Recipes

Makes 2-3 cups pesto

Ingredients

2 cups chopped fresh kale leaves, stems removed
¼ cup water
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons lemon zest (optional)
juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup chopped yellow onion
2/3 -1 cup extra virgin olive oil
chopped fresh red chili (options for heat lovers)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh black pepper

Directions

Place the kale leaves and the water in a large bowl and massage for a few minutes.  Let the kale sit in the water for a few minutes to absorb and become softer.   Place the kales leaves and water, garlic, lemon zest/juice and yellow onion in a blender and pulse until the mixture starts to get chopped up and turns into a chunky paste.  Add the olive oil about ¼ cup at a time and blend until a smooth consistency is formed. Season with salt and pepper, adding more if necessary.

*Toss over pasta or use as a marinade for grilled chicken. Add some to your vinaigrettes or atop steamed fish and vegetables!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2 cups red cabbage, shredded
Juice of 2 limes
2 teaspoons salt
4 pieces of cod, local & sustainable
Salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped superfine
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped superfine
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Canola oil
Dried Red Chili
“Baja Style” Purple Kale Pesto Sauce (recipe follows)
Flour tortillas
Lime wedges

Directions

Place the shredded cabbage in medium bowl and toss together with the lime juice and salt. Let stand for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime season the cod with salt and pepper and set aside. Prepare three breading bowls: one with the beaten eggs mixed with the fresh herbs, the next with flour and the next with panko. Heat a large skillet with oil and the dried chili to a medium to high heat. Dip the cod in the egg mixture making sure it is well coated. Next dip it in the flour and make sure it gets well coated. Dip it in the egg again and then the panko, again you must make sure the entire fish is coated with each item before moving to the next. Place the fully breaded fish in the pan and cook for about 4 minutes per side or until golden brown on each side. Repeat with all the fish. Let excess grease drain off by placing fish on paper towels. Heat the tortillas over a gas stove flipping and charring a little. Break the cod up into large pieces and place a few pieces on the tortilla. Place a spoon full of the pesto sauce over the top and a little bit of the red cabbage.

“Baja Style” Spicy Purple Kale Pesto Sauce

Makes 2 cups pesto

Ingredients

¼ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
2 cups purple kale, stems removed and chopped
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup red onion, chopped fine
½ cup avocado or olive oil
Zest of 1 lime, juice of two
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 jalapeño, chopped (seeds and all for hot, seeds removed for less hot)
3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Directions

Place all the ingredients except the mayo in a food processor and process until extra smooth. Add the mayo and process a few seconds until mixed and smooth.

Serves 6

This is an amazing take on the classic waldorf salad, its modern and sassy and showcases the earthy flavors of kale!

Ingredients

3 cups raw kale (purple or lacinato), jullianned
½ cup celery, sliced thin
2 tart apples, cored and chopped small
½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse, plus 2 tablespoons chopped fine
¼ cup raisins
1 shallot, chopped superfine
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoon thyme
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Directions

Toss together the kale, celery, apples, ½ cup walnuts and raisins in a large bowl until well mixed. In a smaller bowl whisk together the shallot, mayonnaise, thyme, vinegar, lemon juice and honey. Make sure to whisk until the dressing is smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and add more honey for a greater sweetness. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss together until well mixed.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cubed into ½ inch cubes (peels on)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cups purple kale, chopped
1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
Olive oil
Salt/pepper
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, enough to coat. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Place the potato mixture in a large baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. Heat a large cast iron skillet, add in butter and heat to a mediun high heat. Toss on the potatoes mixture and cook stirring often, allowing to brown and smashing a few if desired. Cook until most of the potatoes are golden brown.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 medium red onion, chopped small
2 cups red grapes, halved
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 chicken thigh, boneless, skinless, chopped fine (optional)
1 tablespoon black pepper, freshly cracked
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons currant vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups purple and Tuscan kale, chopped small
2 cups farro, cooked
Salt
Gogonzola cheese (sweet)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400° F. In a large bowl toss together the onions, grapes, chicken, thyme, black pepper, honey, currant vinegar, honey and season with salt. Lay out on a unlined baking sheet and cook for about 10 minutes or until the items are slightly browned and roasted. Immediately after the grape mixture has come out of the oven, place it over the kale in a large bowl and toss well allowing the kale to par cook or wilt. Add the cooked farro (which should still be warm) and toss together until well mixed. Season with salt and garnish with a few gorgonzola crumbles!

