Napa Cabbage and Tofu Salad with Sesame Dressing

(recipe from Food & Wine magazine)

Dressing:
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1/2 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. tahini
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil (I used flax oil)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. light brown sugar (I used honey)
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp. chopped mint
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Salad:
1 lb. soft tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups finely shredded Napa cabbage (about 1/2 large head)
2 cups spinach leaves, finely shredded
1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
1 medium kohlrabi or small jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks
5 large radishes, cut into matchsticks
1 large carrot, shaved into thin curls with a vegetable peeler (or matchsticks)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. black sesame seeds or toasted white sesame seeds, for garnish

Make the dressing: Combine all of the ingredients except for the cilantro and mint in a mini food processor and puree until smooth.  (I pureed the cilantro and mint too.)  Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cilantro and mint.  Season with salt and pepper.

Make the salad:  Bring a medium saucepan of water to a gentle simmer.  Add salt.  Put half of the tofu in a small strainer and ease it into the water.  Simmer over moderate heat for 2 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain.  Repeat with the remaining tofu.

In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, spinach, red cabbage, kohlrabi, radishes, carrot, and tofu.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spoon the dressing over the salad and garnish with sesame seeds.

Sweet Potato Curry with Chickpeas

• (recipe from dryman.com)

1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
6 oz. baby spinach or baby kale
Two 15 oz. cans chickpeas
1 red onion, diced
2 yellow bell peppers, diced
2 sweet potatoes, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
7 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. minced ginger
2 heaping Tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
30 oz. can crushed tomatoes
15 oz. can light coconut milk

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, carrots, and bell peppers. Sauté for 8 minutes, stirring often until the onions are translucent.

Add in the rest of your ingredients.

Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender.

(OMG!  So delicious!)

Warm Sweet Potato, Mushroom, and Spinach Salad

(recipe from Deliciously Ella)

1 large sweet potato
a dozen crimini mushrooms
200g fresh baby spinach
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (discard seeds)
a dozen cherry tomatoes
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
cinnamon
paprika
salt
olive oil

Slice the sweet potato into bite-sized cubes and place them on a baking tray.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt, paprika, and cinnamon.  Bake for 40 minutes at 350F, until they're deliciously soft.

Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms and gently stir fry them with olive oil, salt,  apple cider vinegar, and jalapenos.  This should take about 7 minutes.  Just before the end add the spinach and allow it to wilt.  This is a very quick process, it will only take two or three minutes to become perfectly soft.

Slice the tomatoes into quarters.

Mix everything together and serve.

Tempeh And Vegetable Salad with Miso Tahini Dressing

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

Marinade:
1 tsp. ginger juice (I used minced ginger)
1 Tbsp. brown rice syrup (I used honey)
3 Tbsp. tamari
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste

8 oz. tempeh, cubed

Dressing:
1/4 cup tahini
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. miso
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. tamari
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. warm water, or more (depending on how thin you prefer the dressing to be)

2 tsp. oil
1 ear corn, kernels removed (I used frozen corn kernels)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 cups baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups sunflower sprouts, roughly chopped
2 green onions, minced

Whisk together marinade ingredients until well combined.

In a medium pot with a steamer basket, steam tempeh cubes for 20 minutes and cool slightly.  Marinate tempeh in marinade for two hours, or overnight in the refrigerator, and drain.

In a food processor, blender, or with a whisk, mix together all dressing ingredients until well combined.

Heat oil in medium skillet on medium-high heat.  Add tempeh and sauté first side until golden brown, about 7-10 minutes.  Flip to second side and repeat.  Transfer tempeh to a paper towel to drain and cool.

In a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, dry roast corn kernels until light brown, about 5 minutes, and remove from heat to cool.  In the same skillet over medium-high heat, dry roast pumpkin seeds until they are golden and begin to puff and pop, about 2-4 minutes.  Combine tempeh, corn, pumpkin seeds, spinach, bell pepper, and sunflower sprouts in a large bowl.  Mix in miso tahini dressing.  Garnish with green onions and serve.

(This salad takes a lot of work, but is really delicious.  The dressing is nice, even to just make alone and use for other salads, etc.)

