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15 Mar Simple Sunday Supper…

I love a lazy Sunday: morning yoga, straightening up the house, running a few errands and plenty of time to play in the kitchen. Sometimes it’s an entirely new recipe to try, sometimes it’s cleaning out the refrigerator and sometimes it’s finally getting around to cooking that thing I’ve been craving all week but haven’t had time to make.

This Sunday wasn’t fancy, just fresh and flavorful. Instead of breaking this up into a separate posts, I’m snuggling all four recipes into this one post, just like they fit into the bowl above (meals in a bowl = my favorite).

Serves two for a hearty dinner, plus leftovers for a lunch the next day. Goes well with curling up on the couch and being cozy.

Kicky Southern Greens

4 C mixed dark leafy greens (Trader Joe’s has a Southern Blend with collards, spinach, turnip greens, etc., which is what I used here)
red chili pepper flakes, to taste
sea salt, to taste
1/2 lemon
olive oil

1. Prep greens by slicing into bite-size pieces or ribbons (wash first if you’re not using pre-washed greens).

2. Heat a large pan over medium high, adding a turn of olive oil when pan is hot. When oil is warm and can easily be swirled around to coat bottom of pan, add greens.

3. Saute until greens start to wilt and brighten in color, turn heat down a little if they start to burn. After ~5 mins, add a splash or two of water from your tea kettle, season with a few (or 5…) shakes of red chili pepper flakes and cover to braise the greens. (You could go straight to braising, but I like the extra flavor the the olive oil gives it.) Check every minute or so to make sure the water hasn’t evaporated, leaving the greens to burn.

4. When greens are a deep green color and tender, season with salt and juice half of a lemon over the top. Turn off heat and toss to coat with the lemon juice. (A splash of lemon juice or vinegar – e.g. apple cider vinegar – can take the edge off of the more bitter dark leafy greens.)

The lemon juice brightens the dish up and the red chili flakes give it little kick. Thus, Kicky Southern Greens. Onward….

Simple Veggie Saute

1 small sweet potato, cut into bite-size pieces
2 medium zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces
2 C sliced mushrooms
1 orange or red bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
sea salt, to taste
olive oil

1. Second verse, same as the first: Heat that same large pan over medium high again, adding a turn of olive oil when pan is hot. When oil is warm and can easily be swirled around to coat bottom of pan, add veggies, except bell pepper. If using sweet potatoes, add those first, give them a couple minutes head start before adding the zucchini and mushrooms. Season with sea salt. If the veggies are taking longer than you want to cook, add a splash of water and cover for a few minutes (just a couple). Any excess water should evaporate once you remove the lid and finish the saute.

2. When veggies are tender to your liking, taste test for seasoning – adjust with more salt as necessary – add bell pepper, turn off heat and cover for just a minute. I left the peppers raw to give the mix a contrasting texture and a brighter sweetness than the cooked sweet potatoes. Adding them to the hot mess and covering for a minute takes the cold edge off the peppers’ rawness. I liked it.

You can use any veggies, really. This is what I had on hand. But I really liked the addition of the mostly raw orange bell pepper. Also, I kept the greens and vegetables separate for this meal, since it wasn’t just for me and I wanted to offer bowl-loading options, but you could easily toss the greens back into the veggies just before they’re done, then add the bell pepper. Pretty.

Savory Black Beans and Coconut Rice

1 can organic, whole black beans
1/2 can organic diced tomatoes
garlic powder
cumin
2 C cooked brown rice
1 T coconut oil, to taste
sea salt, to taste

For the black beans…

1. Drain and rinse black beans.

2. Combine beans and tomatoes (with whatever juices fall out of the can) in a small pot over medium heat.

3. Season with garlic powder, cumin (I added several hearty shakes of each) and a little sea salt to taste. Let beans simmer for a few minutes to heat through and thicken with the tomatoes. If not enough juice comes out with the tomatoes, add a small splash of water (boy, this kettle’s getting a workout) to keep beans from burning, or turn down the heat a little.

