Brussels Sprout Slaw with Apples and Pecans

Brussels sprouts don’t only look like tiny cabbages — they can be used in many of the same ways as cabbages. Try Brussels slaw!

1 pound trimmed Brussels sprouts
6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 diced Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apple
2 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup toasted and chopped pecans
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Thinly slice Brussels sprouts using a mandolin or food processor fitted with the slicer attachment. Transfer sprouts to a large bowl. Add olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper. Toss to coat. Add apple, Parmesan cheese, pecans, honey, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Let stand 5 minutes to allow the Brussels sprouts to wilt slightly and the flavors to marry.

We thank southernliving.com for this recipe.

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Posted on March 23, 2017

Creamy, Smoky Whipped Rutabaga

Does anyone else love rutabagas even more than potatoes?

3 1/2 to 4 pounds rutabagas (two small or one large vegetable)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup whole milk
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into small chunks
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper

Using a veggie peeler, remove the skin from the rutabaga(s). Then cut them into small slices about 1 inch thick.

Heat the butter in a large, heavy 4-quart pot, set over medium heat. When the butter has melted, stir in the chopped rutabaga and the garlic. Stir to coat the vegetables in butter, then sprinkle them with the salt. Pour in the milk and bring to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the rutabaga is very tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Turn off the heat and remove the lid. Let the vegetables cool for about 5 minutes.

At this point you can either leave the rutabaga in the pot and use a hand mixer to whip it, or you can transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer and use the paddle.

Drop the cream cheese into the rutabaga and use the hand mixer or stand mixer to mash it into the vegetables. The rutabaga will crumble then slowly turn into a mashed potato consistency. Add the olive oil and smoked paprika and mix thoroughly. Taste and add more salt and some black pepper, if necessary. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from thekitchn.com.

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Posted on March 13, 2017

Kale Chips with Lemon and Cumin

Chips have rarely been this good. These are great as a snack on their own, but also as a textural garnish for broths or baked eggs.

Which is your favorite kale? Curly green…

1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. sea salt
2 large handfuls bulk kale, washed and dried thoroughly
Organic vegetable oil, for drizzling
Zest of 1 lemon

…lacinato, a.k.a. dinosaur or Tuscan kale…

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan, giving the pan a shake as you go, until the seeds start to darken, and the aroma deepens and gets nuttier. Remove from the pan and blend with the sea salt in a spice grinder or a pestle and mortar.

…or curly Nash’s red?

Separate your bulk kale leaves. If they seem too big, coarsely chop into bite-sized pieces. Toss gently, but thoroughly, in a large bowl with a good drizzle of oil, making sure every leaf is just coated with the slightest sheen of oil. Place in a single layer on a flat baking tray and cook for 6 minutes (do this in batches if you need to). You will find that they crisp up as they cool, so don’t be alarmed if they still seem a little soft when they’re first removed from the oven. Season with the cumin salt and a grating of fresh lemon zest, and serve.

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Posted on March 2, 2017

Root Vegetable Puree

Serves 4 to 6
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

4 large parsnips, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 rutabaga, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
1 potato, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
3 tsp. olive oil
½ tsp. salt, or to taste
¾ cup yogurt
2 to 3 cloves garlic
Water to thin, if desired

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Place vegetables in roasting pans. Mix with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, and cover. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until vegetables are fork tender. Allow vegetables to cool.

Place in a food processor (in batches, if necessary), along with yogurt and garlic, adding water if needed. Process until smooth.

Try serving the puree under a spoonful of your favorite soup!

Original recipe by Virginia Newman.

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Posted on February 23, 2017

Bright Carrot Cumin Soup

Winter is when warm carrot soup tastes soooooooo good!

Serves 4 to 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

6 to 7 carrots, chopped (about 4 cups)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 Tablespoon butter
1 quart vegetable broth, divided
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon finely diced ginger
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
Juice from 1/2 lemon slice
1/2 cup coconut milk (optional)

Preheat oven to 400° F. Combine carrots, oil and a pinch of salt on a baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until fork tender.

Sauté onions in butter over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons broth, cumin, turmeric, paprika and remaining salt and allow to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining broth, ginger, garlic and roasted carrots. Bring to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and coconut milk, then blend until smooth with an immersion blender, or in batches in a stand-up blender.

We thank Virginia Newman for this recipe.

