Black-Eyed Pea & Collard Greens Soup

This month For The Love of Food had its third-year anniversary. Three years ago I sat in my dark kitchen photographing roasted vegetables under a stove light (with a point-and-shoot!) for a grad school project. Thankfully things have changed a lot over the years.

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how grateful I am to this incredible blog community created by each and every one of YOU. Thank you for your encouragement, your wisdom, and for learning together these past three years.

Thank you for putting up with way too many cat stories. Thank you for laughing at my jokes and listening to my constant ramblings about how delicious vegetables are. Seriously... 'cause everyone else in my life is sick of it by now.

And for my gratitude, I give you a simple black-eyed pea and collard greens soup.
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Green Smoothie 101 [Video]

I'm a big fan of drinking green smoothies and if there is one thing I could get you to start doing today to change your health, it would be loading up on these healthy green drinks. Today I'm doing something a bit different and sharing a video with you to help inspire you to jump start your health with a green smoothie!

Green smoothies have a ton of benefits, such as:

• Green smoothies are perfect for enhancing the immune system, purifying the blood, and rejuvenating the body. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many other micronutrients. Since you are consuming the greens raw, you are also getting the full nutritional value of the greens as well as their digestive enzymes.  
• Green smoothies are really easy to digest.  Since the greens are blended up, your body doesn’t have to work as hard in order to extract the nutrients and it is much easier on your digestive system. So, if you are someone that has digestive issues, this is a perfect way to add more fruits and veggies into your diet. 
• Green smoothies are fabulous for kids! If you have children or teenagers, I highly encourage you to make a green smoothie with them.  The key is to get them involved and let them help make the smoothie so they feel like they are part of the process (rather than being pressured into drinking something unfamiliar). I have honestly make this smoothie with well over 300 children over the last two years and it always amazes parents what kids will drink when they get to be involved in the process.
• Green smoothies reduce your cravings! When I work with clients in my health coaching practice one of the first things I will get them to do is start drinking green smoothies.  Most of them will immediately notice a decrease in sugar cravings because they are crowding out those less-healthy foods and their body will naturally start to crave fresh foods.  

If you are ready to have more energy and change your health, start with a green smoothie.  

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Lentil and Greens Casserole with Millet-Amaranth Crust

I moved into my current place almost two months ago and for the first time in my life, I have a gas stove.  When I realized this on my moving day, it felt like a dream come true.  I think this is what fashionable women must feel when they find their perfect pair of shoes.

The unfortunate side of this is that every time I use my dream oven, it sets off the fire alarm.  Every. time. No joke. And since I'm in the bottom floor of a house with other tenants above me, our fire alarms are connected. Meaning: when mine goes off, I make theirs go off too.

Wednesday at 9 pm: Sorry, just indulging in a late-night kale chip craving. 

Friday at 7 am: What? You're not up roasting carrots for breakfast too?

Saturday at 6 pm: Hey neighbor, sorry about the fire alarm. Maybe I can make it up to you by bringing by an extra casserole for you. Oh, you're not even home? That's cool too.

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Gingered Sea Vegetable Salad

Let's be honest. I know that you didn't wake up this morning thinking to yourself, "I can't wait to eat a giant bowl of seaweed." (And if you did think that, you have my undying admiration.) Let's just say that I didn't wake up this morning thinking that either.

But, I know that sea vegetables are really important for my health. Seaweed is chock full of good stuff like B Vitamins, folic acid, and Vitamins C and E. It is also incredibly rich in minerals like magnesium and calcium and a good source of iodine, iron, and chlorophyll. This is especially important because over the past few years our soil has lost minerals so we aren't getting as many from our food as we used to.  As much as I hate the smell of the ocean, and especially seaweed, I'm gonna eat my sea vegetables.

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Green Smoothie 2.0

 

Dear Earth, 

I love you.

Thank you for these first few days of spring.  Thank you for supplying my body with water and nutrients each day.  Thank you for giving me fresh air to breathe without me having to think about it.  I'm lucky to have you.  Please stick around awhile?

I think about you often.  I think about how you take care of me and how I try my best to take care of you too.  I think about you when I take short showers, ride my bike, compost, reuse paper, shop at the farmer's market, and pick up trash on the ground.  Hey, did you hear that I started my own worm bin this year?  Yeah, I thought you'd be proud. 

Thank you for all that you do.  I am grateful for you.