For the coconut rice…

This is a great way to use up left-over brown rice. However, if you don’t make big batches of brown rice to eat throughout a week, then, clearly, cooking the rice should be the first step in this meal.

1. Heat a shallow sauce pan over medium (the lower side of medium) – I prefer a wider sauce pan so that more of the rice can hit the bottom of the pan and heat through more evening, vs. a smaller but deeper pot that will keep the rice in a taller heap.

2. When pan is hot, add 1T coconut oil.

3. When oil is about half-way melted, add rice to pot and stir well to coat with coconut oil.

4. Cook until rice is heated through. Season with sea salt and add more coconut oil to taste.

If you’re cooking the rice fresh, either in a rice cooker or in a pot on the stove, add the coconut oil at the end once the rice has rested a few minutes – just add and stir to melt the oil and thoroughly incorporate.

Voila! Simple Sunday supper ready to be served up.

28 Aug How To Poop In The Woods

I was torn on what to title this post: ”Vacation Number Two,” “Yo Yosemite,” “Get Back to Earth,” “Best Yoga Studio Ever” … but “How To Poop In The Woods” seemed too perfect, for way too many reasons. I spent the first week of August backcountry camping in Yosemite with 14 other fabulous people who thought lugging 45-pound packs for five miles, camping along Snow Creek Falls with Half Dome watching over us and taking two yoga classes a day was a great way to go on vacation. Weirdos, I know. The best weirdos ever, if you ask me.

We day-hiked, we camped, we yoga’d – layering up and down from thermal underwear to tank tops and back again as the sun shifted to and fro behind different peaks – we swam, we ate amazing food, we went gaga over meadows of lupine, tiger lilies and butterflies, we sniffed the butterscotch bark of jeffrey pines, we spotted shooting stars, wild grouse and rattlesnakes, we listened as bears inspected our goods late at night, we laughed (a lot), we got dirty (really, really dirty), we honored the people and places that mean the most to us, we played charades and … perhaps most importantly, hilarious, delightfully … we learned how to poop in the woods.

In a nutshell:

1) Talk about it. Nothing, nothing, makes pooping in the woods more uncomfortable than having to sneak around to do it. An honest and funny conversation about how to properly dispose of poop (e.g. digging holes, marking “poop graves”, etc) and why pooping with the best view possible is sooooooo satisfying, makes alllllll the difference; it becomes a source of pride to grab the bathroom bag and head off beyond camp.

2) Drink water. Hydration is key to achieving and maintaining properly flowing pipes whether you’re trying to stay regular at home, abroad or at 6,600 feet.

3) Eat the right foods. Oh, it’s tempting to stock up on Pop Tarts and Ramen, but if you’re over say… 16, it’s time to step it up. Soluble fiber (e.g. beans, whole grains, etc) is key, key, key to preventing and relieving both diarrhea and constipation. Insoluble fiber (e.g. veggies) is also important for maintaining regularity.

4) Relax. Be present, letting go of mental, emotional, and physical tension or reaching. Just be where you are and let yourself relax.

5) Find the best view ever. Watching dawn break over Half Dome while doing your business = best poop EVER.

Now that I think about it, pooping in the woods is a lot like living everyday life (talk about things, drink water, eat right, relax, find a good view). But let’s get back to number 3: Eat the right foods. Remember soluble fiber from above? Yeah it’s good for your body, but guess what else? It’s deeeeeelicious. Here’s my version of the fabulous lentil stew/dal our guides made for our last dinner in the wilderness.

Kylah’s Lentils

1 C lentils (dry)

2 medium-small carrots, thinly sliced

1 small onion, medium dice

1/2 medium poblano pepper, finely diced (add more of the pepper, if you want more heat)

1 medium zucchini, quartered length-wise and thinly sliced

1 t gharam masala

pinch cayene pepper (or more, to taste)

water

1/4 C coconut butter

olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Rinse and soak lentils over night* (cover with water, about an inch above beans, leave on counter and protect with a dish towel). Before you’re ready to cook, drain and rinse the lentils in a strainer and set aside.

