It’s 2013! It’s a New Year! We all have plans, ideas, resolutions. We, like many of you I’m sure, missed our Abundant Harvest Organics boxes over the break. I’m so glad our produce drawers are full once again so we can get back into our lifestyle of healthy eating!!
This is a special episode, because it’s my 50th!! That’s a big number and I’m excited. I’ve loved doing this show for you. I hope you’re learning, laughing, enjoying, and eating along with me!
I hope you try this rather yummy dish. It’s perfect for any meal. But, I think it would be awesome at a brunch with family or friends. You can use any kind of bread that you want. To make it a bit healthier, I’d go with a whole grain, whole wheat bread. But, I had some stale French bread, so that’s what I used. It’s a great way to use the greens that are so good for you, and are in season right now. (If you need another way to use greens, my brother gave me his recipe for Green Smoothies. They are delicious and full of healthy ingredients.) I used ham, but bacon would also be amazing (cooked then crumbled over top when serving). Another option would be to omit the meat altogether and add some more almonds when serving, for some lean protein.
This dish comes out super bright green. Kinda like the Incredible Hulk. I like green.
I hope your new year has been wonderful so far! And, I’m glad you’re here! Thanks for being a part of my first 50 episodes!!
1 to 1 1/2 C cheese, grated (I used Creamy Jack Cheese)
pinch fennel pollen
1 t olive oil
10 thick slices of bread (I used a stale loaf of French Bread)
5 slices ham, quartered
roasted almonds, chopped (for topping)
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl (if using a hand blender), or a food processor, or a blender, blend spinach/kale/collard greens, garlic, eggs, milk, dijon, onion, seasonings, and 1/2 C cheese (I blended up the greens in the chopper attachment of my KitchenAid hand blender first, then transferred to the bowl).
Grease baking dish with olive oil - even on the sides (at least part way up). Soak bread slices in egg mixture. Place in baking dish, overlapping each slice with the next one (if desired). If there is any extra egg mixture, add more to each slice. Top each slice with two pieces of ham.
Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover, top with remaining cheese, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes more (or until it reaches 160F).
Let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Top with a drizzle of cream and some almonds (a dollop of Greek yogurt would also be good!).
1-14 oz. can Italian Stewed Tomatoes (or whatever canned tomatoes you have), diced
1-15 oz. can black beans, drained
1-15 oz. can kidney beans, drained
1-15 oz. can chili beans, drained (or pinto beans and add some: onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and tomato paste)
2-3 t (or 3-5 cloves) garlic, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 C chicken stock
1/2 C red wine (or apple cider)
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T lemon juice
pepperjack cheese, cut into matchsticks, for topping
Instructions
Heat soup pot, add oil. When oil is hot, add onion, bell pepper, and seasonings. Cook for about 5 minutes, over medium heat.
Add garlic, 2 min.
Add balsamic vinegar, cook 1 minute.
Add beans, tomatoes, and pork. Cook 10 minutes.
Add stock and wine or cider. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, for at least 30 minutes, or until it’s the desired thickness (I wanted mine thick, so I cooked for a little longer than 30).
Ten minutes before serving: add spinach and wilt down. Cook for 8 minutes. Add lemon juice, cook for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
1/2 C black spanish radish (or other kind of radish), peeled and grated
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 t maple syrup
1 t dijon mustard
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
pinch nutmeg
pinch cayenne
3 C spinach, roughly chopped or torn (could also use swiss chard, collard greens, beet greens, or any other greens you love)
3 C kale, roughly chopped or torn (any kind of kale)
1 1/2 C radicchio, chopped
1/4 C roasted almonds, roughly chopped (for topping)
Instructions
Place bacon in cold pan, cook until crispy. Remove with slotted spoon and set on a paper towel to drain.
Either discard bacon grease from pan and add 2 T olive oil, or leave about 1 T bacon grease and add 1 T olive oil. Heat and add onion and radish. Cook 3-5 minutes, or until softened, over medium heat.
Remove stems from greens, wash well, and dry.
Add vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, and seasonings to the onion pan. Stir, then add all the radicchio and some of the greens, wilting down and tossing, then adding more greens and repeating until they are all gone. Turn the heat down to medium-low.
Once all greens are wilted, taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Thanksgiving is tomorrow. You know this. I know this. Are you prepared? We’re having Thanksgiving dinner with a mixture of Husband’s family, my family, and good friends. I’m excited. I think my excitement is a tie between the company and the food. Good thing there will be both.
My job, my dish, my instructions were: Rachel, can you bring the yams? Perfect, because I have yams. As I write this early on Monday (so that I can have a mini vacation for the rest of the week), I’m trying to think of what I want to do with them. I have lots of ideas. Scalloped Yams could be fun, Roasted Garlic Yam are great (I made them two years ago and we loved them), traditional Yams with Marshmallows are fine, Winter Veggie Salad is delicious… but I want to be creative, which usually means making something up. This is one of my favorite things to do.
Thanksgiving is the one meal, however, where I kinda like the traditional classics. Turkey, Stuffing, Green Beans, Cranberry Sauce, Yams, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and Rolls. Mmmmmm, I can’t wait to eat!! So I have some thinking to do regarding these yams… I’m thinking… I’m thinking… I think I’m going to use my recipe for Roasted Garlic Yams. They were good. They have bacon. They have garlic. They have parmesan cheese. Winner.
Thinking about the day after, if you need some ideas for what to do with your leftovers, here are some from this year and last.