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Posted on February 8, 2017

Sunchoke Soup

Sunchokes are a knobby but delicious root vegetable. Not to be confused with ginger, which is a common mistake, sunchokes offer a sweet and nutty crunch to your winter menus.

2 pounds sunchokes
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped leek (white and pale green parts only)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
7 cups (or more) vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Ground white pepper
Shelled and roasted pumpkin seeds

Rinse and scrub sunchokes to remove all soil. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion, leek, and garlic; sprinkle with salt and sauté until soft and translucent, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Cut sunchokes into 1-inch pieces. Add to onion mixture and sauté 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth, increase heat to high, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until chokes are very tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender until very smooth. Return to pot. Rewarm soup, adding more broth by 1/4 cups, if needed, to thin. Stir in cream and season to taste with salt and white pepper.

This soup can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Rewarm before serving. Divide soup among bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds; top with a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil and some sautéed mushrooms, if desired.

Recipe adapted from epicurious.com.

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Posted on February 2, 2017

Beet Citrus Soup

Pair these sunny golden beets with lemon and grapefruit!

1 bunch beets, 1/2-inch cubed (about 5 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, roughly diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 apple, roughly diced
1 quart vegetable broth
Juice from 1/4 grapefruit slice
Juice from 1/4 lemon slice
Sour cream or plain yogurt for topping

Preheat oven to 400° F. Place beets in roasting pan and add olive oil and 14 teaspoon salt; mix until evenly coated. Cover and roast for 25 to 30 minutes.

Heat butter in pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add apples and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add beets, broth, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and remaining salt. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Allow soup to cool before pureeing with an immersion blender to a thick, smooth consistency. Top with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt.

We thank Virginia Newman for this recipe.

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Posted on January 31, 2017

Carrot-Apple-Ginger Juice

Julia Buggy, nutritionist and yogi, with a vibrant glass of orange-apple-ginger juice.

6 carrots
4 apples
2-inch piece of ginger

Wash all produce well. Add all ingredients through juicer and enjoy! Makes 2 servings of 16-20 ounces.

Stay tuned for details of a workshop by Julia on how to get the most from hearty winter veggies to stay healthy this winter, on Saturday, January 28, 2017, at 10:30 am!

We thank RebootWithJoe.com for this recipe.

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Posted on January 4, 2017

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Millet Salad with Creamy Miso Dressing

brussels basket This salad is intended to be a cold salad and can be prepared ahead of time.

1 1/2 pounds of Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and sliced in half or quartered
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup dried millet
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place Brussels sprouts in 9″ x 13″ glass baking dish and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast 10-20 minutes, depending on size of sprouts. They should be fork tender, but not mushy. While sprouts are roasting, prepare millet by adding to saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off heat and fluff with fork. Allow millet and Brussels to cool once cooked. Combine and add cranberries. Slowly add creamy miso dressing (see below), reserving any extra dressing to accompany another dish.

Creamy Miso Dressing
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons miso paste
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 cloves minced garlic
Water to thin

Combine all ingredients in a large glass measuring cup. Stir with a fork to adequately dissolve miso paste, and use water to thin to desired consistency (about 2 tablespoons).

We thank Virginia Newman for this recipe.

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Posted on November 23, 2016

Vegan Stir-Fried Cabbage in Peanut Sauce

This is green cabbage before it goes into your stir-fry. How’s it look after?

For the sauce
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 Tbsp. smooth or chunky all-natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoon Asian chile-garlic paste or sambal oelek
3/4 teaspoon packed light brown sugar

For the stir-fry
1 medium head green cabbage
2 medium carrots
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped roasted peanuts (optional)
Steamed rice or cooked rice noodles, for serving

Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl to combine. Quarter the cabbage lengthwise, then cut the core out of each piece. Cut the cabbage crosswise into 1-inch-wide pieces. Cut the carrots crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the carrots and half of the cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to wilt. Continue adding the cabbage and cooking it down until all of it is added. Season with salt and cook until all of the cabbage is starting to wilt and exudes water.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the sauce, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly (it will thin out when mixed with the cabbage liquid, then thicken to the texture of whole milk) and the cabbage is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the lime juice, and stir to combine. Top with the roasted peanuts, if using, and serve immediately over steamed rice or cooked rice noodles.

Serves 4.

Recipe adapted from thekitchn.com.

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Posted on November 8, 2016