Daikon and Rutabaga Slaw

1 Rutabaga Peeled & Shredded 

1 Cup Shredded Daikon

1/3 Cup Dry Roasted Peanuts, roughly chopped

2 Tablespoons Smooth Peanut Butter

1 Tablespoon Hot Water

1 Tablespoon Lime Juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (or more to taste, also optional)

Combine the rutabaga, daikon, and peanuts in a bowl.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, lime juice, hot water, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. 

Pour the dressing over the veggies and mix until everything is well combined.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, longer is just fine.   

Daikon and Carrot Salad (Namasu)

½ of each daikon radish

1 carrot peeled

1 tsp Kosher salt

1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

1 ½ Tbsp. granulated sugar

1½ Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. water

¼ tsp Kosher salt

Using a vegetable peeler peel thin strips of the daikon radishes and carrots and mix together. 

Lightly salt them and put in a strainer for about 10 minutes.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved.

Squeeze moisture from the carrot and radish mixture and then mix with dressing. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Very enjoyable right away or let sit in your fridge overnight to allow the flavors to meld.

If you enjoy the simple salad you can reserve the dressing and keep adding more carrot and radish to your heart’s content.

Curried Potatoes with Turnip Greens

1 bunch turnip greens - chopped

1 bottleneck onion - sliced  

½-1# Fingerling Potatoes cut into rounds or half rounds (your call as long as the size is similar so the cook time is the same)

2 Garlic Cloves minced

2-3 Peppers 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

2 tsp curry powder

2 Tbsp coconut oil (can use any vegetable/cooking oil)

1 tsp Mustard seeds 

½-1 tsp dried chili flakes for heat 

Salt - to taste

Wash the turnip greens well and place them on a kitchen towel or stand the leaves in a bowl to drain the water off. Chop the leaves into thin strips.

Mince garlic and peppers together with dried chili flakes

In a large frying pan heat the oil and add garlic/pepper mixture and mustard seeds. Once aromatic, add the white onions, potato, turmeric and curry powder and add salt and sauté until onions becomes soft and translucent.

Cook with the lid off on medium heat until the potato gets cooked through, then toss in the greens and cover and cook until the leaves are tender. 

 Serve hot with rice

Curried Kohlrabi & Potato Latkes with Sambal Oelek Mayo

1-2 medium potatoes

1 kohlrabi bulb, peeled

1/2 red onion, peeled and trimmed

2 teaspoons chopped parsley

2 large eggs

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (or equivalent gluten free flour mix)

1 Tbsp curry powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Up to 1/4 cup vegetable oil or clarified butter

Sambal Oelek Mayo

1 tbsp. Sambal

½ cup Mayonnaise 

Coarsely grate the potato, kohlrabi, and onion in a food processor. Wring out any excess liquid from the vegetables by wrapping them in a clean, lint-free dish towel and squeezing it out.

Dump the drained vegetables into a medium bowl. Add the eggs, flour, parsley and salt and mix until combined.

Heat a large, preferably non-stick, sauté pan over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of vegetable oil or clarified butter. When hot, drop 1/4 cup sized dollops of the batter into the pan. Press down on the cakes with a spatula to flatten. Cook until browned, a few minutes. Flip and cook for a few more minutes.

Remove from the pan to a plate or a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining batter.

The pancakes can be reheated in a 350º F oven. Serve warm, garnished with Sambal Oelek Mayo.

Curried Kale with Sautéed Vegetables

1 bunch green kale, roughly chopped

2-3 mini onions sliced

2 cups summer squash (zucchini), diced

1 cup broccoli cut into small florets

½ cup fennel bulb sliced thin across the grain 

1 can coconut milk (plus one can of water)

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 Tbsp coconut oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Serve over jasmine or basmati rice

Bring coconut milk plus can of water to a simmer in a pan and then add chopped kale and reduce by half over medium heat.

While the kale is stewing, heat a sauté pan over medium high heat then add coconut oil. Once the oil has liquefied, add the vegetables and sauté until lightly browned. (Stir Frequently) 

Add curry powder to the sautéed vegetable mix while stirring to ensure an even coating. Then turn to low and add the stewed kale with coconut milk to the sauté pan and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste

Serve with rice.

As an option, you could add ground pork to the vegetable medley. Brown ½ pound of ground pork in the coconut oil first, then remove while cooking vegetables, and replace it just before adding the coconut stewed kale back to the sauté pan.

