Smoked turkey & kale stew

I found a similar recipe on a bag of kale that got me rolling with a few adaptions. It was a HUGE bag of kale, which did not hinder me. Dan has not been a fan of the leafy, dark greens and will only eat spinach if it is raw, in a salad (which is healthier, so I will give him that). I am generally the one to tackle kale by the arms loads.

Kale is one of the healthiest food around and here are a few reasons why you need to eat more kale...

• it is full of flavinoids which gives anti-inflammatory qualities and a fab anti-oxidant
• steaming kale makes it easier for your body to reach the maximum absorbency of nutrients it has to offer
• kale is a good source of calcium as well as fiber
• it is chock full of Vitamin K, A, and C
• visit WHfoods for the scoop
  

This is how I made my stew today, feel free to adapt it to your tastes. I love it with a crusty, handmade bread and cheese.

1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup sweet brown rice, dry
2 cups french lentils, dry
4 cups sweet potato, cubed
1 bunch kale or swiss chard, coarsely chopped
1 lb smoked turkey breast, cubed
5 cups broth

saute the onions in 2 T extra virgin olive oil until just tender, add the garlic and stir until coated followed by the sweet potatoes. Cook this mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 6 minutes then add the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the lentils, rice and smoked meat, cover, reduce heat to med-low, and cook until the grains are tender.
Salt and pepper to taste but remember that smoked turkey will have loads of flavor.

patty pan squash

Okay, we have all seen this before... stuffed summer squash but this is my,
"what's on hand" version. My kitchen has a wonderful scent wafting around in the breeze (it's hot and I have the fan on high).

I was excited to start these babies, heirloom benning's green tint squash. This is only my third year growing and I don't like the ordinary. These grow so quickly they are getting away from me. Dan picked these two this weekend and I plan on heading out to check for more when I'm done typing and the sun takes a break. So this dish is born of what I grew in the garden. It's pure love stuffed in a squash and baked!

• 2 squash, scooped out (dice up the scooped out part)
• Kernels from 2 ears of corn
• 1 sweet potato, chopped (neighbor's)
• 1 large red onion, chopped (okay, maybe not all from my garden...this is from Martin's...but I am growing onions)
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup garlic bulbs, chopped
• 1 cup of cooked, organic sweet brown rice (try quinoa, spelt or kamut)
  
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 2 jars (approx. 3 1/2 cups tomato sauce...mine is roasted tomato sauce from last year)
• oregano, salt and pepper, to taste
  

saute ground turkey with a tablespoon of olive oil, onions, seasoning, and garlic. Just as the meat is browning turn the heat to med-low and add the sweet potato, corn, rice and tomato sauce. simmer for about 15 minutes.

okay... my oven is preheating now so wing the rest! I have the oven at 400 degrees and will cook, covered for 45 minutes but will check at 30 minutes. the squash should not be so overcook that it falls apart.

I have about 3 cups of leftovers. If you do, don't panic. Freeze it for later.

date and coconut cookies (vegan, GF optional)

This is a really easy cookie to make. You won't have to wait for butter to come to room temp or pull out the KitchenAid to incorporate all the ingredients. Maybe it is too easy and too tasty but no one has to know but you! When they are just out of the oven the are a tad crispy on the outside and warm and gooey on the inside; they taste like granola bar meets cookie. I enjoyed mine with some steamed soy milk that had a dash of cinnamon and a bit of agave.

I have to share a picture of my nephew after he the tried my cookie. This was the face he made... which was very different from the face he made when I offered him a gumdrop. Maybe I should have put gumdrops in this batch!

Here is the bare bones recipe. Use a bit of creativity, I did with my batch. I like cranberries, pumpkin seeds and some secret spices! some ideas... raisins, chocolate chips, favorite nuts, banana chips, ginger, oats... what do you like in your granola?

Date & Coconut Cookies

• 1/2 C nuts, roasted
• 1/2 C date pieces
• 1 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast
  
• 1/1 C shredded coconut (I prefer unsweetened)
• 2 C unbleached flour of your choice ( I used whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 C maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 C oil, canola or vegetable

preheat the oven to 335 degrees. Chop the nuts and dates in a food processor with a few pulses. Add this nut & date mix to a larger mixing bowl with the yeast, coconut, flour, baking powder, and salt; mix well.

