Cooking Winter Greens

I was listening to NPR this morning and was inspired by the segment they had on farming and cooking winter greens. As soon as it stops raining, I am going to work on my garden and definitely start planting more winter greens like rainbow chard, mustard greens and kale.

The key to cooking greens they said is to allow them to keep their crunch, wilted greens aren't as tasty and don't retain the vitamins as they do when raw. Here is a simple recipe they discussed on the segment, you can also find it on the NPR site.

Maggie Starbard/NPRWilted Hardy Greens With Garlic
Ingredients:

• 1 pound of mixed baby greens (kale, swiss chard, mustard greens)
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive or sunflower oil
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of chopped garlic

Wash the greens and drain in a colander, leaving some moisture on the leaves. Heat a saute pan large enough to accommodate all of the greens over medium heat. Add oil, then the chopped garlic. Saute until softened, about 1 minute, stirring often to prevent the garlic from burning - don't let the garlic get brown. Add the greens. Toss and saute them until they are wilted. Season with salt and pepper. If too dry, add more liquid.

For more on farming winter greens, check out NPR's "Old-Time Methods Yield Spring Greens All Winter"

Wolfgang Puck's Oscar-winning Vegetarian Paella

For the vegetarians that attended the Governor's Ball last night, they were in for a real treat with Wolfgang Puck's Oscar-winning vegetarian paella. And we are too, because the recipe is below.

Vegetarian Paella
Ingredients: 

Sofrito (makes 1 serving) Ingredients:

• 1/4 red pepper - small dice
• 1/4 yellow pepper - small dice
• 1 scallion - whites sliced very thin
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 red onion

Vegetable Stock (makes 1 serving) Ingredients:

• 1/2 fennel bulb
• 1/2 pound corn
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 white onion
• 1/2 carrot
• 1 cup of canned plum tomatoes
• 3 scallions
• 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon of crushed red chili flake
• 1 teaspoon of saffron threads
• 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon of granulated onion
• 2 tablespoons of Spanish paprika

Paella Topping Ingredients:

• Fava beans
• Haricot verts
• Diced leeks
• English peas
• Chopped parsley
• Blanch all vegetables in the vegetable stock

Instructions: For The Sofrito

Place all ingredients into a sauté pan and cook slowly until it has cooked down. It should begin to blend together almost forming a paste.

Instructions: For The Vegetable Stock

Add enough water to cover all vegetables in the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.

Strain the vegetable stock and add Sofrito to make the rice. Using 2 ounce, long grain rice and 4 ounces of paella stock per single serving, cook for 15 to 17 minutes at 375°F inside the oven. When cooked, let the paella rest for 5 minutes before serving. To finish the dish, cover with the blanched vegetables.

New Recipe: Chickpea Cutlets

*Note: A great alternative to eggplant or chicken cutlets.

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup of vital wheat gluten
• 1 cup pf plain breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup of vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried sage
• Olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, pressed or diced

First, place the chickpeas in a large bowl and mash until they’re mostly broken up. Next, toss in all the remaining ingredients and mix with clean hands. *The gluten will form everything into a solid dough that is stringy when stretched apart. Then, divide out and form 8 cutlets into patties. Pour a little olive oil in a large frying pan and cook for around 5 minutes on each side - or until brown and crispy. Serve with roasted vegetables and potatoes, green beans, tomatoes or risotta.

Asian Gardein Chick'n Wraps

My husband found some new meatless products at the Albertsons by our house called Gardein. I was shocked to see that they actually looked not only edible on the packaging but also really yummy. He bought three to try: buffalo wings, chick'n strips, chick 'n scallopini and crispy tenders.

Gardein describes their dishes as a range of tasty plant-based foods with a meaty texture. They are made from soy, wheat and pea proteins, vegetables and ancient grains. Gardein is healthy and completely animal and dairy free - which is perfect for vegetarians, vegans and the occasional meat eater who wants to try a healthy alternative.

I was pleasantly surprised by the taste as is, but was also happy I had a some new meatless products to work into my recipes.

Try out this one below. Definitely a hit with my husband.

Asian Chick'n Wraps
Ingredients:

• 1 package of gardein chick'n strips
• 2 cloves of garlic - chopped
• 1/2 medium onion - chopped
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 1/4 cup of white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
• 1 head of Romaine lettuce

Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of ketchup
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon of sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon of hot mustard
• 1 teaspoon of red chile paste - if you like it spicy
  

For the chick'n wraps, mix all the liquid and spices in a bowl and then pour over your chick'n strips in a large plastic bag to marinade for around 20 minutes. Next, pour all in a large saucepan and cover and cook for around 10-15 minutes.

For the dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, stir until dissolved. Once chick'n is ready, use the Romaine lettuce leaves as your wrap. Spoon in some chick'n, add some sauce and roll up to eat. You can add bean sprouts or chopped peanuts for an added crunch.

Recipe: Bibimbop

GOOPGwynethPaltrow — Gwyneth Paltrow makes Bibimbop, which roughly translates to "mix it up".