Cucumber Gazpacho, Because it's hot outside

2 Slicing cucumbers, peeled and chopped (3 cups chopped)

1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped (try to remove white ribbing may impart a bitter flavor)

½-1 Italian bottle neck onions, minced (reserve tops and slice thin like a scallion for garnish)

2 jalapeños, stemmed, halved lengthwise, seeded (use disposable gloves)

1 bunch Italian parsley, large stems removed

Small handful mint or lemon verbena leaves

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced or pressed

½ cup chicken stock, or veggie stock, plus additional

¼ cup cold pressed olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Several drops of Tabasco Green Pepper Sauce, to taste

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Garnish

¼ cup small diced cucumber (with peel)

¼ cup diced green bell pepper

coarsely grated zest of 1 lemon

6 small tips of fresh spearmint or lemon verbena

Put the cucumber, bell pepper, Italian bottleneck onion, jalapenos, parsley, mint or lemon verbena, and garlic into a blender and liquefy.

Add the stock, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Tabasco, and salt. Pulse to combine.

Taste and adjust the balance of salt and lemon juice if needed.

Adjust the thickness of the soup by adding a little more chicken stock if needed.

Chill for at least two hours.

Just before serving, pour the soup into individual cups, and then sprinkle each with a bit of diced cucumber, and lemon zest.

Cucumber Basil Dressing

2 cups peeled, seeded, and small diced cucumbers

1 teaspoons table salt

2 cups Greek yogurt 

½ onion grated

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Toss together the first 2 ingredients; drain in a colander 30 minutes. Whisk together yogurt and the next 5 ingredients. Stir in cucumbers; let stand for 30 minutes. 

Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Cucumber and Watermelon Salad

2 cucumbers peeled and sliced into half moons

1 watermelon peeled and diced with seeds removed

3-4 basil leaves minced

1 small red onion sliced thin into half moons 

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. lime juice

½ cup crumbled feta

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix onion and basil into lime juice and let stand for 10 minutes. Then add olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and stir together

Toss in watermelon and cucumber. 

Crumble feta over the top.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

4 medium tomatoes, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced

½ medium red onion, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced

1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

A generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, about 2 tablespoons

2 cloves of garlic minced 

2 splashes red wine vinegar

Coarse salt and black pepper

Dress the tomatoes, onions, and cucumber with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Let stand while you prepare dinner, about 20 minutes. Re-toss and serve salad with crusty bread for mopping up juices and oil.

Cucumber and Parsley Salad

1 Cucumber Peeled

2 Tbsp. Diced Pearl Onion

2 Tbsp Olive

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp Vinegar – If you have some chive infused vinegar this would be great here. Otherwise Balsamic or Red Wine Vinegar would be a great choice

¼  Cup Minced Garlic Scapes – If you don’t have any scapes left from last week, you can substitute Scallion

½ bunch of Parsley Minced

½ Tsp Salt

Pepper to taste

Take cucumber and cut it in half lengthwise then remove the seeds with a spoon (this is optional as I eat the seeds and they are delicious) and slice crosswise very thinly. Add salt and place into a bowl and set aside.

Dice the pearl onion and mince the garlic scapes. Combine with the minced parsley and set aside. 

Mix together lemon juice, vinegar and oil. Whisk and then pour over cucumbers. Toss onion/garlic/herb mixture into the cucumbers and toss thoroughly to ensure a light coating on all the ingredients. Add pepper to taste. 

Cucumber and Musk Melon Salad

2 cucumbers peeled and sliced into half moons

1 musk melon peeled and diced with seeds removed

3-4 basil leaves minced

1 small red onion sliced thin into half moons 

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

½ cup crumbled feta

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix onion and Basil into white wine vinegar and let stand for 10 minutes. Then add olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and stir together

Toss in musk melon and cucumber. 

Crumble feta over the top.

Cucumber and Avocado Gazpacho

1 green pepper (chili or green bell)

2 cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into chunks

2 ripe avocados, cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; more for serving

1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 large clove garlic, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Roast the green pepper over a gas burner, on a hot grill fire, or on a foil-lined baking sheet under the broiler, turning with tongs, until blackened or blistered all over, 6 to 10 minutes. Immediately put the chile in a bowl, cover, and let steam for 15 minutes. Once cool, remove the skin, then split open. Remove the stem, seeds, and ribs, and coarsely chop.

In a blender, combine the green pepper, cucumbers, avocados, cilantro, 1/4 cup of the oil, the lemon juice, garlic, 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and 3/4 cup water. Blend until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Adjust amount of jalapeno or other spicy pepper to taste, or you can use a green bell pepper and adjust heat with your prefered hot sauce.

Creamy Thai-Inspired Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

3 cups diced peeled carrots

3 cups diced peeled sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 cups chopped yellow (sweet) onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons red curry paste

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more if needed

¼ cup raw almond butter or peanut butter

½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Up to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, if you like spice)

In a large pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, until the onion is translucent.

