Kale and Banana Smoothie
1 large banana, peeled
4 kale leaves, stripped from stem
¼ cup milk
¾ cup yogurt
¼ cup fruit juice (orange, apple)
2 tablespoons peanut butter (or another nut butter or avocado)
Combine all ingredients in a blender.
Blend at high speed and process until smooth.
Divide between two glasses.
Refrigerate or freeze leftovers.
Arugula Pesto, Ricotta, and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza
½ cup whole milk ricotta
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups smoked mozzarella
1 cup packed arugula
1 pound pizza dough
Olive oil
2 plum tomatoes sliced 1/4” to 1/8” thick
Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
Sprinkle a heavy baking sheet with cornmeal.
In a food processor, blend ricotta, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Add shredded smoked mozzarella and arugula.
Pulse until just combined but still chunky.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out pizza dough, 1/4 to 1/8 inches thick.
Transfer to the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
Spread the ricotta mixture on the top, leaving a one-inch border.
Arrange plum tomatoes on top and drizzle with more olive oil.
Bake for 15 to 16 minutes, until the crust is golden.
Greens Quiche
Crust:
1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup oil
3 tablespoons milk
Filling:
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch greens of choice, chopped (about 6 cups)
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheese
Crust:
Place all the ingredients in a pie pan. Mix with a fork until well blended, then press over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Flute the edge with your thumb and finger.
Filling:
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees.
Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the greens and cook until wilted.
Set aside to cool slightly.
Beat the eggs and milk in a large bowl.
Mix in the salt and the greens mixture.
Pour into the crust.
Sprinkle the cheese on top, pushing slightly into the egg mixture.
Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes.
Spring Greens Risotto
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped green onions
1 ½ cups arborio rice
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups hot chicken or vegetable broth
4 cups coarsely chopped spring greens
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg (optional)
½ cup parmesan cheese
Heat oil in heavy pot over medium-high heat.
Add onions; cook 3 minutes.
Add rice and salt.
Cook and stir until rice begins to color.
Add ½ cup broth; cook and stir until most of broth is absorbed.
Add 1 ½ cups broth; simmer, stirring occasionally, until mostly absorbed, about 10 minutes.
Add remaining broth.
Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place greens on top of rice.
Cover and simmer 3 minutes.
Stir in greens.
Simmer and stir a few minutes more until broth is absorbed and rice is tender but moist.
Remove from heat.
Stir in parmesan and serve.
Sesame Kale or Collards
1 bunch of organic kale or collards, stems removed and coarsely chopped.
1- 4 cloves of garlic, minced, adjust to your taste and social life
1 tablespoon organic olive
1 tablespoon roasted organic sesame oil
¼ cup water
Umiboshi vinegar to taste.
Heat oil on med-low in heavy pan.
Sauté garlic for 20-30 seconds, stirring.
Add chopped kale/collards and stir with oil and garlic.
Add water and cover.
Steam on low for 5-10 minutes, until desired tenderness.
Spread on platter.
Sprinkle top with roasted sesame oil and umiboshi vinegar to taste.
Serves 3-4.
Kale with Honey-Mustard Sauce
1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and chopped
4 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons prepared mustard (yellow, dijon or stone-ground)
2 tablespoons water – more if needed, thin to desired consistency
Bring kale to boil in a large pot of salted water.
Cook until tender — about 3 to 5 minutes — and drain.
Mix sauce ingredients together until smooth.
Adjust to taste and consistency.
Serve over kale.
Serves 4.
Velvety Vegetable Soup
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups leeks, diced (white part and 1 inch of green)
1 cup celery, diced
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
½ teaspoon pepper
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups potatoes, diced
1 bunch spinach, collards, or kale, chopped
½ cup milk (optional)
Sauté onion, leeks and celery in olive oil.
Add tarragon, thyme, salt and pepper, and stir well.
Add broth and potatoes, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Add spinach/collards/kale, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove soup from heat.
Puree with hand blender in pot or in small batches in regular blender or food processor.
Return soup to pot and place over low heat.
Add milk (optional) and heat through.
Add additional water or broth if thinner consistency is preferred.
Adjust seasonings and serve.
Optional garnish: a swirl of plain yogurt and/or sprigs of fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, or a celery leaf. Chive blossoms are beautiful over the pale green soup.
Serves 4-6.
Confetti Kale or Collards
6 cups kale or collards, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup corn
½ cup red sweet pepper, chopped
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
In large frypan sauté kale/collards and garlic in olive oil over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes.
Mix in corn, red sweet pepper, water, salt and pepper.
Cook for 10 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Fresh Greens Pasta Pie
6 ounces vermicelli
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
5 eggs
2 teaspoons cooking oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach or other greens, chopped
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup milk
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Several shakes hot pepper sauce (optional)
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease a large pie plate.
Cook vermicelli according to package directions and drain.
Stir butter and parmesan cheese into hot vermicelli.
Beat 2 of the eggs and stir well into pasta.
Spoon mixture into pie plate, and use a spoon to shape vermicelli into a pie shell.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake 10 minutes. Set aside.
Heat oil in small skillet, add onion and sauté until tender.