In a small bowl combine the maple syrup, vanilla, and oil. Stir the wet and dry mixes together and spoon onto a greased or lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

cool on a rack and enjoy!

lentil soup is for champions!

Here is a recipe that is a favorite of mine. My father use to make this when I was younger (I am so young now so it was not that far off). This soup freezes well and there are so many variations; you can please a meat eater or vegetarians and still keep it healthy. Between Dan, myself and some family friends we cleaned up a double recipe in 3 days and Dan actually enjoyed it (without pig parts…again, no meat in this version).

Did you know?
. . . that if you love beans they will love your heart and bowels back? They are packed with soluble and insoluble fiber that sucks up gunk as it moves though your body and keeps all of your pipes clean. Lentils also help stabilize blood sugar levels and gives a slow burn while keeping you feeling full. Lastly, lentils are high in iron, incidentally so is red meat, which is also high in cholesterol (the same gunk you are trying to remove by eating more fiber rich foods).

So folks, pair this soup with the antioxidant rich tomatoes (processed tomatoes are more concentrated in antioxidants than fresh) and you have a crowd pleasing, super food cocktail!

This recipe will make 4 lbs of soup and is just the basic mix

• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup lentils, dry (I love to use French lentils as they stay firm but green lentils work well)
• 1 quart broth
• 1 T Olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 bay leaf (dad’s secret ingredient..maybe)

If you are feelin' funky add:

• 1 small can of tomato sauce & 1 14 oz can of diced tomato (my favorite addition, just like dad’s recipe)
• sun dried tomatoes
• rice / quinoa / kamut / spelt berries
• fennel
• spinach / kale / swiss chard
• sliced kielbasa or sausage (try to be aware of the sodium content)
• ham (did you know that pigs are as smart as dogs? www.rps.psu.edu/probing/pigs.html )
• red pepper flakes
• dash of cayenne
• tofu sausage

Saute the veggies over medium heat with olive oil for about 8 minutes adding the garlic for the last minute. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.

garlic grilled portabella and tomato bake

this is a wonderful alternative to a cheese and white pasta packed lasagna. even most meat eaters will be pleasantly satisfied with the "meaty," flavorful portabella. did you know that mushrooms are the only natural fresh veggie to contain vitamin D? they are packed with vitamins and minerals. though I have never tried I hear they are easy to grow with a kit. okay, on to the nitty gritty...

1 1/2 cups lima beans (large, flat white) cooked (better that sodium packed canned)

1 cup cooked wheat or spelt berries

3 cups chopped kale, bite size pieces
2 14oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce OR 4 T tomato paste
4 Tb basil pesto
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. crushed red pepper, optional

6 portabella tops

4 cloves garlic, chopped

olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
shredded mozzarella and smoked mozzarella or aged provolone and mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 425 and prepare your 9x14 glass or ceramic pan by coating with olive oil or cooking spray

Prepare the mushrooms by gently wiping with a dry towel, coating lightly with olive oil, minced garlic and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. You can do this an hour in advance or overnight. Marinate in a pan or plastic bag and set aside in the fridge until you are ready to grill them.

Combine the diced tomato, sauce, beans, berries, pesto, garlic and oregano and pour into prepared pan.

Heat your cast iron grill pan/george forman/panini press to med high or heat. Place the mushrooms on the grill and cook until they are seared, about 8-10 minutes. You want them to have some firmness.

Place the mushrooms on the tomato mixture and top with the cheese. Bake covered for the first 30 minutes and remove the foil to lightly brown the cheese for the remaining 15 minutes!

Get creative:
add roasted peppers in place of the tomato sauce
try reconstituted ancho peppers and andouille sausage
try goat cheese or feta
use kalamata olives or capers for another layer of flavor
add Italian sausage
add some sweet potato or whole grain pasta.
if there are any leftovers add some broth for a fabulous soup! Top it off with some freshly shaved parmesan and croutons!
layer roasted eggplant and ricotta cheese to make an eggplant lasagna and. Freeze it for later! Beans hold up well in the freezer.