Lemony Gumbo Z'herbes

(recipe from Food 52)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery (reserve any leaves for later)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 cups water or vegetable stock
2 lbs. assorted greens: collards, turnip, beet, mustard, chard, kale, or spinach, coarsely chopped
All the celery leaves from your head of celery, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves (I used dried)
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves (I used dried)
2 bay leaves
One lemon
1 to 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (I used soy sauce)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 scallion, finely chopped

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onions, celery, bell pepper, and salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned.  Stir in garlic and let it sweat with the other vegetables for a minute or two.  Add water or stock; raise heat until it comes to just below boiling.  Add greens and celery leaves a little at a time, until they are all wilted into the soup.  Add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.  Halve and juice the lemon, and add juice as well as both lemon halves into the soup.  Add 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce.  Reduce heat to low and simmer soup, covered, for at least 1 hour.  The vegetables will become mushy and the soup will be very green.  Taste and add salt, pepper, or Worcestershire sauce, if needed.  Fish out bay leaves and lemon halves and discard them. 

Serve sprinkled with scallions.  Can serve over rice.

(This soup is delicious!  I added more onions, celery, and bell pepper than called for, and added the scallions right into the soup instead of as garnish.  The flavor is spicy and lemony and packed with soft greens.)

Wild Mushroom and Spinach Stuffing

(recipe from Bon Appetit magazine)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. assorted fresh wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, stemmed shiitake, and crimini), cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 9 cups)
3 cups chopped onions (about 1 lb.)
2 cups chopped celery (4 to 5 stalks)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
5 ounces baby spinach leaves
12 cups (generous) 1-inch cubes day-old pain rustique or ciabatta bread with crust (about 1 1/4 lbs.)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup (or more) broth

Melt 1/4 cup butter with olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add diced wild mushrooms and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Saute until mushrooms are tender and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes.  Transfer mushrooms to large bowl.

Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter in same skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and celery.  Saute until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes.  Add all herbs; sauté 1 minute longer.  Add spinach and toss until just wilted, about 1 minute.  Add vegetable mixture to bowl with mushrooms.  DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead.  Cool, cover, and chill.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets.  Bake until bread is crusty but not hard, reversing sheets after 5 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes total.  Transfer to very large bowl and cool.

Butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish.  Stir vegetable mixture into bread.  Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend well; whisk in 1 cup broth.  Add egg mixture to stuffing, tossing to combine evenly and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry.  Transfer stuffing to prepared dish.

Bake stuffing uncovered until cooked through and brown and crusty on top, 50 to 60 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes.

(Stuffing is always tasty, this one particularly with the mushrooms throughout.  I skipped the bread cube baking step, as I had cut my bread the day before and left it out overnight on the counter to dry out.  Thanksgiving 2015 - me alone and a whole bunch of stuffing!  Yum.)

Anna Thomas' Green Soup

(recipe from Food 52)

1 bunch chard or spinach
1 bunch kale
4 to 5 green onions, sliced, white and green parts
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro
1 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
1 medium Yukon Gold potato
1 medium yellow onion
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
Marsala or dry sherry (optional)
1 to 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 to 3 cups vegetable broth
Freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

Wash the greeens thoroughly, trim off their stems, and slice the leaves.  Combine the chard or spinach, kale, green onion, and cilantro in a large soup pot with 3 cups water and a teaspoon of salt.  Peel the potato, or just scrub it well if you prefer, cut it into small pieces, and add it to the pot.  Bring the water to a boil, turn down the flame to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for about half an hour.

Meanwhile, chop the onion, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet, and cook the onion with a small sprinkle of salt over medium flame until it is golden brown and soft.  This will take up to half an hour.  Don't hurry; give it a stir once in a while, and let the slow cooking develop the onion's sweetness.  If you like, you can deglaze the pan at the end with a bit of Marsala or sherry - not required, but a nice touch.

Add the caramelized onion to the soup.  Put the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in the pan and stir the chopped garlic in it for just a couple of minutes, until it sizzles and smells great.  Add the garlic to the pot and simmer the soup for 10 minutes more.

Add enough of the broth to make the soup a soup - it should pour easily from the ladle - and puree it in the blender, in batches if necessary, or use an immersion blender.  Don't overprocess, potatoes can turn gummy if you work them too much.

