Sleek is a tasty, protein and nutrient packed vegan dish! From what I've read, it's a traditional dish in Syria. Sleek is easy to make and only contains 6 inexpensive ingredients. The hardest part about this dish is letting the dry black eyed peas cook for an hour. And if you're tight for time and can't wait an hour for your beans to cook, you can always substitute canned black eyed peas (just be sure to find low sodium ones).


Basically, this dish is easy to make and has great flavor. What are you waiting for? In my opinion, the best part of this dish are the caramelized onion. Caramelizing onions is a process you can't rush. You need to slowly cook the onions on a medium-low heat. This slow cooking causes the sugars in the onions' layers to caramelize steadily (not burn) and becoming golden, delicious and oh-so sweet!


However, I have to admit, cutting onions is a rough process for me. I know most people tear up when cutting onions, but my reaction is so out of control. Tears literally drop out of my eyes and I look as if I'm full-on sobbing. When cutting a large amount of onions (i.e. more than one small onion), I have to stop frequently for fear that I'll cut off a finger because I can't see. But I love onions, especially caramelized onions, so I feel like it is all worth the effort (and tears).


Also, I should warn, this recipe makes a lot of sleek. But good news, the kale/black eyed pea/Bulgar mixture freezes really well (i.e. sleek sans caramelized onions). So make this whole recipe and freeze it in airtight containers for future healthy meals!!

Syrian Sleek

Yields: 6 servings | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried black eyed peas

• 1 pound fresh kale, trimmed from the rib and torn into 1-inch pieces

• 1 cup dried Bulgar wheat

• 1- 1 1/2 pounds onion, sliced

• 4-6 Tbsp. olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

I've been feeling a cold coming on the past few days. To combat it, I've been trying to get in as much sleep as possible, eat lots of fruit and veggies, drink orange juice...all the usual things. But the one thing I was missing was chicken soup. Unfortunately, premade chicken soup is often loaded with sodium and not the healthiest choice.

Fortunately, it's not difficult to make your own! Aside from the added benefit of controlling the sodium, you can include fiber rich brown rice and kale when you make your own soup. And what's great about this soup, it can easily be converted into a vegetarian "chicken" soup by using vegetable broth and quartered mushrooms of cubed firm tofu.

Chicken and Brown Rice Soup

Yield: 6 servings | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 bunch kale (about 4 cups), stems removed and leaves thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a small amount of olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pot). Add chicken and brown it for about 4 minutes. 
2. Add onion and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Add chicken broth, carrots, celery, brown rice and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 35 minutes, or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through. 
4. Remove bay leaf and stir in kale. Continue cooking just until kale is wilted and tender, about 3-5 minutes. 

Nutritional information per serving (about 1 1/2 cups):
Calories: 305
Total fat: 4 grams
Carbohydrates: 34 grams
Fiber: 4 grams
Protein: 32 grams
Weight Watcher points: 7


Enjoy and thanks for reading!

This dish embodies fall: winter squash, root vegetables, pecans, maple syrup - what could be better! This recipe is hearty, colorful and fills your home with the most wonderful aromas. Also, this can be easily transformed into a vegan dish! (adapted from this recipe)

Stuffed Maple Glazed Acorn Squash

 
A few weeks ago, my mum came home from an estate sale with a gift for me - an Italian terra-cotta dutch oven! Terra-cotta cookware is clay, so it's porous. This allows the food to cook evenly and remain very juicy and flavorful. When I received potatoes, onion and kale this week, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to use the terra-cotta dutch oven! I know everyone doesn't have a terra-cotta dutch oven, so you can use a regular dutch oven or a baking dish covered with foil instead.

Here is a picture of my Italian terra-cotta dutch oven!

