Kohlrabi Two Ways

My garden has been in full bloom for a while. I planted four kohlrabi starts early in the season and they recently became ready to harvest. I wasn't sure what to do with the alien-looking vegetables since I'd never tasted them before, so I decided to treat them as a root vegetable. If you grow kohlrabi or manage to buy bulbs with the greens still attached, don't discard the greens. They are very edible with a mild flavor similar to collards or turnip greens. One fully-grown kohlrabi produces a 2.5-4 inch diameter bulb with a large bunch of greens.

In addition to gardening from starts and seeds, I have also been growing the onions that sprout in my pantry. The greens are edible with a flavor similar to scallions, so I snip a few as the onion develops and toss them in my dishes. South African Smoked Seasoning can be found in a spice grinder at Trader Joe's. It's optional, but adds a great flavor to food, so I recommend picking up a jar of it or looking for a similar product in other stores.

Kohlrabi fresh from the garden.

Roasted Root Vegetables over wild rice and Greens and Beans.

Roasted Root Vegetables

2 kohlrabi
2 small sweet potatoes
1 vidalia onion
3 carrots
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 Tbsp minced fresh basil
1 Tbsp minced fresh oregano
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
South African Smoked Seasoning, to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Peel kohlrabi and sweet potatoes, then slice into 1/4" rounds. Cut each round in half to make a half-moon shape. Peel and slice the onion. Slice the carrots into rounds.

Place all vegetables into a casserole dish. Toss with fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Cover dish and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover from dish and bake another 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Serve over wild rice or another grain of your choice. Season to taste with smoked seasoning, if desired.

Greens and Beans

1 bunch kohlrabi greens
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 onion greens, sliced thin (substitute 3 scallions if you don't have access to onion greens)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
South African Smoked Seasoning, to taste (optional)

Wash the kohlrabi greens well. Remove the stems and tear or cut the greens into bite-sized pieces.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add garlic and onion greens and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the kohlrabi greens and saute for about 5 minutes, until greens are tender. Add chickpeas and seasonings. Cook long enough to heat the beans, then remove from heat and serve.

Quick Farro and Veggie Bowl

I'm always looking for quick, healthful meals for the nights when there just isn't time to cook. This one takes about 15 minutes to make and any veggies can be substituted for the ones I included. Quick-cook farro and smoked seasoning can be found at Trader Joe's, and I'm sure other stores also carry similar items. If you can't find quick-cook farro, regular farro can be used, but you'll have to cook it longer. The smoked seasoning is optional, but I think it adds a fun kick to an otherwise simple dish.

I subscribed to a weekly home-delivery organic produce service last week and we received our first box today. It was a huge box that contained all sorts of tasty and very fresh treasures. My kids are excited by the oranges and tangerines, and I am excited by having an easier way to feed my family fresh veggies. The kids are becoming difficult to shop with, so being able to make fewer trips to the grocery store is a relief. One of the items in this week's box was a bunch of baby turnips, so those little gems became the inspiration for this dish.

It was still steaming when I took the picture, but we were in a hurry so I didn't have time to let it cool.

Quick Farro and Veggie Bowl

1 cup quick-cook farro

2 cups water or vegetable broth

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 bunch baby turnips (including greens)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 clove garlic, minced or grated

1 handful cherry tomatoes, diced

1 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

smoked seasoning blend to taste (optional)

Place farro and water or broth in a saucepan and cook according to package directions.

While the farro is cooking, heat the olive oil in a saute pan. Remove and reserve the greens from the baby turnips. Dice the turnips. Saute the turnips until they begin to soften. Add the chickpeas, mushrooms, and garlic and saute for a few more minutes. Chop the turnip greens and add them to the pan along with the tomatoes, salt and pepper, and smoked seasoning. Saute until the turnip greens wilt.

Stir in the cooked farro and serve. Serves about 3.

Avocado Kale Salad

Leafy greens are a staple in my family's diet. I try to cycle through the darker varieties - spinach, Swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, collards, and kale.

This salad was inspired by one I had from a health food store salad bar. I thought that salad had potential, but was a little boring with just kale, onions, and the avocado dressing. I livened up this version with mini heirloom tomatoes, raw pepitas, and cucumber. 

There is a lot of nutritional value to be excited about in this tasty raw salad. Kale is high in Vitamins A, C, and K, and also contains significant amounts of calcium, folate, and potassium. Avocados contain beneficial fats in addition to a high fiber content, Vitamins C and K, and folate. Lemons are full of potassium and Vitamin C.  Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc and other trace minerals. Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants.