Return the soup to the pot, bring it back to a simmer, and taste.  Add a pinch more salt if needed, grind in a little black pepper, and add a pinch of cayenne and a tablespoon of lemon juice.  Stir well and taste again.  Now use your taste buds - correct the seasoning to your taste with a drop more lemon juice or another pinch of salt, and then serve.  Garnish with a thin drizzle of fruity olive oil.

(This soup is light and flavorful and packed with greens!  If you wanted it a bit heavier, I suppose you could add another potato.  The website also mentions that you could use any greens, any herbs; or bolster the soup with arborio rice, yams, sauteed mushrooms, or squash instead of the potato; shallots or leeks instead of the onion - use the recipe as a template.)

Green Ginger Smoothie

(I have it written on a yellow sticky note - not sure where it came from!)

2 handfuls spinach
juice of 1/2 lemon
1-inch knob ginger, peeled (I don't peel mine)
2 pears
1 small cucumber
1 cup water

Blend!

(I actually use these ingredients, but differ the amounts: one pear, part of a cucumber, smaller piece of ginger.  I also add celery and aloe juice.  Pears make nice smoothies - a little grainy, but interesting.)

Smoothie combination:

1/2 large orange, peeled
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup spinach
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 tsp. flax oil (optional)
leaves from several sprigs of fresh mint
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen fruit (ie: blueberries, peaches, pineapple)

Blend!!  Light & refreshing.

Chris-anna's Green Smoothie

(recipe from Healthy Girl's Kitchen)

spinach
kale or swiss chard
celery
parsley
apple
almond milk
ice

Blend!

(I just bought a Vitamix.  F-ing amazing!  This was the first smoothie I made in it, because I had some leftover chard.  I used coconut water in place of the almond milk, since all of the packaged almond milks have weird added ingredients.  Tasty and healthy green drink!  The celery and parsley add nice notes.)

Creamy Broccoli Soup

(recipe from Martha Stewart Living)

1 Tbsp. coconut or olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

4 cups vegetable broth

1 head broccoli, trimmed and chopped (6 cups)

3 cups baby spinach

1 avocado, chopped, plus more for garnish

salt & pepper

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add broth and bring to a boil.  Add broccoli and cook, covered, until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat, stir in spinach, and let cool slightly.

Transfer soup to a blender and puree with avocado.  Adjust seasoning.  Garnish with avocado and a drizzle of olive oil.

(So, since February 1, I've been following a strict cleansing diet.  No dairy, no grains, no legumes, no alcohol, no sugar, no junk food.  The only meat I eat is fish, occasional eggs.  Mostly fruit, vegetables, and nuts.  The recipes here have been reflecting this.  Really the only cooked food I've been eating are these simple blended soups that I bring to work for lunch.  Breakfast is typically fruit and nuts, dinner a salad.  My go-to salad of late has been a mixture of kale, radicchio, spinach, spring mix with chopped walnuts, shallot, pomegranate seeds, a tsp. of oil, several tsps. of balsamic.  So good!  I feel great.  It took about 10 days, then I woke up and felt amazing.  So this is only supposed to be for 30 days, but we'll see...  It's hard to imagine wanting to go back to not feeling this great.  This recipe blog may just become a whole lot of salads and soups!

Anyway, this soup is EASY and just tastes like veggies.  Broccoli and spinach are so good for you!)

Hearty Greens Soup with Pasta and Tomatoes

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
4 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped (I used one 15 oz. can chopped tomatoes)
2 carrots, chopped
8 cups water (or broth)
1 bunch Swiss chard (about 3/4 lb.), roughly chopped
1/2 bunch escarole (about 1/2 lb.), stemmed and roughly chopped
1/2 lb. dried bowtie pasta (I used wheat-free macaroni)
1 (3-inch) Parmigiano Reggiano rind, plus grated cheese for garnish (I omitted this)
1/4 lb. baby spinach

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add garlic, onions, bay leaf, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until caramelized, about 15 minutes.  Add tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid is released and absorbed, about 5 minutes more.  Add carrots and water and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Stir in Swiss chard, escarole, pasta and Parmigiano Reggiano rind, reduce heat, cover and simmer until broth is flavorful and greens and pasta are tender, about 15 minutes.  Stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper.

Remove and discard bay leaf and rind from the soup, then ladle into bowls.  Garnish with grated cheese and serve.

(All of the greens packed into this soup made it so good!  I'd almost rather switch the pasta for beans in this recipe.  It makes a lot, and is very hearty.)

