Ingredients:
2 hickory-smoked pieces of bacon
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 cup water
½ teaspoon sea salt, divided
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
oil
1 (2-ounce) piece of French baguette
3 tablespoons butter
Directions:
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, reserving the drippings; crumble the bacon. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shallots to drippings in pan; sauté for 2 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add Brussels sprouts and 1 cup of water, bring to a boil. Cover pan loosely; cook for 6 minutes or until the sprouts are almost tender. Uncover and remove from heat. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon sea salt and pepper; toss to combine. Spoon sprout mixture into a 2-quart broiler-safe glass or ceramic baking dish and coat lightly with oil.
3. Place bread in a food processor, and process until finely ground. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to pan, sauté for 2 minutes, or until toasted, stirring frequently. Add cooked, crumbled bacon to the toasted breadcrumb mixture. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the Brussels sprout mixture. Broil for 3 minutes or until golden and thoroughly heated.
Serves 6 (about ¾ cup each)
Ingredients:
½ French baguette or long Italian loaf, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch kale, stems removed
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
3 dried arbol chilies
3 anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place bread on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
3. Tear kale into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Toss with the toasted bread and salt.
4. Combine 2 tablespoons oil and garlic in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat until the garlic takes on some color, about 1 minute. Add the chilies and cook until lightly toasted, about 30 seconds.
5. Remove pan from heat, add anchovies, and stir with a wooden spoon to break up anchovies and garlic. Add remaining ¼ cup olive oil and vinegar to the pan, return to medium-low heat and bring to a simmer.
6. Remove dressing from heat and pour over the kale and toasted bread; toss well. Place pan over high heat and using tongs, grab a bunch of kale and wipe the pan with leaves until they start to wilt, about 30 seconds. Toss wilted kale back into the bowl and mix it around a bit; repeat 3-4 times until most of the kale is warm and wilted. Remove chilies and serve immediately.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1½ cups dried chickpeas
4 cloves garlic, 2 unpeeled and 2 peeled and minced
1 fresh rosemary sprig
6-7 cups water or stock of choice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
Coarsely ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Rinse chickpeas and remove any stones. Place in a bowl with 2 whole garlic cloves and rosemary and cover with 2 ½ cups cold water and soak overnight.
2. Rinse soaked chickpeas and pour into a medium saucepan with the garlic and rosemary; add 3 cups of water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until chickpeas are tender, adding water in ½ cup increments as necessary to keep chickpeas just submerged, about 2 hours. Remove from heat, do not drain!
3. Remove garlic cloves and let cool slightly, then squeeze pulp from skin and stir into chickpeas. Discard rosemary sprig.
4. Hear oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add ¼ cup water, bring to a simmer, and cook for 4 minutes. Add cabbage and cook, stirring, just until it starts to wilt, about 1 minute. Add1 cup water and salt, bring to a simmer, and cook cabbage starts to become tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Add chickpeas and their liquid and simmer until cabbage is tender and flavors are blended, about 20 minutes more. Adjust salt if necessary. Finish with a grinding of pepper.
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
4 medium beets
4 medium leeks, cut into 4-inch pieces
¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1¼ cups lettuce, in small bites
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
Dressing:
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon chili flakes
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons tamarind water (optional)
½ teaspoon walnut oil
2½ tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Wrap beets in parchment paper and then aluminum foil and roast them in the oven for 1½ hours, depending on their size. Once cooked, you should be able to stick a small knife in the center easily. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
3. Once cool enough to handle, peel the beets and halve them, then cut into wedges. Put in a medium bowl and set aside.
4. Place the leeks in a medium pan with salted water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes, until just cooked; it’s important to simmer them gently so they don’t fall apart. Drain and refresh under cold water, then use a very sharp knife to cut each segment into 3 smaller pieces and pat dry. Transfer to a bowl, separate from the beets, and set aside.
5. While the vegetables are cooking, mix together all the dressing ingredients and leave to one side for at least 10 minutes for all the flavors to come together.
6. Divide the walnut dressing and the cilantro equally between the beets and the leeks and toss gently. Taste both and add more salt if needed.