Roasted Chicken with Potatoes, Kale & Onion

(Yields 4 servings)

Ingredients: 

• 1 bunch of kale
• 2 lbs. potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 4 thin chicken breasts
• 1 Tbsp. paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Thoroughly wash and dry kale. Remove stems. Chops leaves into 1/2 inch pieces
2. Toss potatoes, kale and onion slices with olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper
3. Drizzle chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper
4. Place potatoes and onions into dutch oven, then kale, then chicken
5. Cover dutch oven and (if using a terra-cotta dutch oven) place into cold oven. Turn on oven and set to 350°F. Once oven reaches temperature, set timer for 50-60 minutes.
   **If you are NOT using a terra-cotta dutch oven** Preheat oven to 350°F and place covered pan into hot oven. Cook for 50-60 minutes.
6. Check to assure your chicken and potatoes are cooked - if not, cook for a few more minutes!

Here is the dutch oven before cooking:

And here is is after cooking:


Everything did end up being very juicy and flavorful. So, if you ever stumble across any terra-cotta cookware and wonder if you should purchase it - the answer is yes!


Enjoy and thanks for reading!

 
My apologies for being absent!! I was on a wonderful and relaxing beach vacation - and I incidentally took a vacation from this blog (oops)! So, back to business...

Before I left, I made a delicious, healthy and vegetarian meal. Although I'm not vegetarian, I do enjoy finding dishes that are filling and well-balanced while being meat-free. This meal, adapted from this and this recipe, was great!

Kale and White Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

(Yields 2 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 4-inch sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 10 oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bunch of kale
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Thoroughly wash sweet potatoes then prick them multiple times with a fork
3. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and cook for 1 hour (or until soft all the way through the potato)
4. When the potatoes have been cooking for 40 minutes, thoroughly wash and dry kale. Remove stems. Chops leaves into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside 
5. Heat deep pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add small amount of olive oil (enough to coat pan)
6. Add shallots and cook for about 5 minutes, or until shallots are softened
7. Add garlic and rosemary and cook for about 1 minute
8. Add beans and cook for another 5 minutes
9. Add kale, cover pan, and cook for about 5 minutes or until kale is soft
10. Remove rosemary sprig. Season kale and bean mixture with salt and pepper
11. Remove cooked sweet potatoes from oven. Slide each potato lengthwise and push open to make room for the kale and bean mixture
12. Spoon the kale and bean mixture into the sweet potatoes

Here is the kale and bean mixture before I added it to the sweet potato:

 
And here is the finished product:


I also caramelized diced turnips to eat with the stuff sweet potato. I never eaten or cooked with turnips before, so I did some research before cooking them. Turnips are a root vegetable with edible greens (although I didn't eat the greens, just the root). Turnips are relatively mild and can range in color; mine were a bright red/pink color! Here is a picture of my turnips before I peeled and cooked them:

Caramelized Turnips

(Yields 2 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups diced turnips
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1 chicken bouillon cube (use vegetable bouillon if you're keeping this vegetarian. Alternatively, use seasoning a skip the bouillon!)
• 1/2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. white sugar

 Directions:

1. Thoroughly wash turnips then peel and dice them
2. Place turnips, water and bouillon cube into a small pot over medium heat
3. Simmer turnips about 15 minutes or until turnips are tender and water has evaporated
4. Stir in butter. Once butter is melted, sprinkle sugar onto turnips and cook about 10 minutes or until turnips are sticky and coated 

Here are the finished turnips - I love the color!


  
Enjoy and thanks for reading!

The weather has been oddly cool for the summer, so this warm and hearty "fall" dish was perfect!

Kale with Sausage and Bacon

(Yields 2-3 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of kale
• 4-5 bacon slices, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 sausages, cut into 1/2 inch segments (I used roasted red pepper asiago sausages)
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 3 sprigs of parsley
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. Thoroughly wash and dry kale. Remove stems. Chops leaves into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside
2. Heat deep pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add sliced bacon. Cook for 5 minutes. 
3. Add sausage pieces and cook for another 3 minutes or until bacon is cooked but not crispy
4. At this point, I had a LOT of bacon fat in the bottom on my pan. If this is the case for you: remove bacon and sausage to a plate covered with paper towel. Pour most of the bacon fat into a container and discard (leave some bacon fat in the bottom of the pan to use for the next step). Blot bacon and sausage and set aside.
5. Put pan back onto heat and add onion. Cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and parsley and cook 2 more minutes.
6. Add kale, bacon and sausage. Cook about 10 minutes, until kale is wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

And here is the finished product:


I also made some fork smashed potatoes to eat with the kale dish.