Green Soup with Ginger

(recipe adapted from Love Soup by Anna Thomas, via 101cookbooks.com)

1 large yellow onion
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
1 large sweet potato (12 ounces)
1 large leek, white and light green parts (5 ounces)
1 bunch spinach (8 ounces)
1 large bunch green chard (12 ounces)
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger, plus more to taste
2 cups vegetable broth
2 to 4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
freshly ground pepper

Chop the onion and cook it slowly in the olive oil with a sprinkle of salt, stirring now and then, over low heat, until it is soft and golden, about half an hour.

Meanwhile, peel and dice the sweet potato and put it in a large soup pot with 4 cups water, 2 cups broth, and a teaspoon of salt.  Thoroughly wash the leek, spinach, and chard, chop them coarsely, and add them to the pot, along with the chopped ginger.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the soup, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are competely tender.  Add the caramelized onions when they are ready.  Decide whether you want your soup chunky, like this, or smooth.  If the latter, puree the soup in a blender, in batches, or with an immersion blender until it is smooth.

Stir in 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice and a few grinds of black pepper.  Taste, and correct the seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice.

Serves 5-6.

(Absolutely delicious and flavorful, packed with greens.  I did not puree mine.  An instant favorite.)

Spinach and Mushroom Salad with Cumin Dressing

(recipe from Food & Wine magazine)

8 servings.

1 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, lightly toasted
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/4 lbs. firm white mushrooms, stems trimmed, sliced
freshly ground pepper
2 lbs. spinach, large stems discarded, leaves torn into large pieces
8 small scallions, white and tender green parts, thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped cilantro

In a spice grinder or mortar, crush the cumin seeds to a powder.  In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, and garlic with 1 tsp. salt.  Whisk in the cumin, paprika, and coriander, then whisk in the olive oil.

In a medium bowl, toss the mushrooms with 1/2 cup of the dressing and season with salt and pepper.  In a large bowl, toss the spinach with the scallions, cilantro and the remainng dressing.  Add the mushrooms and toss well.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

(Delicious spiced dressing!)

Eat The Rainbow Black Bean Soup

(recipe from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen)

1 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and finely diced
1 yellow or red pepper, chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red cabbage, chopped
6 ounces mushrooms, quartered
2 cans (or 3 cups) cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. chipotle chile powder (or for smokiness without heat, use smoked paprika)
1 Tbsp. regular chile powder
generous grating of black pepper
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
5 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
4 cups chopped spinach
salt to taste

In a large pot, saute the onion until soft.  Add the peppers and carrots and cook for another two minutes. Add the garlic, cabbage, mushrooms, and beans and cook for another two minutes.

Add all remaining ingredients except spinach and salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, for about 30 minutes, adding additional water or broth as needed to keep a soupy consistency.  Just before serving, stir in the spinach and salt.

Quinoa with Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms

(recipe from wholefoodsmarket.com)

Serves 6.

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 small pear, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
1 garlic clove, halved
2 lbs. portobello mushrooms, stemmed
1 cup quinoa
3 cups tightly packed spinach, chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 475F.

Put vinegar, mustard, pear, and garlic in a blender with 1/3 cup water and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.  Cut mushrooms into chunks and combine in a large mixing bowl with 1/4 cup of the pear balsamic dressing.  Spread mushrooms in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast mushrooms until tender, stirring occasionally, 20 to 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

While mushrooms roast, prepare quinoa.  In a medium pot, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil.  Stir in quinoa, cover pot, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove pot from heat and set aside, covered, 10 minutes more.  Uncover and fluff quinoa with a fork.

Combine mushrooms, quinoa, spinach, green onions, almonds, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup more pear balsamic dressing in a large, wide serving bowl.  Stir to mix well.  Serve with remaing dressing on the side.  Serve this dish warm, room temperature, or cold, as a side dish or the main event.

(Made 9/7.  At first this recipe confused me, because the spinach is never cooked, but they say to maybe serve it warm...  Turns out, when you add the quinoa and mushrooms to the spinach, the greens kind of wilt.  The dressing is very good.  I predominantly ate this at room temperature for lunches, and it kept well for several days in the fridge.  Not my favorite recipe ever, but grew on me.  I ate some of the extra dressing tossed with greens later on.)