Serves 6

Ingredients

 

2  cups cauliflower, cut into small florets
 1 red pepper, chopped
Olive oilSalt/pepper
1 cup Tuscan kale or purple kale, sliced thin
1 small red onion, chopped small
2 cups cooked farro
¼ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped small
¼ cup almonds, toasted and chopped
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or white balsamic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
½ cup  fresh parsley, chopped superfine
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

 

Pre-heat the oven to 400° F.  Toss together the cauliflower, florets and red peppers and drizzle a little olive over them, season with salt and pepper and place in a glass baking dish and roast until golden brown or about 15 minutes.  Place the sliced kale in a large mixing bowl and immediately place the roasted cauliflower over the top of the kale while its hot and toss together, let stand for  a few minutes to lightly cook the kale with the remaining heat of the roasted cauliflower.  Mix in the farro, tomatoes and almonds until well mixed.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, zest, garlic parsley and olive oil until emulsified.  Toss over cauliflower and farro mixture and mix well, gently fold in the feta crumbles and serve!

Makes 2-10 ounce smoothies

INGREDIENTS

1 cup green kale leaves, chopped
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 cup fresh mint leaves
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 banana, cubed
½ apple, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
½ pear, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
1 cup water
1 cup of ice
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lime juice (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 red onion, chopped medium
3 stalks of celery, chopped small
2 medium carrots, chopped small
1 medium red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped small
1 medium yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped small
1 (28-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
½ cup fresh basil, chopped fine
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
¼ cup fresh oregano, chopped fine
¼ cup fresh thyme, chopped fine
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups hot water
1 cup vegetable stock
1 bunch of dinosaur kale, chopped
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup small fresh macaroni (¾ cup dried)
½ cup parmesan, freshly grated
Parmesan rind (optional)
Salt/ pepper

DIRECTIONS

Cook garlic, onions, celery, carrots, and peppers in oil in a wide 7-to 9-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally until vegetables are very tender and begin to stick to bottom of pot, about 45 minutes total.

Push vegetables to one side of the pot. Add stewed tomatoes to cleared area and cook, stirring constantly, until it starts to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Stir into vegetables and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. (Tomatoes may stick to pot, but don’t let them burn.) Bring to a simmer. Stir in kale and parmesan rind. Simmer, covered, until greens are tender, about 40 minutes.

Coarsely chop herbs, and stir into soup along with beans. Simmer, partially covered, 10 minutes.
Discard rind. Season soup with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 pieces turkey sausage (favorite variety)
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ bunch (about 10 big leaves) Swiss chard or kale, chopped
1 handful fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 cup goat milk feta, cubed
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 bell peppers
1 (28-ounce can) stewed tomatoes
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

DIRECTIONS

In a medium sized saucepan, add water, quinoa, and salt. Once it comes to a boil, lower heat to simmer, cover, and cook, 20 minutes or until water is completely absorbed. Then remove from heat to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add oil. Cook turkey sausages until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove, and allow to cool. In the same pan, over medium heat, add garlic, Swiss chard or kale, and sauté until wilted. Remove from pan once cooked, and place into a large mixing bowl along with all liquid in the pan to cool.

Next, cut cooked and cooled sausage into bite sized pieces, and add to mixing bowl. Add parsley and feta. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well. This recipe can be left as is, as a
warm quinoa salad, or can be stuffed into peppers as follows.

Preheat oven to 400ËšF. Remove top and seeds of peppers, and slice bottom of pepper (making sure not to cut a whole in the bottom) so that it will sit standing up in the baking dish. Spoon
quinoa sausage mixture into pepper cavities. Add stewed tomatoes and basil directly over the peppers and along the bottom of the dish. Cover entire dish with foil, and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and continue to bake for another 10 minutes.

Tip: To assemble the day before, follow all of the steps above short of putting it in the oven, and store covered with foil in fridge. Once you are ready to bake, allow the stored dish to come to
room temperature first before baking. This will reduce cooking time.

Recipe Property of Robin Simpson

Serves 6-9 (makes about 9 sausages)

INGREDIENTS

For the Sausage

2 pounds boneless & skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ medium yellow onion, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
2 tablespoon salt
1 medium apple (tart variety), chopped superfine
Casings of your choice

For the Sauté Mixture

Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6-9 apple-rosemary sausages, sliced into thick rounds
1 medium apple, chopped
1 large bunch purple or green kale, chopped
½ cup chicken broth
Salt