7. To put the salad together, spread most of the beets on a serving platter, top with some lettuce, then most of the leeks, then the remaining beets, and finish with more leeks and lettuce. Sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds, if available, and serve.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
½ small head cabbage, thinly sliced
1 small celery root, peeled and julienned or grated
2 medium carrots, julienned or grated
6 medium radishes, julienned or grated
1½ teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
5 1/3 ounces fine cheddar cheese of choice
1 apple, julienned
1 cup loosely packed parsley leaves
2 tablespoons mild white wine vinegar
coarsely ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Combine cabbage, celery root, carrots, and radishes in a large bowl. Add salt and toss to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Crumble cheese into small bits and add the vegetables, then add the apple, parsley, oil, and vinegar. Adjust salt if necessary, add pepper to taste, and serve.
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 large parsnip, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup frozen peas, defrosted
6 whole eggs plus 4 egg whites, beaten
¼ cup grated gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons cilantro
Directions:
1. Steam parsnips over simmering water until just tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add red onions, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until just cooked through and translucent. Add parsnips and peas, cook about 1 minute. Add eggs, and cook until almost set, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat, stir in cheese to melt; transfer to a serving bowl, and sprinkle with cilantro.
Walnuts provide healthy fats that are necessary for heart health. They are toasted on low heat to preserve their fats. Brussels sprouts are a nutrient-dense vegetable that is great for all-around health. Roasting the sprouts brings out their natural sweetness.
Ingredients:
Vinaigrette Dressing:
3 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup minced shallots
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons flax or olive oil
Brussels Sprouts:
½ cup walnuts, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 teaspoon sea salt
Directions:
1. Whisk together vinegar, water, mustard, shallots, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then add the oil in a slow stream, whisking to emulsify.
2. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. Lay the walnuts on a baking pan in the lower third of the oven and toast until fragrant, about 15 minutes. Set walnuts aside and raise the heat to 350 degrees.
3. Melt butter in a large, shallow baking pan in lower third of the oven, about 3 minutes. Toss sprouts in a pan with butter and salt. Arrange sprouts, cut side down, in 1 layer and roast until undersides are golden, about 20 minutes.
4. Transfer warm sprouts to a large bowl. Whisk vinaigrette then toss sprouts with the walnuts and vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 date, pitted
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 teaspoon maple syrup
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Put all ingredients except salt and pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth.
2. Adjust the seasoning to taste by pulsing in the salt and pepper.
3. Can substitute coconut milk for the yogurt, or try goat cheese instead, or you can omit the yogurt altogether for a stronger sauce.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2½ cups coarsely chopped leeks, green and white (remove outer tough green)
2 cups stock of choice
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
½ teaspoon paprika
5 bay leaves
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup toasted walnuts for garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the leeks in a baking dish and roast them until soft, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2. Put stock, lemon or lime juice, basil, paprika, bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and add the leeks. Continue simmering for 20 minutes.
3. Remove and discard bay leaves. Ladle soup into a blender, add the cream and blend until pureed. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with toasted walnuts.
4. If the bisque is too thick you can add more stock and reheat.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 Romanesco cauliflower, trimmed and broken into small florets
5 tablespoons flour of choice
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 large egg whites, whisked until frothy
¾ cup fine whole-wheat bread crumbs (PANKO)
olive oil cooking spray
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cauliflower and boil until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain in a colander, shaking off any excess water. Return the cauliflower to the pot and dry over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a potato masher, mash the cauliflower until it resembles clumpy rice. Transfer to a bowl to cool, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in flour and cheese into the cooled Romanesco. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in egg whites. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with plastic wrap, allowing the wrap to come up over the edges. Spread the cauliflower mixture into the pan, compacting it to an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer until very cold, about 1-2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with oil.
4. Spread bread crumbs on a plate. Gently turn cauliflower mixture out onto a cutting board, removing the plastic wrap. Cut it into 36 even pieces. Roll the pieces in the breadcrumbs, turning to coat all sides. Place on the baking sheet, about 1-inch apart.
5. Coat with the cooking spray, if using, or drizzle finely with olive oil. Bake, turning once halfway through, until browned, about 35-45 minutes.
Serves 6 – 6 pieces each