Fork Smashed Garlic Potatoes

(Yields 2-3 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound of small potatoes, washed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes with skins on and cook for about 15 minutes or until tender
3. Remove potatoes from the water and place onto a cookie sheet brushed lightly with olive oil
4. Smash the potatoes with a large fork (be careful, the potatoes are very hot inside!)
5. Sprinkle with garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil
6. Place cookie sheet into preheated oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until golden and crispy

Since I don't have a potato masher, I used a fork. Unfortately, my fork was a little small and I chopped/chunked my potatoes more than I smashed them. It didn't affect the flavor, they just don't like very smashed. Here is what they looked like!


Enjoy and thanks for reading!

This week, the kale I received was a different variety than I was used to seeing. This variety of kale is also known as Lacinato or Tuscan or dinosaur kale - although I like "dinosaur kale" the best. Dinosaur kale's leaves are darker green-blue and their texture resembles that of dinosaur/reptile skin.

Kale and Lentil Soup

• 5 cups broth
• 1 cup lentils - rinsed
• 3 medium carrots - chopped
• 1 onion - chopped (I used mine from the CSA!)
• 4 garlic cloves - minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbsp. thyme - chopped
• 2 Tbsp. parsley - chopped
• 1/2 bunch of kale leaves (about 3 cups) - chopped
• Salt and pepper - to taste

1. Thoroughly wash and dry kale. Remove stems. Chops leaves into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside
2. Combine all ingredients, except kale, into a large pot. Bring pot to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes
3. Stir in kale and cook, partially covered, until lentils and carrots are tender and kale wilts - about another 10 minutes

Sunday was a busy day and I made a few different vegetables. For lunch, I made kale chips. Kale is a dark-green, leafy vegetable. Kale is also a super-food that everyone should incorporate into their diets. Kale is high in fiber, iron, calcium, Vitamins A, C and K and has many other benefits!

There are a few different types of kale, but the one you'll most often find in the grocery store is curly leaved kale (which is what I received from my CSA). Kale is very versatile; it can be eaten raw, sauteed, cooked in soups, added to smoothies, etc. but kale chips are one of my favorite ways to eat kale. Kale chips are very quick and easy to make, as well as crispy and delicious!

Crispy Kale Chips

(Yields 2 servings)


Ingredients

• Bunch of kale
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder (or whichever seasonings you like!)
• Salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Thoroughly wash and dry kale
3. Tear kale leaves away from stem and into roughly one inch pieces
4. Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil. Place kale pieces onto cookie sheet.
5. Spray kale with olive oil (I have an oil mister - if you do not have one, just lightly drizzle olive oil on the kale pieces)
6. Sprinkle with garlic powder and salt
7. Place into oven for 8-10 minutes or until kale it light and crispy

Here's a picture of my kale before it was baked.



And dinner last night, I sauteed Swiss chard with lemon and parmesan. Swiss chard is a tall, leafy, green vegetable that is slightly bitter. The stalk of Swiss chard is crunchy and thick, and can be red, yellow or white (can be referred to as 'rainbow chard'). The leaves of Swiss chard are wide, green and softer.

Through reading about Swiss chard, I found out it is not native to Switzerland. Contrary to its namesake, Swiss chard is native to the Mediterranean region. Swiss chard has numerous health benefits as well and I personally think it is simple beautiful. Here's a picture of my Swiss chard before cooking.

Sauteed Swiss Chard with Lemon and Parmesan

• 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (I used the juice from half of one lemon)
• 2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, roughly chopped
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

1. Thoroughly wash and dry Swiss chard
2. Chop Swiss chard, separating stalks from leaves
3. Heat pan over medium heat. Once hot, add small amount of olive oil (enough to coat pan)
4. Add garlic and shallots - cook about 1 minute
5. Add chard stalks and white wine and cook until stalks soften - about 5 minutes
6. Stir in chard leaves and cook until wilted - about 1 minute
7. Stir in lemon juice, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper