Chocolate Beet Brownies

from www.plantea.com

1/2 cup butter

4oz unsweetened chocolate

4 eggs

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

1 cup applesauce

1 TSP vanilla

1 1/2 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 TSP salt

1/2 TSP nutmeg

1 TSP cinnamon

1 TSP baking powder

1 cup cooked beets

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

1/2 cup wheat germ

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until light in color and foamy. Add sugar and vanilla and continue beeting until well creamed. Stir in chocolate mixture, followed by applesauce and beets. Sift together flour, salt, spices and baking powder and stir into creamed mixture. Fold in wheat germ and almonds. Turn into greases 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Warm salad of mustard greens and black-eyes peas

2 bacon slices, chopped

12 oz torn mustard greens

1/4 TSP salt

1/4 TSP black pepper

1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 TSP caraway seeds

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 16oz can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained.

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 TBSP dripping in pan: set bacon aside. Add grenns; cook 4 minutes or until wilted. Combine greens, salt and black pepper in a large bowl, set aside. Add oil to the pan. Stir in onions, caraway seeds, garlic and jalapeno; cook 1 minute. Add peas; cook 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, and bring to a boil. Add pea mixture to green mixture, sprinkle with bacon.

Cooking LIght October 2011

Sauted Spinach with Garlic and Red Pepper

2 TBSP olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 pinches red pepper flakes

2 bunches tender spinach, stems removed, leaves blanched

salt

juice of 1/2 a lemon or a few TSP red wine vinegar

1. Heat the oil with the garlic and pepper flakes ina wide skillet over medium-high heat until the garlic begins to color. Add the cooked spinach and toss to coat it with the oil.

2. Ad 1/2 cup water and cook until its absorbed and greens are heated through. Season with salt and a litte lemon juice or vinegar.

Steamed Chard with Candied Gingers

3/4 lb chard

salt and pepper

1 tsp olive oil

some grated lemon and/or orange zest

lemon juice to taste

chopped candied ginger

1. Remove stems from chard, roll chard leaves up, slice lengthwise and then corsswise into 1/2 inch strips, wash well in salad spinner. Chop stemps, put in steamer first, top with leaves and steam for 5-10 minutes. Toss chard with seasonings. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pasta with fresh spinach, walnuts and gorgonzola cheese

1 TBSP olive oil

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 to lb fresh spinach leaves, cleaned and shredded

6 oz gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

freshly ground black pepper

hot cooked pasta of your choice

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat: add galic and saute until golden. Add spinach, toss and cook until wilted. Stir in walnuts and cheese, toss well until combined. Season with pepper to taste and serve over pasta.

Braised Kale with Pink Beans and Ham

from Robin Miller, FoodNetwork.com

2 TSP olive oil

1 cup diced lean baked ham

1 lb kale, chopped

1 15oz can pink beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup chicken broth

salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add ham and cook 2 minutes, until golden brown. Add kale, beans and broth, cover and steam 5 minutes, until kale is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Greens with Potatoes

4 yellow potatoes (about 1 lb) scrubbed

1-2 lbs greens, trimmed and coarsley chopped

2 TBSP olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced

1/2 TSP red pepper flakes (a couple shakes)

2 tomatoes (if in season), peeled and diced

1. Cover potatoes with cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Boil until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and coarsley chop.

2. Simmer the greens in a large skillet until tender, then drain.

3. Return the skilleet to the stove, add oil and heat with garlic and red pepper flakes. When you can smell the garlic, add the greens, potatoes, and tomatoes (if using). Cook over medium heat, breaking up the potatoes with a fork and mashing them into greens to make a kind of hash. Taste for salt and serve with olive oil drizzeled over the top.

Ginger kale

1 large bunch kale, stems removed, leaves cut into strips

2 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP butter

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 TBSP minced fresh ginger

juice of 1 lime

freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil. Add sliced, washed kale and boil 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly wilted. Drain in a colander. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil and butter, add garlic, onion and ginger and saute until onion is softened, Add kale, tossing till conbined. Cover and cook over low heat until kale is just tender. Sprinkle with lime juice and toss. Grind fresh pepper over kale and serve.

Cheese Totellini Soup with Cannellini, Kielbasa and Kale

2 TBSP olive oil

12 oz fully cooked smoked kielbasa sausage, thinly sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 cup fresh fennel bulb (optional)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 TSP chopped fresh thyme

1/2 TSO dried crushed red pepper

10 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

4 cups kale

1 15oz canned cannelloni, rinsed and drained

1 9oz package cheese totellini

1 cup grated Asiago cheese or Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in heavy, large pot over medium-high heat. Add next 6 ingredients and saute until vegetables are soft and kielbasa is brown, about 12 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Stir in kale and cannelloni. Reduce heat to low and simmer until kale is wilted, about 4 minutes. (Can be made the day ahead. Cool slightly; cover a refrigerate. Bring to a simmer before continuing) Add totellini to soup. Simmer until pasta is just tender but still firm to bite, about 5 minutes.

Asian Style Saute

2 TBSP sesame oil

2-4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 lb mixed greens, coarsley chopped (mizuna, komatsuna, tat soi)

1 TBSP vinegar

2 TBSP tamari

Fresh ground black pepper

Heat oil in wok or large skillet to moderate heat. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Remove garlic and set aside. Now saute the greens until just wilted. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar, tamari, pepper and garlic. Serve immediately. Great as a side dish or with rice. Makes 2 to 4 servings