Eggplant and Kale Lasagna

The return of my surprise veggie box! This was my first week receiving a produce box from Door to Door KC in quite some time, and I knew I just had to whip up something delicious with the contents.

Included this week:

Eggplant
Kale
Romaine Lettuce
Pomegranate
Apples
Tomatoes
Carrots
Pears

I immediately searched Pinterest for 'eggplant and kale recipes' and found a lasagna recipe that I was able to modify to suit my husband and my tastes.

Eggplant and Kale Lasagna

2 medium sized eggplant, skinned and sliced into 1/4'' pieces
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
1 bunch kale, rinsed and chopped from the stem
1-8ox. package sliced mushrooms
1 jar of tomato basil tomato sauce
Salt
Parmesan Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, spray cookie sheet with PAM and roast sliced eggplant for 15 minutes. When finished, remove from oven and decrease temperature to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, add mushrooms and cook ~5 more minutes. Add kale and saute just until bright green and warm. Add salt to taste. In a 9 x 13 inch pan, start by adding tomato sauce in the bottom and spread evenly. Add one layer of sliced eggplant and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Add one layer of kale veggie mix and top with mozzarella cheese. Repeat this process ending with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, enjoy! 

Curried White Bean Dip

I saw this on the Food Network from Giatta, it's a crowd pleaser and very quick to make:

Ingredients

• One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 packed cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
• Zest of 1/2 large lemon
• Whole Wheat Pita Chips, recipe follows

Directions

In a food processor, combine the beans, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, curry powder, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper, garlic and lemon zest. Blend until smooth. Season with salt.

Quinoa with Swiss Chard, Garlic and Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup stems, finely chopped (about 4-6 stalks)
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups Swiss chard leaves, roughly chopped
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions. Set aside on a serving platter.
2. In a large saute pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil.
3. Saute the Swiss chard stems and shallots until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and saute until they have lost their firmness.
4. Add the garlic and Swiss chard leaves and continue to saute until the leaves have softened.
5. Remove from heat and slide on top of the cooked quinoa and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Basic Tomato Sauce

This week from Newleaf Natural Grocery I received:

Artochokes - 4!
Garlic
Swiss chard
Roma Tomatoes - 12!
Red leaf lettuce
Napa cabbage
Jalapeno pepper
Star crimson pears
Plums
Local nectarines
Bananas

I started by steaming 1 of my artichokes for a snack. Just boil water and add the artichoke - simmer for about 45 minutes until tender. I just ate it plain but it's great with lemon or butter.

Then, I needed to figure out what to do with my 12 tomatoes. It became obvious that I was to make a sauce. Here's the recipe!

Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot or 1/2 large carrot, finely chopped
• 1 small stalk of celery, including the green tops, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, including the juice, or 1 3/4 pound of fresh tomatoes, peeled (I didn't peel my tomatoes), seeded, and chopped
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

1 Heat olive oil in a large wide skillet on medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and parsley. Stir to coat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened and cooked through.

2 Remove cover and add the minced garlic. Increase the heat to medium high. Cook for garlic for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, including the juice and shredding them with your fingers if you are using canned whole tomatoes. Add the tomato paste and the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a low simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes. If you want you can push the sauce through a food mill, or blend it with an immersion blender, to give it a smooth consistency.
Makes 2 1/2 cups of sauce.

Sweet Potato and Tomato Soup

This week was the week of soups. I had an abundace of sweet potatoes so decided on the following:
This pareve soup contains three vegetables high in beta-carotene: carrots, sweet potatoes and tomatoes.
Sweet Potato Tomato Soup

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon canola or corn oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 16 -ounce can no-salt-added stewed tomatoes
• 1 to 2 cup water or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped parsley (for garnish)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Saute for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the celery has softened. Add the carrot and potatoes and saute for 10 more minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 to 2 cups of water or chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender or a food processor fitted with the metal blade and puree until smooth. Return the puree to the pot. Combine well. Add the sugar and nutmeg and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Garnish with chopped parsley, or as desired. Serve with crusty French bread if desired.

 

Celery Root Soup

All week, I tried to figure out what to make with my celery root. I finally decided on a soup, given that it's my favorite food and easy. I found the perfect recipe, and it was the most delicious thing ever! I was blown away by its taste and have been talking about it non stop. This will definitely be a repeat!

Celery Root Soup
Eight to Ten Servings

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, cleaned and chopped
sea salt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
one large celery root (about 3-pounds, 1.5kg), peeled and cubed
3 cups (750ml) chicken stock
3 cups (750ml) water (I just added about 1 cup of water)
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly-ground white pepper
scant 1/8 teaspoon chile powder

1. In a large pot, melt the butter with the olive oil.
2. Add the leeks and cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic cloves and season with salt, and continue to cook until the leeks and garlic are soft and translucent. If the pot begins to brown too much on the bottom as they cook, add another pat of butter or pour of olive oil.
3. Add the celery root and stock. (Or use all water.) Bring to a boil, then reduce to a strong simmer. Cook, with the lid to the pot ajar on top, until the celery root pieces are soft and easily pierced with a paring knife, about forty five minutes.
4. Add white pepper and chile powder, the purée using a hand mixer, or let the soup cool to room temperature and whiz in a blender until smooth. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. If the soup is too thick, it can be thinned with water or stock.

To serve, rewarm the soup in a saucepan and ladle into bowls.

Kickin' Collard Greens and Honey Mustard Baked Chicken

Collard Greens

Romaine Lettuce

Yams

Celery Root

Cucumbers

Mixed Fingerlings

Nectarines

Peaches

Apples

Kiwi

Bananas

 

Last night I made a great collard green recipe - Kickin' Collard Greens! I didn't simmer a fully 45 minutes, but I'd definitely suggest at least 30. With this, I also made my favorite Trader Joe's brown rice and then this amazing Baked Honey Mustard Chicken, a huge success!Kickin' Collard Greens:

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 slices bacon
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 pound fresh collard greens, cut into 2-inch pieces

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, crumble and return to the pan. Add onion, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until just fragrant. Add collard greens, and fry until they start to wilt.
2. Pour in chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until greens are tender.

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste, and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard, basil, paprika, and parsley. Mix well. Pour 1/2 of this mixture over the chicken, and brush to cover.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and brush with the remaining 1/2 of the honey mustard mixture. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.