Recipes

Makes 12 potato stacks

1 3/4 pounds potatoes
3/4 c. finely shredded dry cheese of choice (parmesan, Asiago, dry Jack…), divided
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 Tbs. chopped fresh herbs (such as basil or cilantro)
1 Tbs. spicy brown mustard
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and oil 12 muffin cups with coconut or olive oil.
2. Cut potatoes into very thin slices, discarding rounded ends. Place in a large bowl with 1/2 c. cheese, butter, herbs, mustard, pepper, salt, and garlic. Mix well with your hands, separating potato slices so that they are evenly coated with the mixture as much as possible. Stack slices in prepared muffin cups. Scrape bowl to remove all butter mixture and spoon over potatoes; top with remaining cheese.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, then tent with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes more or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a sharp knife.

Serves 8

Onion Marmalade:
(Left-over marmalade can be spread on sliced bread or served with cheese).
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 large sweet Vidalia onions
3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 Tbs. light brown sugar
1 Tbs. fresh thyme (I am substituting basil)

Cake:
1 1/2 c. flour of choice (I am using brown rice flour)
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. paprika plus a pinch of cayenne
2 large eggs
1/2 c. Greek yogurt
5 Tbs. olive oil
1 c. coarsely chopped chard, stems removed
1/3 c. chopped, toasted walnuts

To make the onion marmalade:
1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar, brown sugar, and herbs, and reduce heat to medium low. Cook 40 minutes, or until onions are caramelized. Cool.

To make the cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, letting ends hang over the pan edges. Spray parchment with cooking spray or lightly oil.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, paprika and cayenne in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, and oil. Stir egg mixture into the flour mixture. Fold in chard, 1/2 c. of the Onion Marmalade, and walnuts. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for 45 minutes, or until tip of knife inserted into loaf pan comes out clean. Lift loaf from pan with parchment paper and cool on a wire rack. Serve with remaining Onion Marmalade, if desired.

Serves 12

Squash is low in calories and high in nutrients. Here, it presented in paper thin-slices. The lemon vinaigrette is cleansing and the ricotta cheese adds a tang and healthy fat to the salad, which is necessary for satiety.

4 medium squash, thinly sliced with a mandoline or sharp vegetable peeler
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 tsp. honey or maple syrup
1/4 c. olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste
6 cups of lettuce greens, chopped to bite-size
3/4 c. sprouts of choice (optional)
1/2 ricotta salata cheese, coarsely chopped
6 whole nasturtium blossoms, for garnish, (optional)

1. place the sliced squash in a strainer over a bowl and toss with salt. Let sit, mixing the squash around once or twice, for about 20 minutes. When wilted, rinse under fresh water and place on a clean towel. Roll up the towel and gently squeeze the excess water from the zucchini.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust flavors if necessary. Set aside. Whisk again before tossing the salad.
3. Place the squash in a medium bowl and and toss with 3-4 Tbs. of the vinaigrette. Set aside.
4. Combine the lettuce, 1/2 c. of the sprouts, and cheese in a large bowl. Toss with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens.
5. Lay the squash slices on a large platter in 1 layer. Top with the salad mixture and garnish with the remaining sprouts and nasturtiums.

Serves 4

This recipe comes from Rebecca Katz’s cookbook “One Bite at a Time,” which is a wonderful collection of brilliant recipes focused on people with cancer. It is an amazing health-supportive book with delicious recipes, full of flavor and color.

1 bunch broccoli
sea salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 c. diced tomatoes or red pepper
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 c. fresh basil, finely chopped

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the broccoli florets off the stalks, then peel the stems (if needed) and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Add a pinch of salt and the broccoli florets and stems to the pot of water and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain the broccoli, then run it under cold water to stop the cooking process. This will retain its lush green color.
2. Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat, then add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 30 seconds, just until aromatic. Add the bell pepper or tomatoes and a pinch of salt and saute for an additional minute. Stir in the broccoli and 1/4 tsp. of salt and saute for 2 minutes; the broccoli should be firm. Gently stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and basil and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Sumac is a Middle Eastern spice with a pleasantly sour and rather astringent flavor, but without the sharpness of either vinegar or lemon juice. It is mixed with yogurt and herbs to make a light refreshing sauce. This spice was used by the Romans before lemons reached Europe for its fruity sourness. If you don’t have sumac you can use any spice you like-curry goes well with this dish.

1 c. dried garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1/2 c. olive oil
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
2 tomatoes
1 tsp. sweetener of choice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 bunches chard
3 Tbs. fresh chopped mint
2-3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbs. ground sumac

1. Put chickpeas in a large bowl with water and soak overnight. Drain and place in a large sauce pan. Cover with water and bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for about 1 3/4 hours. Drain when tender and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan, add the onion and cook on low heat about 5 minutes or until softened and starting to turn brown.
3. Cut the tomatoes in half and scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon, then dice the flesh. Add the tomato flesh to the onions with the sweetener, cinnamon, and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened.
4. Wash the chard and pat dry. Trim the stems and finely shred the leaves.
5. Add to the tomato mixture with the chickpeas and cook 3-4 minutes until the chard starts to wilt. Add the mint, lemon juice, and sumac. Season and cook for 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Thank you New Leaf Community Markets for this yummy, healthy recipe – I love it! Hope you all enjoy, too!

