Freeze Dried Kale

Check out the freeze-dried Kale at Garden City Harvest on River Road. I'm not sure if the gates are unlocked though. But it sure looks pretty. Bring your children. Have a drink (water) have a drive (I prefer walking) go out and see what you can find.

CB

Roasted Carrots with Feta, Dill and Lemon Vinaigrette

2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch round pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 recipe lemon vinaigrette

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the carrots with oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until caramelized and tender. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and transfer to a serving dish.

Sprinkle with dill, feta, and parsley, if using, then drizzle carrots with lemon vinaigrette. Mix until just combined. Serve warm or at room temperature. This recipe can be doubled for a potluck.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, adapted from Chat GPT

Red Kidney Bean, Kale, and Creamy Grits Bowl

1 recipe of Creamy Grits

1 recipe of Steamed Kale

1 recipe of Caribbean Red Kidney Beans

Makes 4 servings. To a bowl add some creamy grits, then some steamed kale, and finally some beans.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community

Steamed Kale

2 bunches kale

water to steam

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic glaze

1 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste 

Rinse kale with water if not already cleaned. Cut away and remove stems from kale, discard stems. Cut kale into roughly 1-inch pieces. Fill a large pot with 1/2-inch water and bring to a boil on high heat. Add kale and cover. Let steam for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Drain the water from the pot with the lid partially open to catch the kale. Drizzle kale with olive oil, balsamic glaze, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve while warm.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community 

Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale

1 tablespoon powdered nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the yeast, olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Cut the stem away from the kale, chop kale into 1-inch bite-sized pieces, and place in the bowl with the liquid. With your fingers, rub the liquid mixture into the kale until each piece of kale has liquid on it. Place on a cookie sheet, spaced out evenly. It may take more than one sheet, or batch, depending on how large the bunch of kale is, or the type of kale you have.

Place sheets into the oven for approximately 15 minutes, occasionally checking for crispness. Depending on the type of kale it may require more than 15 minutes. Keep checking until desired crispness. Remove from oven, let cool, and place in a container until ready to eat.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, adapted from recipes on the internet.

Carrot and Ginger Curry Soup

1 to 1 1/2 lb. large carrots (not baby), peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch thick discs

1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil

4 cups broth

1/2 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut

2 inches chopped fresh ginger, or 2 tablespoons chopped pickled ginger

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 Thai chilies or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or to taste

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup cream

salt to taste

protein source, can of cooked white beans or tofu (optional)

raw pumpkin seeds for garnish

In a Dutch oven put in the olive or coconut oil and heat on medium-low. Once the oil is shimmering or hot add the carrots and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until softened a little. Add the broth, desiccated coconut, ginger, curry powder, and chilies. Set the burner on medium and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes or until carrots are soft when tested with a knife tip. Take off the heat and mash the carrots in the pot with a potato masher or immersion blender. The soup will be thick at this point. Add honey, vinegar, cream, and salt to taste. Add cooked beans or tofu if you like. Heat the soup more if needed. Serve soup in bowls, garnish with pumpkin seeds, and enjoy.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, inspired by my cookbooks, the internet, and soup served at the University of Montana - Missoula.

Tomato Chutney

1 good-sized tomato chopped

3 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil roughly chopped (optional)

1/2 large onion chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 pinch hing (asafetida)

3 curry leaves, fresh or dried

1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 small green chili, chopped or 1 pinch of cayenne

1 teaspoon sugar

Heat a frying pan on medium-low heat add the oil, cumin, and mustard seeds.

When the seeds pop, add the hing, curry leaves, cilantro, turmeric, chili, and onions.

Saute until onions are translucent. Let cool slightly.

Add onion mixture to the blender along with the chopped tomatoes and sugar. Blend until well mixed.

Serve as a dip with pita bread, or a condiment with meat or vegetables, or even as a pizza sauce.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, adapted from Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing by Usha Lad and Dr. Vasant Lad

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup neutral oil, like canola, grapeseed

1 tablespoon poppy seed (optional)

3/4 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/4 cups grated zucchini (use large holes of a box grater), squeezed to remove excess moisture

3/4 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Cot and 8X8X2 inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with [parchment paper that hangs over two of the edges.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the oil, poppy seed (optional), cardamom, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk until smooth and emulsified. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.

Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and stir until well-combined and smooth. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the grated zucchini and 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles, and smooth the top of the batter with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top of the cake.

Bake the cake until puffed and the tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. then use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and set it on a rack to cool completely. Store the cake, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to three days.

Adapted from Snacking Cakes, Yossy Arefi