Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

•3 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
•1 large rutabaga, peeled and cubed
•1.5 medium onions, diced
•3 gloves garlic, minced
•4 –6 cups vegetable broth (use 4 if you want a thicker stew-like soup, and 6 if you prefer a brothier soup)
•1 bunch kale, washed and trimmed
•1 tsp cumin
•1/2 tsp coriander
•1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
•1 small avocado, diced
•salt and pepper (to taste)

To Prepare:

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cube the sweet potatoes and rutabaga into evenly sized pieces. Toss with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper, and spread evenly onto a sheet pan.
2.Roast the vegetables for 45 minutes, or until browned and tender, stirring once halfway through cooking.
3.Once the vegetables are done, sauté the onions and garlic over medium high heat in a heavy-bottomed pot (like a Dutch oven) until soft and starting to turn brown.
4.Add roasted vegetables, vegetable broth, and spices and bring up to a simmer.
5.Fill pot to the top with kale (washed and torn), and cover for at least 10 minutes so that the kale will wilt and steam.
6.Check kale for tenderness after 10 minutes. Once ready, add rinsed black beans and stir well to heat through.
7.Adjust final seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle and serve into individual bowls, and top with freshly diced avocado.

From The Front Burner (http://www.thefrontburnerblog.com/2010/11/kale-and-roasted-vegetable-soup-the-video.html)

Chickpea Hot Pot Recipe

Leftovers are going to thicken up ovenight - thin with a bit of water/stock while reheating, and adjust for seasoning again. You can find bulgur in the bins at most natural food stores and Whole Foods Markets.

1 large yellow onion, chopped
a splash of olive oil
a couple pinches of salt
2/3 cup uncooked bulgur
1 14-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cup cauliflower, trimmed into small trees
2 cup kale or chard, destemmed and cut into thin ribbons
olive oil for finishing drizzle
red onion, chopped for garnish

In a large pot over medium-high heat saute the onion in the olive oil along with the salt - for a minute or until the onion begins to soften a bit. Stir in the bulgur. Stir in the chickpeas and the stock. Bring the ingredients to a simmer. Cook for another few minutes, it should start to thicken. Taste to see if the bulgur is cooked through, if so add the orange juice. If not, simmer for a couple more minutes before adding the juice. Stir in the cauliflower and the kale as well - simmer another few minutes, until the cauliflower is just tender. If the stew is on the thick side, thin with a bit more water or stock. Taste, and add salt if necessary. Serve garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and red onions.

Serves 4 - 6.

From 101 Cookbooks (http://www.101cookbooks.com/)

Pan-fried Corona Beans & Kale

A few notes related to the recipe - be sure to wash the kale well, so you don't end up with grit in your beans. I use dried beans (that I've cooked myself) here, and would highly recommend using them over canned beans - they brown up better and are less likely to go to mush. I used giant corona beans, but you could use runner cannellini, or something similar. I like the white beans because they take on a lot of color in the pan. Alternate recipe - I'm confident you could do this preparation with gnocchi (don't boil the gnocchi first) in place of the beans.

1/2 bunch / 6 oz / 170 g dino kale or lacinato kale, remove stems
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 - 3 big handfuls of cooked large white beans (see head notes)
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup / 1 1/2 oz / 45 g walnuts, lightly toasted
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
scant 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup / 1/2 oz / 15 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Finely chop the kale, wash it, and shake off as much water as you can. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in the widest skillet you own. Add the beans in a single layer. Stir to coat the beans, then let them sit long enough to brown on one side, about 3 or 4 minutes, before turning to brown the other side, also about 3 or 4 minutes. The beans should be golden and a bit crunchy on the outside.

Add the kale and salt to the pan and cook for less than a minute, just long enough for the kale to lose a bit of its structure. Stir in the walnuts and garlic, wait 10 seconds, then stir in the nutmeg. Wait ten seconds and stir in the lemon juice and zest. Remove from heat and serve dusted with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 2 - 4.

From 101 Cookbooks (http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/print/panfried-corona-beans-kale-recipe.html)

Kale, Zucchini, and Pinto Bean Enchilada

(makes 2-4 servings)

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 small zucchinis, grated
salt and pepper
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 cup enchilada sauce (you can also use canned if you are in a rush)
4 tortillas, I used WW
1/2 cup Monterrey jack cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350F. Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and jalapenos and stir for one minute. Add zucchini, cumin and a big pinch of salt. Cook the zucchini until it loses it’s liquid it will take about 3 minutes, meanwhile continue to stir it regularly. Add kale and stir until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in a good amount of pepper, beans, green onion, cilantro, and a tablespoon of enchilada sauce.

Now put together the enchiladas. To do this prepare the tortillas by warming them in a hot skillet for about 30 seconds per side. (Note: this is a step I frequently skip when I am in a rush.) In an 8×8 square pan spoon one third of the remaining enchilada sauce over the bottom. One at a time form each enchilada. Put one quarter of the filling and a sprinkling of cheese in each tortilla, roll up and place in casserole. When you have all four done spoon the remaining enchilada sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

From Daily Unadventures in Cooking (http://www.dailyunadventuresincooking.com/2009/09/kale-zucchini-and-pinto-bean-enchilada.html)