Sincerely,

Me

 

Is it weird that I love Earth Day?  One of my New Year's Resolutions for 2011 is to lead a more sustainable lifestyle.  A few months ago I gave myself a goal to have half my garden planted and thriving by April 22.  Of course that was before I knew too much about gardening and learned that there isn't much that you can plant in Seattle before late April.  Luckily, I love greens and those were safe to start in mid-march.  My indoor herb gardens are also coming along quite nicely.  But, I can't wait until my greens are ready to eat. 

Speaking of greens, let's talk about green smoothies.  I've been drinking green smoothies since back in the day.  Heck, I had my first green smoothie even before I went vegetarian.  Green smoothies seem to be kicking up quite a stir lately as more people have grown to love their green goodness.

And what's not to love?

• They're super quick and easy to make!
• They're a great breakfast, pre- or post-workout meal, and make a great anytime snack!
• They help get more greens into your diet!
• They use raw greens so you're getting the full nutritional value of the greens as well as their digestive enzymes!
• And they're delicious!

Maybe you avoid all green things.  Maybe you strictly avoid green things in glasses.  Or maybe you've been burned by a really bad green smoothie before.  I won't judge.  But maybe I can help mend the wound?

Once you're ready to hop on the green smoothie wagon, you'll want to start with the basic recipe.  These are my versions that I've adapted throughout the years, but there are hundreds of variations out there and you can even make it 100% raw by substituting fresh juice for the milk and leaving out any non-raw supplements.  I covered some basics in my first green smoothie tutorial which is a great starting recipe for beginners.

Basic Green Smoothie

Ingredients:
2 cups nondairy milk
1 frozen banana (remove the peel, cut into 1-inch slices, and freeze in a plastic bag overnight)
1 cup of frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and/or blackberries, etc)
1 scoop rice protein powder (soy or hemp work well)
Greens: spinach has the mildest flavor and for a beginner, I would recommend starting with 1/2 cup.  As you become used to the taste, you can increase to 1 - 2 cups or try other greens like kale, chard, or collards.

Directions:
Blend milk and greens for 15 seconds - 1 minute (depending on your blender) on high. Then add your fruits and blend for 15 - 30 seconds. Add the protein powder and blend another 15 - 30 seconds.

Once you master the basic recipe, it's time for an upgrade.  The great thing about smoothies is that it's pretty hard to mess them up.  If you put in too many greens, just increase your liquid ratio.  If your smoothie isn't sweet enough, just add a little more fruit.  Experimentation is your friend.

I like to add extra supplements to my smoothies and I have a variety of things that I use. You can pick and choose depending on your taste buds and nutritional needs. 

(A quick note about blenders: I get a lot of questions from readers about what type of blender I use. I use a Vitamix 5200 and absolutely love it! I bought it in 2007 and have used it almost every day since. It was an investment, but I think it was worth it to have a high-powered blender that will last many years.)

Green Smoothie 2.0
Makes 2 Servings

Basic Ingredients:
2 cups chopped kale or greens of your choice (you can remove the thick stems if desired)
2.5 cups nondairy milk
1 cup water
2 medjool dates, pitted
1 cup frozen bananas (remove the peel, cut into 1-inch slices, and freeze in a plastic bag overnight)
1 cup unsweetened frozen fruit (mango, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, your pick!)
1 scoop rice protein powder (soy or hemp work well)

Add 1 or all of the following:
1 Tablespoon wheatgrass powder (contains chlorophyll for healthy blood function)
1 teaspoon spirulina powder (contains chlorophyll for healthy blood function)
1/2 teaspoon maca powder (contains nutrients which help the body's endocrine system)

Add 1 of the following:
1 teaspoon flax seeds (high in fiber, Omega-3's, and B vitamins)
1 Tablespoon hemp seeds (high in trace minerals, Omega-3's and Omega 6 fatty acids)
1 Tablespoons chia seeds soaked in 1/4 cup of water for at least 10 minutes (Chia seeds are full of fiber and Omega-3's.  Soaking them makes it easier to blend them into the smoothie.)

Pick at least 1 of the following for your fat source:  (Fat is needed to absorb the nutrients in the greens.  It also helps you feel full!)
1 Tablespoon nut butter
1/2 avocado, pitted and skinned
1 Tablespoon borage/flax oil (This borage/flax oil blend is a good source of Omega-3's and Omega 6 fatty acids.)
1 Tablespoon pumpkin seeds

Directions:
Blend milk and greens for 15 seconds - 1 minute (depending on your blender) on high. Then add your fruit, dates, any supplements, and any other smoothie additions and blend for 30 seconds - 1 minute. Serve immediately. (It can also keep for a few hours in a fridge or by adding ice cubes. However, the longer it sits the more "green" it starts to taste.)