Stir in the curry paste. In a small bowl, whisk together some of the broth with the almond butter until smooth. Add the mixture to the pot, along with the carrots, sweet potatoes, salt, and remaining vegetable broth. Stir until combined.

Bring the soup to a low boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender.

Ladle the soup carefully into a blender. You will likely have to do this in a couple of batches, depending on the size of your blender (never fill your blender past the maximum fill line). Being careful to avoid hot steam escaping from the lid, blend on low and slowly increase the speed until the soup is completely smooth. (Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender and blend the soup directly in the pot.)

Taste, and season with salt and black pepper. If you’d like more spice, add a pinch or full ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and blend again. Transfer the soup back to the pot and reheat if necessary. If desired, you can thin the soup out with a bit more broth if it’s too thick for your preference.

Creamy Spinach and Garlic Scape Pasta with Asparagus

1 bunch garlic scapes sliced into thin cross sections. 

¼ lb of spinach, washed and rough chopped

½ lb asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces

1 lb pasta

1 pint heavy whipping cream

½ cup white wine

½ cup shredded parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start pasta water boiling with a little bit of salt. Cook pasta until al dente.

Sauté asparagus for 3 minutes, then remove from the pan.

Add Garlic Scapes and sauté until they are aromatic 1-2 minutes then deglaze pan with white wine and reduce until liquid until almost gone. Then reduce heat to low and cream.

Cook on low until the cream is reduced by half then add the spinach. Continue to cook over low heat until cream is reduced by half again. Stir frequently so no burning happens in the bottom of the pan.

Once desired consistency is reached, turn off the heat. Add the cooked asparagus to the creamy spinach mixture. Add the Parmesan cheese and season to taste. 

Fold pasta into sauce and enjoy.

Greens and Potato Stew with Spicy Sausage

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch green kale or collard greens, center stems cut away, leaves thinly sliced

1 pound fully cooked spicy sausage cut into rounds

2 cups chicken broth

1 pound Carola potatoes, diced

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Sauté until onion is soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add kale and sauté until wilted, about 4 minutes. Add sausage and sauté 5 minutes. Add broth and potatoes.

Simmer soup uncovered until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Transfer 2 cups soup (without sausage) to processor. Blend until smooth; return to pot of soup and bring to simmer.

Mix in crushed red pepper. Season with salt and black pepper.

Coconut Creamed Collards

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 bunch collard greens, stems removed, cut into ribbons

1 can coconut milk plus one can full of water

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 to 2 tablespoons tamari, to taste

Salt, to taste

Dash red chili flakes, to taste

Melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté until it's clear and soft. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, for another minute.

Add the collard greens to the pan. Stir frequently for a minute or two, until the collards are just wilting.

Add the coconut milk, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of tamari to the skillet and stir everything well. When the mixture is simmering, reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the greens are totally tender. If the simmering liquid starts to dry up, add a few splashes of water as you go along.

Season the greens to taste with extra tamari, if desired, as well as salt and red chili flakes. Serve.

Lemon - Green Garlic Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice (about one large lemon)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon minced green garlic tops

2 teaspoons dried oregano

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously until combined and emulsified.

Chopped Greens Salad with Feta

1 head of romaine, chopped and rinsed

1 bunch green kale, chopped and rinsed

1 head of Koji (Tatsoi), Chopped and rinsed

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

½ cup Feta crumbles

½ cup Pine Nuts toasted

Chop all of the greens into bite sized pieces, wash and spin in salad spinner or drain and pat dry.

Toast pine nuts

Toss and combine all the salad ingredients with the dressing until thoroughly mixed.

Cherry Tomato and Onion Pie

1 refrigerated rolled pie crust 

½ cup shredded Pecorino, plus more for topping

 ½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved 

½-1 onion cut into thin slices

Drizzle with Balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided 

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons small or torn basil leaves 

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Roll the pie crust into a 7-by-10-inch rectangle or a 9-inch circle and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Top pie crust with cheese, leaving a 2-inch border. Evenly spread sliced onions on the bottom of the crust and top with cherry tomatoes, cut-sides up. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, oil and season with salt and pepper. Fold crust edges over outer edge of tomatoes, pleating as needed. Brush crust edges with remaining oil.

Bake until crust is golden and tomatoes are bubbling, 30-35 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle with basil before serving.

Celery and Cucumber Salad

2-3 celery stalks, thinly sliced crosswise (these are petite celery but very big in flavor)

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced crosswise 

1 bunch coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint (optional)

Juice and zest from one lemon

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 head of Lettuce, rough chopped and washed.

Toss the sliced celery, sliced cucumber, chopped parsley and mint together.

Combine lemon juice and zest with the olive oil, into a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Add dressing to the cucumber/celery mix and toss well.

Season to taste and serve over bed of chopped lettuce