Even though I worked last week, I had New Year's Eve and New Year's Day off, which really left 2 short week-ettes. So, that leaves this week feeling like my first back after a while. Tonight, I was determined to whip up a quick dinner before going out to a salsa lesson. I was so pleased to have a dinner of all local ingredients, use up more of my oranges and then go be healthy and social. Well, it turns out salsa starts next week, but at least I have a fun new recipe to share with you.
Greens in Orange Sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 bunch greens, destemmed and chopped
juice of 1 medium orange (about 1/2 cup for those not trying to burn through oranges)
1 tsp soy sauce
3 gloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch ginger, peeled & minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (or more)
Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in the bottom of a medium sauce pan over medium heat. While heating up, lightly beat eggs with garlic powder, then cook until just firm. Set eggs aside.
Heat rest of oil in the same pan, still over medium heat. Add greens. While they begin to soften, mix remaining ingredients, then pour over greens in pan. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until greens are tender. Add egg back in, stirring to evenly distribute sauce, and cook until sauce has mostly evaporated. Serve over rice.
Serves 2.
Showing posts with label chard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chard. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Favorite Greens
Way back when I started this blog, I mentioned my favorite way of preparing greens. This is so easy and perfect for stronger flavored greens, like collards, kale, turnip or mustard greens, and chard. It's a healthier, meat free version of the greens my grandmothers always prepared. And because they remind me of grandmas, I think they're the perfect side dish to mac & cheese, another traditional Southern comfort food. If I'm proactive, I pick up different flavors of cheese, keep them in my fridge, then grate them over plain hot elbow noodles. Tonight, I went the lazy route and opened a box of Amy's whole wheat & white cheddar.
Timing wise, I start heating the skillet & adding the onions & garlic after I put water on to boil. The greens are started after the noodles are added to boiling water. The greens should be finished right when the noodles are ready to be drained.
Favorite Greens:
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 large onion, sliced thin
pinch crushed red pepper
salt, to taste
1 bunch greens, thick stems removed and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp acid (apple cider/balsamic/red wine/flavored vinegar or lemon juice)
1 tbsp sugar
Heat oil in the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onions, season with salt & red pepper, and sautee for 5 min, stirring frequently, until vegetables are soft and onions are beginning to brown. Add remaining ingredients and sautee, stirring occasionally for 5-10 min, until greens are very tender. Adjust seasonings, acid/sugar balance.
Serves 4.
Timing wise, I start heating the skillet & adding the onions & garlic after I put water on to boil. The greens are started after the noodles are added to boiling water. The greens should be finished right when the noodles are ready to be drained.
Favorite Greens:
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 large onion, sliced thin
pinch crushed red pepper
salt, to taste
1 bunch greens, thick stems removed and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp acid (apple cider/balsamic/red wine/flavored vinegar or lemon juice)
1 tbsp sugar
Heat oil in the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onions, season with salt & red pepper, and sautee for 5 min, stirring frequently, until vegetables are soft and onions are beginning to brown. Add remaining ingredients and sautee, stirring occasionally for 5-10 min, until greens are very tender. Adjust seasonings, acid/sugar balance.
Serves 4.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Ramen
Yes, I said Ramen. The $0.15 pack of noodles that somebody in your dorm ate way too much of your freshman year. The salt bomb. Nothing redeeming about this stuff, right?
That's what I thought until I went to China and found aisle of this stuff in every grocery store. Then I realized what a variety of flavors can be found, and what can be done with it. Think of the advantages: it's fast, it's preseasoned and in consideration of today's economy, it's cheap. Go to your local Asian food store and you will find an enormous variety of flavors. If the ingredients aren't translated and you're concerned about finding vegetarian varieties, steer away from packages with pictures of meat on the front. And if you have a friend who speaks Mandarin, Japanese or Korean, don't be afraid to ask for help. Of course, regular Top Ramen won't hurt you.
Anyways, start with your average salty noodle pack, and see what vegetables you have on hand. Carrots are always good, so are greens, I also like mushrooms. Sticking with the cheap theme, I like eggs for protein, but tofu is also tasty and cheap, or if you have leftover chicken that isn't strongly seasoned, that can be thrown in as well.