One-Year Anniversary Greens

It's crazy to think about me starting this blog a year ago today.  A year ago I was attending my graduate program at Antioch University and was taking an independent study on food systems and eating.  I had been a vegan health nut for quite some time, but during my independent study I began to see how disconnected I was to what I was eating.  I already cooked all of my own meals from scratch, but I focused more on nutritional content than taste.  I also didn't eat as much local, seasonal produce.

My hope with this blog was to become reconnected to my food, the seasons, and learn some new recipes along the way. I had no idea that in the self-reflective, humbling process of becoming reconnected to what I eat, I would:

• try over 250 new recipes and post 140 of them
• buy a digital SLR camera (which is worth more than anything else I own!)
• learn to love my body just the way it is
• join my first CSA
• find my true passion in food justice work
• land my dream job of helping to bring healthy, nutritious meals to children and people in need
• become confident enough to be an assistant for PCC Cooks
• and find an amazing community -- online and in-person -- that encouraged and supported me all along the way 

This blog has made me accountable to doing so many important things in my life and I thank each of you for being a part of it.

Now that I'm done being sappy, how do you want to celebrate?

I, of course, want to celebrate with greens.  Kale is one of the most nutritious foods and I love the way that it is prepared in this dish.  If you're not a fan of kale, you can always use collard greens, chard, or a mix.  The garlic and leeks really shine in this recipe and a good dose of freshly ground black pepper ties it all together. 

One-Year Anniversary Greens

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 leek, cleaned and chopped

2 shallots, chopped

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 bunch of leafy greens (kale, chard, collards, or a mix), chopped 

ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

a few tablespoons of water or stock

Heat the oil in a large pan.  Add the onion, shallots, and leeks.  Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the leeks and onions are soft.

Add the greens, a few handfuls at a time.  Stir them frequently and add more greens as the batch cooks down.  If you're cooking tough greens like collards or kale, I would add some water or vegetable stock a few tablespoons at a time to help it cook down.  

Let them cook for about 20-30 minutes until the greens are soft.  Remove from heat, add salt and pepper to taste and serve. 

Spicy Collard Greens

Let's start this year off right.  Let's talk about greens.

Did you know that collard greens are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin E, Calcium, and dietary fiber?  Did you know that cooking them increases their nutritional benefits?  The heat breaks down their cell walls and releases higher amounts of their vitamins and minerals.  And do you know how delicious collard greens can be?  (It's okay if you didn't know that last one because up until a few months ago I didn't know either.)

I tend to feel guilty when I cook my vegetables because it often means that I'm losing nutrients.  However, with collard greens, I can throw out my guilt and grab my pan. 

For those of us living in the Pacific Northwest, we are pretty lucky when it comes to greens.  Fresh local greens are available to us most of the year because of our wonderful cool and damp weather.  Seattle often spoils me when it comes to good local food.

How did you ring in the New Year?  Fireworks?  A glass of wine?  I opted for a low-key celebration involving a good movie, a cup of tea, a snuggie, and my cat.  I even fell asleep before midnight.  Yep, I'm that cool.

On New Year's Day I ran my first 5K.  I love running and this is something I've wanted to do for years.  Unfortunately, I've had terrible shin splints in the past that even daily stretching, strength training, massage, and physical therapy couldn't get rid of.  I thought there was no way I'd ever be able to run again.

Last week I discovered compression socks and they are amazing.  If you ever have shin splints I strongly recommend you get a pair.  They not only alleviated my pain, but they made it possible for me to run my first race.  2011 is looking up.

If running a 5K, 10K, half or full marathon is on your 2011 wish list I hope this inspires you to get started.  If I can do a 5K, you can too.  Trust me.

And if I can love collard greens this much, I hope you can too.

Ingredients:
1 bunch collard greens, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
1/2 - 1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs olive oil

Directions:
In a medium pot over medium heat, add your olive oil and cook your collard greens and garlic for about a minute. 

Add your vegetable stock.  It should be a thin layer and will probably not cover all of your greens, but they will quickly cook down. Put a lid on your pot and turn the stove down to a simmer. Add the red pepper flakes.  Cook until the greens are tender, about 20 minutes.  You want them to be chewable, but not mushy.  Drain any excess stock.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.