Sushi Sushi Sushi

My daughter was thoughtful enough to get me a sushi making kit for Christmas. Well, what an adventure! Lots to learn, lot of work, lot of mess, but well worth it.

Sauteed Greens and Butter Beans with Lemon Quinoa

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch of Kale, stems removed
• 1 15-ounce can butter [Gigante] beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• Optional: 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Lemon Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

In a small saucepan, add quinoa, 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover for 16-18 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork. Add olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cover to keep warm; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until it’s fragrant, about 1 minute. Add greens and stir until they begin to wilt – use tongs to coat with oil. Add butter beans and cook until they get a little crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add kalamata olives, season with salt and pepper.

When ready to serve, dish quinoa and top with the greens and bean mixture. Sprinkle crushed red pepper if you prefer some spice.

Enjoy!

Serves 4-6

Courtesy of Withstyleandgrace.com

Garlicky Kale and Bean Stew

Greens good for you, nuff said.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
Knob of coconut oil or ghee
2 medium onions
6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional, but really delicious)
5 bay leaves
Pinch chili flakes
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
2- 2 ½ cups cooked white beans (lima, butter, navy, cannelini…)
2 cups packed shredded kale leaves
2 cups vegetable broth
1 can (14 oz.) organic whole tomatoes
Cold-pressed olive oil to garnish

Directions:
1. Heat a knob of oil in a large stockpot. Slice onions and add to the pot with a couple pinches sea salt, chili, bay leaves and paprika. Cook for a few minutes until the onions have softened, then add sliced garlic. If the post becomes dry, add a little juice from the tinned tomatoes.
2. Add all other ingredients, bring to a boil, season to taste, and serve with a drizzle of olive oil (since everything is cooked, you don’t need to heat it long). If you are going to let it simmer for a while, add the kale about 5-10 minutes before serving so that it retains more of its nutritional value.

Sarah Britton is a holistic nutritionist, vegetarian chef, and the creator of the award-winning blog My New Roots. Sarah is currently a chef at three organic restaurants in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she has earned praise for her creative and adventurous recipes. A Certified Nutritional Practitioner, she is also the founder of New Roots Holistic Nutrition, where she educates others to be an active participant in their own health and healing.

Crispy Kale Salad with Lime Dressing

Angie made this salad tonight and it was LEGIT.  Try it out people

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons (packed) palm sugar or light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 red Thai chile or 1/4 red jalapeño, seeded, thinly sliced
• 24 small Tuscan kale leaves (about 5 inches) or 5-inch-long pieces torn from large stemmed leaves
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups (loosely packed) mixed tender herbs (such as cilantro, mint, and basil)
• 3 cups mixed shaved vegetables (such as carrots, beets, and radishes)
• 2 cups pea tendrils, watercress, or baby arugula
• 2 cups thinly sliced stemmed Tuscan kale leaves (from 1 bunch)
• 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber

• Ingredient Info:

  Fish sauce is available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets. Find Tuscan kale, also called black kale, Lacinato kale, or cavolo nero, at farmers' markets and some supermarkets.

Preparation

• Microwave sugar and 2 Tbsp. water on high in a medium microwave-safe bowl until sugar is dissolved, about 30 seconds. Let cool. Whisk in next 4 ingredients for dressing. Set aside.
• Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 250°. Brush tops of kale leaves with oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on 2 large baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets top to bottom halfway through, until kale is crisp, about 30 minutes. Transfer leaves from baking sheets to a wire rack; let cool.
• Mix herbs and remaining 4 ingredients with 6 Tbsp. dressing in a large bowl. Divide salad among plates; top with crispy kale leaves and drizzle remaining dressing over.

Kudos to Bon Appetit for the recipe

Self Reflection :My annual New Year's Day Hike.

Despite the negative feedback from my sister ( and health coach in making), I need to embrace all that is JWE.
Recipes, changes, revelations, and more to follow. Get ready, I may even be ready to listen to my sibling and her husband, Buddy Lee.

In the mean time, 2012 has taught me that kale, roasted brussel sprouts, and hand-soaked garbanzo beans are all you need (or at least represent a good start).