Fat free collard greens

1 bunch of collards (about 8 full size leaves), chopped including stems
1 medium onion diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
5/8 cup cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 tbsp white sugar
4 cloves garlic, diced

Combine ingredients in a large stock pot. Boil for about 25 minutes covered. Remove lid, reduce the heat and continue boiling until most of the liquid boils off and the collards are tender.

Serve with malt vinegar.

Peppers stuffed with orzo, tomato and feta

6 medium bell peppers
2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
3 oz orzo
1 cup vegetable broth
A small handful of fresh sweet basil (about 1/2 cup whole leaves) - chopped
1/4 - 1/3 lb Feta, 1/4" cubes

Heat the oven to 350.

Boil the vegetable broth in a small pan. Add the orzo, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 6 minutes. The orzo should not be fully cooked, but most of the broth should be absorbed.

Partially cooked orzo

Slice the tops off of the bell peppers. Chop the tops into bits and set aside. Scoop out the seeds.

In a large bowl, combine the orzo, the tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, feta, basil, salt & pepper.

Spray a baking pan that is sized to hold the peppers upright, then place the peppers in the pan. Fill the pepper with the orzo mixture.

Stuffing the peppers

Pour vegetable broth in the pan, to cover the bottom of the peppers about 1/4 inch. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the filling is hot and the peppers are soft, about 10 more minutes.

Tomatillo salsa

Chop 4 - 5 large tomatillos
Dice 1/4 of a large onion
Mince a large garlic clove
Mince a tablespoon of cilantro

Chopped ingredients

Heat oil in a sauce pan
Saute the onion until soft
Add the garlic until the garlic is fragrant but not brown
Add 1 tablespoon of cumin powder and stir
Add the tomatillos

Salsa cooking

Keep the heat on medium high. The tomatillos should quickly release moisture and begin to cook down. Cook until the tomatillo mixture is boiling and the tomatillos break down into a thick salsa.
Add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Garnish with cilantro, cool and serve with chips!

Yum!

Potato soup

• Slice a large onion
• In a large soup pot, melt 4 tbsp butter using medium - high heat
• When the butter is bubbling, add the onion
• Saute for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft
• Add a full bulb of garlic, no need to chop or mince
• Add about 6 medium potatoes, cleaned and cubed. The skins can remain on if they look good. I used red potatoes. 
• Add about 8 cups of vegetable broth and two bay leaves
• Heat to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
• When the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaves and discard. If the bulb of garlic was added intact, fish it out and push the garlic cloves back into the soup, discarding the peel and stem. 
• Using a hand blender, puree the soup. If you don't have a hand blender, carefully ladle the soup into a blender and puree, then return the soup to the pot. 
• Add about 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and white pepper
• Drain and rinse a can of small white beans, add to the soup
• Simmer for about 5 more minutes to warm the beans, then ladle into bowls. 
• Serve with crusty bread.

Potato soup

Leftover pasta bake

Start with a large portion of leftover pasta, sauce mixed in.
Spray a large baking pan with oil
Spread about 1/2 of the pasta evenly in the pan.
Sprinkle with feta cheese.

Pasta and feta layers

In a pot, boil chopped kale in water for about 5 minutes.

Kale in boiling water

Drain the water off and top the pasta with the kale.
Slice a small eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds. Heavily salt each side. Allow to sit for 30 minutes. When the time is up, rinse the salt off and pat the eggplants dry.

Eggplant sitting with salt

Slice a small yellow squash into 1/4 inch rounds.
Spray a baking sheet with oil

Eggplant, squash layer on top of pasta and feta layer

Spread the eggplant and squash on the baking sheet and roast at 400 F for about 20 minutes. When the veggies are beginning to brown, remove them and carefully place them on top of the kale, in the baking pan.


Spread the remaining pasta evenly over the top.

Leftover pasta - ready-to-bake!

Sprinkle again with feta cheese.
Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes, until the pasta is hot.
Serve with crusty bread

Who says leftovers aren't fun! More please!

Roasted cabbage

1/2 cabbage cut in 1/2 again and sliced in about 1 inch sections
spray olive oil on roasting pan
spread cabbage evenly
spray the top of the cabbage again

spices in grinder

In a grinder, combine 1/2 teaspoon caraway seed and 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns. Grind coarsely.

Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt and mix. Scatter the spice mixture over the cabbage.

Roast in an oven at 400 ºF for about 20 minutes, until the cabbage is soft and starting to turn golden.

roasted cabbage

Mashed cauliflower

Chop a small cauliflower into pieces
Chop a potato into small pieces
Put a couple of inches of water in a deep pot. Add the potatoes to the water. Place a steaming basket on top of the potatoes and put the cauliflower in the basket. Steam for about 20 minutes.

Cauliflower in the steamer, with chopped potatoes in the water

In a small sauce pan, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil.
Add about 1 tablespoon of minced garlic or chopped garlic tops. Saute for about 5 minutes.

Garlic tops 

Add about 1 cup of almond milk and a small pinch of saffron threads and warm to infuse the flavors.

Garlic, almond milk and saffron

When the veggies are soft, drain the water. Mash the veggies with the sauce to make a creamy mashed cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper.

Ready to blend!

Ready to serve!