This is a continuation from my previous post on Greens and Beets.
Helpful hint: Add cooked greens to scrambled eggs for a nutrient packed breakfast. Spinach can be added directly to the eggs as they are being scrambled. Since the spinach leaves are tender they don’t require as much cooking as the greens. You can also add some grated parmesan or bacon bits. This is a hearty, healthy breakfast.
Since this post is titled Beets and Greens I suppose I should share my “new” beet recipe. I thought I was so clever in coming up with this recipe but when I went to look at one of my cookbooks to get some ideas on wording, there it was, “Beets with Blue Cheese”. I have added a few changes. This recipe was adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.
Roasted Beets with Blue Cheese
3-4 Medium sized beets, greens removed(save beet greens and prepare as you would other greens)
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3 Tablespoons Onion or Shallot, chopped fine
1 clove garlic minced/chopped fine or pressed through a garlic press
3 Tablespoons blue cheese crumbles
Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel beets and cut into cubes the size of dice. Spread beets out evenly on a cookie sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoon olive oil. Move the oven rack to the middle of the oven. Put cookie sheet in the oven and roast until a fork inserts easily into the beets, about 20 minutes.
While beets are roasting in the oven heat additional tablespoon of olive oil in a 8 inch skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until golden brown. Quickly add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat.
Mix together roasted beets and caramelized onions in a serving dish. Add blue cheese crumbles. Salt and pepper to taste and serve.
March 19, 2010
In elementary school, during lunch, I was served some of the most unappetizing food ever. What was supposed to be cooked spinach resembled pond algae. You know that green, hairy stuff that gets caught on the fishing hook when you’re reeling in your fishing line. Yep, that was on my lunch tray. Consequently, I have had a prejudice against cooked spinach or anything that might resemble it, until recently.
I decided to give spinach another chance. I found that when not overcooked it is very tasty and visually pleasing. In fact, this has changed my perspective on many vegetables I have never tried to cook myself such as greens(kale, chard, mustard and collard) and beets.
Here’s some easy tips and recipes for spinach and greens.
Spinach-1 serving
1 tablespoon EVOO or an infused oil, such as garlic or herb
1 tablespoon minced onion(green onion and shallot can be used as well)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cup raw spinach, rinse well
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until golden brown. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic. Cook the garlic only a few seconds until it becomes fragrant. Using tongs quickly add spinach. Turn the spinach over quickly until is is slightly wilted. Work fast because it can become overcooked. Remove the skillet from the heat and move the spinach to a serving dish otherwise it will continue to cook. Salt and pepper spinach and add a squeeze of lemon.
Greens-1 serving
1 tablespoon EVOO or an infused oil, such as garlic or herb
1 tablespoon minced onion(green onion and shallot can be used as well)
15 crushed red pepper flakes or more depending on how much heat you want
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cups greens(kale, chard, beet greens, mustard) sliced into 1/2 ribbons, rinse well
Salt and pepper to taste.
Heat oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and red pepper flakes and cook until the onion is golden brown. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic. Cook the garlic only a few seconds until it becomes fragrant. Add greens and stir fry until tender, about 4 minutes.(Takes longer than spinach.)
I’ll be sharing a beet recipe and some other ways to incorporate greens into a daily diet over the next couple of days.
March 4, 2010
