Scoop out 3 cups of flesh and place in large bowl of electric mixer.
Add remaining souffle ingredients and beat until well blended. Spoon into prepared backing dish and smooth top.
In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients and mix with fork or fingers until crumbly. Sprinkle over the top and bake for 30 to 35 minutes @ 350 degrees until souffle puffs up in center and top is browned.
Serve piping hot.
Persimmon Pudding
This rich wintery pudding is traditionally steamed in a bath of hot water on the stove, but here is steamed in the oven. Serve it warm with Creme Anglaise or softly whipped cream.
2 ripe persimmons (enough to make 1 cup puree)
2 t. baking soda
1/4 lb. unsalted butter
1 ½ c. sugar
2 eggs
1 T. rum
1 c. unbleached white flour
1 t. cinnamon, preferably freshly ground
½ t. salt
1 c. chopped walnut pieces or pecans
½ c. raisins
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Cut the persimmons in half and scrape the flesh out of the skin; puree in a blender or a food processor. Add the baking soda to the puree. (The puree will thicken.) Cream the butter and the sugar together; add the eggs, lemon juice, and run; mix until well blended. Combine the dry ingredients and stir them in. Add the persimmon mixture; beat until well mixed, then stir in the nuts and raisins.
Pour the batter into a greased bundt or loaf pan. Place in a large baking pan to make a hot water bath, then add enough hot water to come 2 inches up the side of the bundt or loaf pan. Cover the baking pan with foil and bake for about 2 hours, until the pudding is set.
Serves eight to ten
From Field of Greens, New Vegetarian Recipes from the Celebrated Greens Restaurant by Annie Somerville
Radish Pesto Pate
Combine the following and blend in a food processor:
1 bunch of Radish Greens
1 cup walnuts
1 avocado
EVOO- 1/4-1/2 cup (drizzle gradually until consistency is good
Cayenne
Pepper
Salt
Add:
Asiago Cheese- Grated ---to taste (1/4-1/2 cup)
You can also stuff cherry tomatoes with the Pesto or put on baguette w/ sliced figs and roasted bell pepper.