2 c. beets, grated
1 1/2 c. quinoa, cooked and cooled
3/4 c. toasted sunflower seeds
1/2 c. onion, minced
1/2 c. flour of choice
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/2 c. olive oil
3 Tbs. parsley minced
4 cloves garlic minced
3 Tbs. Tamari
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/2 lb. garnet yams, steamed and cooled (I use the purple potatoes instead of the yams)
sea salt to taste

1. Peel the yams. (You don’t need to peel the potatoes). Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Press tightly into uniform patties. Bake at 350 degrees on parchment lined sheet pan in a preheated oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Serves 2-4

The spinach-laden frittata with just a hint of smoky cheese comes together in minutes and offers ultimate time-of-day flexibility. Serve morning, noon, or night with toast, roasted potatoes, and a little fruit. A last minute dribble of balsamic vinegar delivers a subtle, acidic pop.

4 eggs
1 Tbs. heavy cream
sea salt and pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small shallot, diced
4 c. spinach (packed), rinsed and patted dry
1/4 c. smoked gouda cheese
1 medium tomato, sliced
good balsamic for serving

1. Set an oven rack 5 inches from the heat source. Flip on the broiler.

2. Whisk eggs, cream, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Swirl the oil along the bottom and up the sides of a 9 1/2-inch cast iron or oven-proof skillet. Set the skillet over medium-low heat, add the shallot and saute, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the spinach, one handful at a time, turning with tongs so it wilts. Crank the heat up and saute for about 5 minutes, until the spinach weeps and moisture is evaporated, tossing a few times (you want it relatively dry). Lower the heat again.

5. Add the egg mixture, cheese, and tomatoes and cook until the frittata is three-quarters set, about 5 minutes, tilting the skillet now and again so the runny eggs slide toward the edges.

6. Broil until puffy and browned, 3-5 minutes, watching carefully. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, with balsamic vinegar for dribbling.

Serves 4

These gorgeous green parcels, best eaten on a Sunday night in front of a fire, are both dramatic and comforting (think lasagna without the pasta, ricotta, or mozzarella). Use the largest Swiss chard leaves you can, and keep in mind the polenta will take a full hour to chill.

sea salt
3/4 c. dry polenta (coarse cornmeal)
1 Tbs. butter
1 c. grated parmesan cheese, divided
3 Tbs. chopped basil
pepper
1 1/4 c. of your favorite marinara or tomato sauce, divided
8 very large chard leaves, swished in cold water

1. Coat a 9 1/2-inch square pan with oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water and 1 tsp. salt to a boil. Whisk in polenta and reduce the heat to a gentle gurgle. Cook until thick, 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, half the cheese, basil, and a generous pinch of pepper.

3. Scrape the polenta into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Cool for 15 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour (after 1 hour, cover with plastic wrap). Unmold and cut into eight 4×2-inch rectangles. Wipe the baking pan dry and spread half of the marinara along the bottom.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bring a kettle of water to a boil. Have several paper towels on hand.

5. Make a narrow, upside-down V-shaped cut about halfway down each chard leaf to remove the thick central stem. Place leaves in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soften about 6 minutes. Remove to the paper towels and pat very dry.

6. To form the rolls, lay 1 chard leaf on a cutting board. Lay 1 polenta rectangle horizontally along the bottom of the leaf and spoon 1 teaspoon of marinara sauce on top. Roll the leaf up, burrito-style, encasing the polenta, and transfer to the baking pan, seam side down. Repeat, nestling the rolls next to one another. Spoon the remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

7. Bake for 10 minutes, then slip under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese. Serve hot.

Makes 1 2/3 cups (6 servings)

1 pound strawberries, hulled and diced
1/4 c. thinly sliced scallions
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/4 c. basil, chopped
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. sweetener (you may not need much, the berries have been so sweet I haven’t used any sweetener)
1/8 tsp. sea salt

1.Gently mix ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Serve over tortilla chips, fish, or chicken.

This curry recipe follows the basic principles of making Kerala style mezhukkupuratti.

1 bunch radishes, with leafy tops
1 small onion, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 small green chiles, crushed
1 pinch turmeric powder
oil for sauteing
1 pinch mustard seeds
a few basil leaves
sea salt to taste

1. Wash and roll the radish leaves together, then slice into long shreds. Set aside.

2. In a pan, heat some oil. When it is hot, add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the basil and onions. Saute for 3-5 minutes, until edges of onions turn slightly brown.

3. Add the crushed garlic, chiles, and turmeric powder. Saute for about a minute or less.

4. Add the radishes, mix well, and add salt. Cook, covered, for 3-4 minutes.

5. Once the radish seems soft, remove the lid and crank up the heat. Saute on high for a couple of minutes. The radishes will be soft, yet crunchy.

6. After you remove the radishes from the pan onto a plate, in the same pan quickly saute the leaves for a few seconds and then add to the top of the radishes.

7. For best results, serve right off the stove. The dish takes less than 15 minutes; serve it at the very beginning of your meal.