Beat the remaining 3 eggs and combine with spinach, mozzarella, milk, seasonings, and sautéed onions.
Spoon spinach mixture into pasta shell.
Cover pie with aluminum foil.
Bake 35 minutes.
Uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes.
Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Serves 6.
Gingered Kale and Tofu
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup dry sherry or broth
¼ cup rice vinegar or white vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cakes firm tofu, cut in 1-inch squares
2 tablespoons peanut oil
6 cups kale, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons ginger root, peeled and minced
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Pinch of ground red pepper (optional)
Combine soy sauce, dry sherry/broth, rice/white vinegar, and brown sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
Simmer 1 minute and remove from heat.
Place tofu in a single layer in an ovenproof pan.
Pour marinade over the tofu and set aside for 10 minutes (or more).
Occasionally turn tofu squares over.
Drain, reserving remaining marinade.
Sprinkle peanut oil over tofu.
Broil for 4 minutes then turn squares over.
Continue broiling until tofu is golden brown, another 3-4 minutes.
While tofu broils, in a large fry pan sauté kale and ginger root in peanut oil over high heat until kale wilts, stirring constantly.
Add lime juice, cilantro, and red pepper, and remove from heat.
When tofu is browned, gently toss with cooked kale and as much reserved marinade as desired.
Serve on hot rice topped with toasted cashews or peanuts.
Chard Utopia
2 cups onion, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ½ pounds Swiss chard, stemmed and finely chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon flour
2 cups feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup cottage cheese
Pepper to taste
1 pound frozen phyllo pastry sheet, thawed
In a large fry pan sauté onion, basil, oregano, and salt in olive oil for 5 minutes.
Add Swiss chard and cook until wilted, 5-8 minutes.
Sprinkle in garlic and flour, stir and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Mix in feta cheese, cottage cheese, and pepper to taste.
Place a sheet of phyllo in an oiled 9 x 13-inch pan.
Brush or lightly spray sheet with olive oil.
Repeat 7 times.
Spread half the filling evenly on top.
Add 8 more sheets of oiled phyllo.
Cover with the rest of the filling and follow with remaining sheets of phyllo, oiling each, including the top sheet.
Tuck in the edges and bake uncovered in preheated oven at 375 degrees until golden and crispy, about 45 minutes.
Pasta with Greens, Kalamata Olives, and Shiitake Mushrooms
¾ pound penne pasta
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 to 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, chopped
2 pounds fresh roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped
¼ teaspoon or more dried red chili flakes
5 tablespoons chopped Kalamata olives
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups chopped arugula (or any other green)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
Put on a large pot of water and cook the pasta while you prepare the sauce.
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.
Add the garlic and mushrooms, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, chili flakes, olives, and salt.
Allow the sauce to simmer approximately 10 minutes.
By now your pasta should be cooked. Drain it well and toss with the chopped arugula or other greens.
Heap pasta in a large bowl, pour on the sauce and toss lightly again.
Top with grated cheese and serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Long-Stewed Kale
1 slice smoked bacon
1 onion
1 small carrot
3 cloves garlic
2 bunches kale (about full clear bag)
Salt and pepper
½ cup cream
Grated zest of ½ lemon (about ½ teaspoon)
Cut the bacon into small dice and render it over low heat for about 8 minutes.
Peel and chop the onion, carrot, and garlic into small dice and add to the bacon with a splash of water.
Cover and stew the vegetables until they are soft and the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
Wash, stem, and coarsely chop the kale (or a combination of kale and mustard greens, or other hearty greens).
Add the kale to the vegetables along with some salt and cook uncovered over moderately high heat; the greens will give off a lot of water.
Keep cooking until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Add half the cream and simmer until it has been almost completely absorbed, then add the other half and keep simmering until it, too, is nearly absorbed.
Add the lemon zest and adjust seasoning to taste.
Serves 6.
Rolled Stuffed Salmon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large leeks (white and pale-green parts only) chopped and washed well (3 ¼ cups) — you could use sweet onions too!
1 bunch Swiss chard, tough stems trimmed, leaves chopped (6 cups)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 ¼ pounds salmon fillet, skin removed
¼ cup packed dill sprigs, plus 6 more sprigs for tops
Extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Melt butter in a large skillet over high.
Add leeks; cook, stirring, until just golden, about 4 minutes.
Add chard; season with salt and pepper.
Cook, tossing, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Let cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, mustards, garlic, and soy sauce.
Butterfly salmon by cutting horizontally through middle along one long side, leaving other side intact. Open flat, like a book. Flip salmon, skinned-side up; season with salt and pepper.
Spread top with ¼ cup yogurt mixture.
Top with dill sprigs, then chard mixture.
With a long side facing you, roll up salmon into a tight log. Secure with 6 pieces of kitchen twine, starting about 1 ¼ inches from end and spacing evenly.
Cut salmon into 6 equal pieces, slicing between twine.
Tuck a dill sprig under twine on each roll.
Place rolls in a baking dish and drizzle with oil, rubbing to coat.
Season with salt and pepper.
Roast until salmon is opaque on outside but still pink inside, about 15 minutes.
Serve, with remaining yogurt mixture alongside.
Open Hands Farm 