PREPARATION

For the Sausage

Mix all the sausage ingredients except for the apple in a large bowl, and refrigerate, about 2 hours. Using the finest blade on your meat grinder, grind all of the ingredients, following the instructions. Once the mixture is ground, mix the apples, combine well, and place mixture in the freezer.
Meanwhile, soak the casings in warm water, and rinse a few times. Using your sausage stuffer, slip the casing onto the stuffing tube, making sure you leave about 6 inches off the end of the tube- this is where you will need to tie the sausage off later. Remove the meat from the freezer, and place it in the body of the sausage stuffing machine. If all the meat does not fit (you must acquit, just kidding), place the rest back in the refrigerator until you are ready. Turn the machine on, and begin the process- air will be the first thing to emerge. As the meat begins to slide out, use one hand to maneuver the speed of the sausage output. Let the sausage emerge into one long coil- the links will be tied later in the process. When the sausage is done, turn off the machine, and tie up the ends- you can use meat or butchers twine. To make individual links, pinch a section together, then spin the links, and turn them opposite from each other several times, repeat this moving down the entire main link. Hang the links up so you can review for air bubbles. Using a sterilized pin or sewing needle, pop each section that has an air bubble with the pin, and the link should move flat and the air bubble should be released.
Hang the links for about an hour, and then refrigerate them covered in the refrigerator overnight. Use them or freeze them within about a week (in other words, use it, or lose it).

For the Sauté Mixture

In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil. Sauté garlic, stirring constantly, cook, 1 minute. Add sausages, and cook until almost browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add apples, cook, about 1 minute more. Then add kale, cooking an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, season with salt, and mix everything to combine. Turn the burner to low, and simmer covered, another 1 to 2 minutes. Uncover, and cook, another 1 to 2 minutes. Serve.

Makes 1 Casserole Size Pie

Here is a great seasonal family meal, filled with nutrition and fit for a fancy potluch. Don’t be frightened by the beggar’s purses either – they’re a cinch.

INGREDIENTS

For the Pies

1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 pound or about 3-4 links of turkey or chicken apple sausage
2 medium tart apples, cored and chopped
3 cups purple kale, chopped coarsley
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 cup fresh apple cider
1 cup chicken broth
Salt/pepper

For the Beggar’s Purses

8 sheets phyllo dough
1 stick butter, melted
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 tart apple, peeled cored, and chopped fine
8 fresh chives, blanched

PREPARATION

In a large sauté pan, over medium high heat, add oil. Sauté onions, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 7 minutes. Add sausage, apples, and kale, cook until sausage is cooked through and greens are wilted. Add apple cider, chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce is reduced by half. Set aside.

Cut each phyllo sheet in half to equal 16 squares in total. Make sure to cover phyllo that you’re not using with a damp cloth or paper towel.

On a flat surface, place one phyllo sheet, and brush entire surface (especially the edges) with melted butter. Place a second sheet on top in the opposite direction, creating an “X” pattern. Brush with butter again; repeat with 2 more sheets – which will equal 4 sheets in total.

In the center of the top sheet, place 1 tablespoon of apples on top, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Pull all the sides of the phyllo up towards the center to make a purse. Tie the top with a blanched chive. Brush outside with more melted butter. Continue until 8 purses are assembled.

Place purses on top of casserole, and bake.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

4 cups chicken broth
Olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 medium red onion, chopped
3 sweet sausages
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, toasted
1 bunch dinosaur kale, chopped coarse
1½ cups barley
¼ cup Asiago cheese, grated
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

In a medium sized saucepot heat chicken broth until warm and simmer while making risotto. In a separate medium-sized saucepot add olive oil and sauté garlic and onion, 5 minutes. Then crumble in sausages and add fennel seeds, sauté until sausage is cooked, 5 to 7 minutes, remove sausage and fennel seeds from pot and set aside. Next, add kale and sauté until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add barley and ½ cup broth, reduce liquid and then add another ½ cup broth every 7 minutes or until barley is cooked through and tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add sausage and fennel seeds back to pot and combine. Remove the pot from heat and finish with cheese and butter. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 6

Meatballs

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground turkey
½ cup fresh rosemary, chopped fine (2 tablespoons reserved for soup)
½ cup fresh thyme, chopped fine (2 tablespoons reserved for soup)
4 tablespoons garlic, chopped (2 tablespoons reserved for soup)
½ cup grated parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
½ cup Fuji apples, chopped fine
½ cup Kashi Whole Grain Nuggets or Grape Nuts (substitute with breadcrumbs)
2 eggs

Soup

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil
2 tablespoons garlic (reserved from above)
1 medium red onion
Rosemary and thyme (reserved from above)
1 cup Fuji apples, chopped medium
1 large bunch kale (dinosaur variety, also known as Italian dark leaf), chopped
4 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION

To assemble the meatballs, combine all ingredients except the eggs. Mix well using fingers to make sure all ingredients are well combined. Form into 1 inch balls.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pan on medium high heat. Sauté garlic and red onion until translucent, just a few minutes. Add rosemary, thyme and apples. Sauté a few more minutes. Add the chicken stock and kale and gently drop in meatballs. Bring to a boil. Turn burner to low and simmer for another half hour. Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with a little parmesan cheese.