In a medium pot, saute onion and poblano pepper in a little olive oil (one turn of the bottle) over medium-high heat until onion begins to turn translucent, then add the gharam masala, cayene and a pinch or two of salt and pepper.

Cook the spices with the onion/pepper for a minute, then add the carrots and zucchini.

Keep cooking until zucchini begins to soften a little, then add lentils and water – you want enough water (~1 1/2 to 2 C) so you can see it, but not enough to cover everything.

Stir well to fully incorporate lentils into vegetables (the legumes may seem way outnumbered but don’t worry, they’re little fighters and will dominate in the end). Reduce heat to the lower side of medium, cover and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally to make sure everything’s okay (e.g. the water hasn’t evaporated leaving the lentils and veggies to burn).

Now, the secret ingredient: coconut butter.

Start with 1/4 C, stir well, let simmer a few minutes and taste. Adjust spices – add more gharam masala, cayenne, salt or pepper to taste – and add just a little more coconut butter if you want things creamier (as it simmers and sits later, the lentils will thicken up a little more, so you don’t need to go super crazy with the coconut butter).

Simmer for another 20 minutes. Serve with rice and/or flatbread (e.g. naan or chapati). I really don’t know how to describe how creamy and decadent this is. The coconut butte gives the lentils a “wait, what is that taste? It reminds me of India and Thailand, and, something else” quality, but it’s so yummy your guests won’t waste anymore time puzzling it out because they’ll be too busy scarfing down their bowls of beans. By the way, left-overs make an awesome Indian burrito or go nicely over polenta.

*Note about prepping legumes: Most people don’t presoak their lentils. I never did before and suffered mightily for it. There are two legumes that I avoid – black beans and, to a slightly lesser extent, lentils. Most people feel some… let’s call it “digestive challenge” when eating beans. Those babies pack a high-fiber punch, so it’s no surprise that eating them leads to all manner of digestive excitement. If you’re lucky, you get a little extra gas, maybe an ill-time toot in public; if you’re unlucky, you can get intense intestinal cramps for days.

There are a few ways to make legumes less of a digestive challenge for your body. (1) Make sure they are well-cooked, which means soaked for an appropriate period of time, rinsed afterward and then cooked long enough. (2) You can add a piece of kombu (a type of seaweed) to beans as they cook – kombu is credited with magically making the beans more digestible (remove before serving or processing). (3) You can also process your beans (blend them like hummus or refried beans) to give your stomach and small intestine a head start on breaking them down (I’ve definitely noticed a difference between eating whole chickpeas and hummus).

01 Jun Beet Croquettes with a Secret Ingredient – Beet Greens!

I was almost done with a quick trip to Whole Foods a few days ago, when I realized I was missing a key ingredient for my refrigerator: greens. Anxious about the growing lines, I dashed to produce, skidded to a halt in front of a wall of meticulously stacked, gorgeous veggies and almost screamed — the price of kale and chard had jump. High. I was stumped. I can’t go a week without at least one bunch of greens, that’s crazy talk, but to pay that much…. And then … I was inspired. To my left, like a beacon of hope, glowed a bunch of beautiful golden beets each the size of my fist, with their greens attached. Talk about a two-fer!

I know, beet greens – you just “ick”ed a little, didn’t you? Even the check-out guy assumed I’d want them loped off. (I think I startled him when I lunged forward a little to save them as I said, “no! Uh, thanks.”) Beet greens aren’t for the faint of heart, but if you’ve overcome your fears of chard and kale, you’re ready for these tangy dark leafies, especially when incorporated into Beet Croquettes with Tahini Sauce and Avocado. (I’m planning at least another post soon about beet greens – I’ve been a little focused on them lately and I’m a big fan of using the whole vegetable, so….)

This recipe was inspired by this recipe. The changes I made were (a) a reaction to fresh vegetables in my refrigerator that needed to be used up, (b) my desire to show an easy way to painlessly sneak beet greens into a meal, and (c) my hankering for something heartier – I actually wanted something more like a beet and veggie burger. So, you can call these Beet Croquettes, Beet Balls, Beet Burgers, Beet Nuggets of Joy … it all depends on what you’re hungry for and what you’ve around to add to them, as you’ll read below.