Avocado Kale Salad

1 big bunch of kale, washed, chopped, and stems removed (or a 10oz bag of pre-chopped kale)
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
2 lemons, peeled and seeded
1/3 cup water
3 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup raw pepitas (hull-less pumpkin seeds)
1 medium English cucumber, diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup diced cherry tomatoes (I used some mini heirlooms)

In a food processor or blender, puree avocados, lemons, water, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Place kale in a large mixing bowl. Pour avocado dressing over the kale, mix well, and then use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale. This will make the leaves tender.

Stir in the pepitas, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes.

The salad can be served immediately or refrigerated and allowed to marinate for several hours or overnight.

Vampire-Away Kale Chips

One of the local health food stores had a sample of garlicky kale chips out one day so I tried them. They were wonderful, but cost something like $5-6 for a small container. I bought a bunch of kale a couple days ago, so decided I had to replicate those chips. Mine are baked instead of raw because I don't have a dehydrator and raw vegetables are hard on my finicky stomach.

Vampire-Away Kale Chips

1 bunch green kale
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 275F.

Wash kale, then remove the ribs and tear or cut the leaves into bite-sized pieces.

In a large bowl, toss the kale with the olive oil, then with the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt. I found it was easiest to get an even coating by shaking it in a container with a lid, but tossing in a bowl also works.

Place kale on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy, stirring once halfway through.

Peasant Plate

This simple but hearty meal was inspired by one I used to order at a vegetarian restaurant. My favorite vegetable combination for it is beets and carrots, but you can use whatever you have on hand. My beet-allergic husband wasn't home for dinner so I eagerly cooked up some beets. The brown rice can be substituted with other grains like millet or quinoa. I didn't have any sprouts tonight, but they make a great addition.

Peasant Plate

1 1/2 cups brown rice
3 cups water
1 lb tofu, cubed
1 cup beets, sliced
1 cup carrots, sliced
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
mixed greens
sprouts (optional)

Combine brown rice and water in a rice cooker (or on the stove) and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed.

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly oil a cookie sheet and arrange cubed tofu in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, steam the beets and carrots.

Create the tahini sauce by mixing the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt and water in a food processor.

When the rice, tofu, and vegetables are ready, place a handful of greens on each of 3-4 plates. Spoon rice onto the center of the greens, then top with tofu, vegetables, and optional sprouts. Spoon tahini sauce over everything before serving.

Cheesy Herbed Potatoes

I haven't been cooking much new lately since I've been fighting with bronchitis and asthma. I'm feeling a little better now and had a bag of baby gold potatoes, so I decided to make one of my family's favorite side dishes. I served them with Field Roast vegan Italian sausages and a second side of almond green beans.

Cheesy Herbed Potatoes

1.5 lbs new or baby potatoes, sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 425F. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, then spread evenly on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking, or until potatoes are soft and lightly browned.

French Lentil and Kale Soup

This recipe uses French (green) lentils instead of the more common brown variety, but you can use red or brown lentils if you don't have green available. The taste of each is a little different, but all make for good soup. French lentils hold their form much better than other varieties. I keep a bag of frozen sliced leeks on hand for dishes like this, which saves both money and leek cleaning time. I like to add leafy greens to as many dishes as possible, so this one utilizes kale.

French Lentil and Kale Soup

2 cups sliced leeks
2 carrots, sliced into rounds, then quartered
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 cups vegetable broth (or 2 low-sodium bouillon cubes in 6 cups water)
2 cups green lentils
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste.

In a stock pot, saute the leeks, carrots, and garlic in the olive oil until the leeks are translucent. Add the broth, lentils, bay leaves, and Herbes de Provence. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.

Add kale and cook until kale is wilted. Remove bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste.

Onion Soup

Turbokid and I are both sick, so I brought out my favorite sick day recipe. I made this soup on a regular basis when I had hyperemesis gravidarum because it was one of the two things I could keep down at all (the other was Gatorade ice chips). It is gentle on the stomach, and good even when not sick. This is my simple comfort food and a vegan alternative to the omnivore's trusty chicken noodle soup.

Onion soup with Daiya grilled cheese.

Onion Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 onions, sliced thin

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup flour

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

4 cups water

3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce

1 tsp dried thyme

Heat oil in a large sauce pan. Saute onions and garlic in the oil until translucent. Add flour and nutritional yeast and stir until the onions are evenly coated. Add water, tamari, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until broth is slightly thickened.

Garnish with vegan cheese, scallions, and/or fresh herbs.

I usually make this soup with plain yellow onions, but it is especially good with sweet onions like Vidalias or Mauis.