Vegetable Ramen
1 pack ramen
1 large carrot, or handful small carrots, diced
2 chard leaves, chopped
2 eggs
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add seasoning packet and carrots and simmer, covered, for 3 to 5 min. Add noodles and greens, and cook, covered, according to package directions. When 1 minute remains on timer, crack the eggs and drop into the soup. Stir with a chopstick or fork. When noodles are cooked and eggs are set, soup is done.
Serves 2.
That's what I thought until I went to China and found aisle of this stuff in every grocery store. Then I realized what a variety of flavors can be found, and what can be done with it. Think of the advantages: it's fast, it's preseasoned and in consideration of today's economy, it's cheap. Go to your local Asian food store and you will find an enormous variety of flavors. If the ingredients aren't translated and you're concerned about finding vegetarian varieties, steer away from packages with pictures of meat on the front. And if you have a friend who speaks Mandarin, Japanese or Korean, don't be afraid to ask for help. Of course, regular Top Ramen won't hurt you.
Anyways, start with your average salty noodle pack, and see what vegetables you have on hand. Carrots are always good, so are greens, I also like mushrooms. Sticking with the cheap theme, I like eggs for protein, but tofu is also tasty and cheap, or if you have leftover chicken that isn't strongly seasoned, that can be thrown in as well.
Vegetable Ramen
1 pack ramen
1 large carrot, or handful small carrots, diced
2 chard leaves, chopped
2 eggs
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add seasoning packet and carrots and simmer, covered, for 3 to 5 min. Add noodles and greens, and cook, covered, according to package directions. When 1 minute remains on timer, crack the eggs and drop into the soup. Stir with a chopstick or fork. When noodles are cooked and eggs are set, soup is done.
Serves 2.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Chard Carbonara
After a few months of moving and settling in, it's good to find a new C.S.A. and get back into the swing of basing my menus around the vegetables and fruits, not whatever carb is most handy. My new farm prepares the same box for everybody, and it's much bigger than my last place, but it only comes every other week.
With the dropping economy and my own tight budget from moving across the country and refurnishing an apartment, I'm trying to minimize buying other ingredients, and instead use up what's in my fridge and pantry. Dairy and eggs come from local farms, I always have garlic, onions & ginger on hand along with select spices, and I buy minimal pasta, rice and dried beans at the Co-op.
I'm also getting used to cooking for one, which isn't the same as cutting cooking for two in half. My normal preparation that would be enough for two for dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day, is now enough to feed me all week. That gets boring quickly, so I'm playing with using things that do better in small amounts. Along the same lines, I hate to spend an hour making something that'll take me 15 minutes to eat by myself. All of this brings me to today's creation:
Chard Carbonara
1 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small bunch chard, chopped
2 eggs
1/4 cup parmesan
salt to taste
pinch crushed red pepper (optional)
1-2 oz whole wheat spaghetti
Bring pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to directions.
Melt butter in the bottom of a medium skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add garlic, and cook until lightly browned. Throw in chard, season with salt and pepper, and sautee until wilted. Add cooked noodles, eggs and parmesan. Toss in pan with tongs to distribute egg and cheese through noodles until the egg is cooked through.
Serves 2.
With the dropping economy and my own tight budget from moving across the country and refurnishing an apartment, I'm trying to minimize buying other ingredients, and instead use up what's in my fridge and pantry. Dairy and eggs come from local farms, I always have garlic, onions & ginger on hand along with select spices, and I buy minimal pasta, rice and dried beans at the Co-op.
I'm also getting used to cooking for one, which isn't the same as cutting cooking for two in half. My normal preparation that would be enough for two for dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day, is now enough to feed me all week. That gets boring quickly, so I'm playing with using things that do better in small amounts. Along the same lines, I hate to spend an hour making something that'll take me 15 minutes to eat by myself. All of this brings me to today's creation:
Chard Carbonara
1 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small bunch chard, chopped
2 eggs
1/4 cup parmesan
salt to taste
pinch crushed red pepper (optional)
1-2 oz whole wheat spaghetti
Bring pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to directions.
Melt butter in the bottom of a medium skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add garlic, and cook until lightly browned. Throw in chard, season with salt and pepper, and sautee until wilted. Add cooked noodles, eggs and parmesan. Toss in pan with tongs to distribute egg and cheese through noodles until the egg is cooked through.
Serves 2.
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