Beet Croquettes with Tahini Sauce and Avocado

1 bunch largish beets, with the greens

2 small zucchinis

2 carrots

1 green garlic, including tender parts of stem, or 2 medium cloves dried garlic

1/2 C ground flax (more or less)

1/3 C tahini

up to 1/4 C coconut milk (soy, cow or almond milk will work fine, too)

1/2 t cumin (more to taste)

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut off beet greens and any long root tails. Wrap unpeeled beets in foil and bake until easily pierced with a fork (mine were pretty thick, so they took a little more than an hour).

Meanwhile, wash and cut carrot and zucchini into matchsticks, then chop medium fine. Give the garlic a medium fine chop as well and toss vegetables together in a bowl. Select the tenderest beet greens – a good handful – wash thoroughly (they can get pretty dirty) and discard any tough stems. Stack, roll and chiffonade greens, then run your knife horizontally across the pile a couple of times to chop down the long strips. Add to other vegetables.

Heat a large pan (preferably one that you can put in the oven later), add a turn or two of olive oil, then saute veggies for a few minutes, until everything starts to soften. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix tahini and milk to create a thin sauce. Best to add the milk a little at a time. I like the sauce about half as thick as the tahini is straight out of the jar, and you may not need the whole 1/4 C of milk to get there. Add cumin. Set aside.

When beets are done, don’t turn off the oven, but do place foil package in a colander in the sink. Under a little running water, you should be able to fairly easily slide the skins off the beets. Use a knife to get any stubborn bits. If most of the skin stays stuck, chances are your beets are undercooked, which will make the next step a pain.

Place peeled beets in a large bowl and either mash well with a fork or bust out that immersion blender you haven’t seen since November’s start to soup season (if using the hand blender, make sure you use a deep bowl, which will prevent bits of beets from flying everywhere – trust me. I suffer so you don’t have to). Mash/blend beets into a corse mush (you don’t want them food processor pureed). Stir in sauteed vegetables, then add the ground flax.

Three things: (1) how much flax really depends on how juicy your beets are. You want enough flax to bind the beets and veggies into fairly firm croquettes/patties. So, start with a little (1/4 C?), then add more as necessary, possibly up to 1 C (my first attempt, final photo below, shows how they can get a little crumbly if you skimp on the flax). (2) Form mixture into patties whatever size strikes your fancy. If you’re in a croquette mood, they’ll be a little smaller and rounder than if you’re in a burger mood. You should get at least six smallish patties or four substantial ones, depending on that mood of yours. (3) You can use a number of foods to bind the veg mixture in lieu of ground flax, including breadcrumbs, ground nuts, or mashed lentils or chickpeas. Obviously, using the legumes will give you a heartier patty, which may be more satisfying if you’re learning toward the burger side of things. I was aiming for a lighter meal, somewhere between croquette and burger, so I went with ground flax.

As you form patties, place them in the saute pan (if you don’t have one that’s oven-safe, very lightly oil – a mister would be great here – the bottom of a baking dish and use that. A parchment-lined baking dish may work as well, but I can’t guarantee anything). Place pan into oven for 10-15 minutes, or until patties start to crisp up nicely.

Serve on a bed of lettuce greens, sprouted buns or just slap ‘em on a plate (should be enough for two people). Top with the tahini sauce and garnish with slices of avocado (note, if you slice the avocado too early, say when you put the beets in the oven to roast, your avocado will likely turn a little brownish, like mine in the photo below. Not as pretty – which is also partly due to some unfortunate early evening lighting, or lack thereof, in my kitchen – but just as yummy. Next time I’m going to dice the avos with some cilantro and white onion and layer the croquettes on top). Eat up and attribute the tastiness to your secret ingredient, the beet greens! (See, you totally forgot they were even in there – ha!)