Christina's Tomato, Kale and Quinoa Salad

adapted from The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen

Serves 8

Quinoa:
2 cups quinoa
3 ½ cups water
pinch sea salt

Salad:
2 large heirloom tomatoes, diced (about 3 to 4 cups)

1 cup finely diced walla walla onion (or other variety of sweet onion or substitute green onion)

1/2 bunch kale, finely chopped

1 cup chopped basil leaves

feta cheese to taste 

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Soaking quinoa overnight in a bowl of water, then drain the next day. To cook the quinoa, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under running water. Drain well. Place quinoa into a 2-quart pot, add water and salt; cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let cool completely before using. 

To assemble the salad, place the cooled quinoa into a large bowl and fluff with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients and gently toss together. Serve.

Christina's Chicken, Sausage and White Bean Soup

from Picky Palate


Fall Style Chicken Stew with Sausage and Beans
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 - 1 1/2 pounds skinless chicken
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut
4 stalks celery, cut
1 large onion, diced
12 ounces cooked sausage links (andouille or other), sliced
2 15 ounce cans White Beans, drained and rinsed
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
kale (optional)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place oil into large Dutch oven over medium heat. Season each chicken breast with a pinch of salt and pepper then place into hot oil. Cook for 5 minutes each side, until golden brown. Once golden brown, reduce heat and cook until cooked through. Remove chicken and transfer to large plate or cutting board. Let rest for 10 minutes then chop or shred.
3. Place same Dutch oven with chicken drippings over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and onion cooking until tender, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sliced sausage and beans, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to low.
4. Place butter into a medium pot over medium heat. Once melted whisk in flour until thick and combined. Slowly add chicken broth. Will start out thick, keep whisking and slowly add remaining broth. Whisk for a good 5 minutes then transfer to pot of vegetables. Add kale and cook until wilted. Season with salt, pepper and garlic salt, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh rosemary, if desired.

Makes 8 servings

Christina's Green Detox Smoothie

1 cup baby spinach
1 cup kale
1 1/2 cups orange juice
2 frozen bananas
1 apple or pear, chopped
1 TBSP chia seeds

optional: flax seed meal, wheat germ, whatever other healthy stuff you want to add

Christina's Polenta and Greens

multiple sources

olive oil
12 cups chopped greens (Belgian endive, kale, turnip greens, kohlrabi, chard, etc. -- can include all stems)
1/3 cup golden raisins (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups yellow or white cornmeal
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
4 teaspoons pine nuts, toasted (optional)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with a little olive oil. Add greens in batches (thickest, hardiest greens first) and as they begin to wilt, add more, stirring constantly. Stir in raisins and salt. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes or until greens are tender; set aside.

Combine cornmeal, garlic and pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually add broth and milk, stirring with whisk; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes; stir occasionally. Add 1/2
cup cheese.

Spoon polenta onto each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 cup greens mixture. Sprinkle each with pine nuts, if using.

Christina's Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup

from Simply Recipes by Elise

3 medium carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
2 large tomatoes, quartered
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges or 4 or 5 slices
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick wedges
6 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 cups or more of vegetable broth
4 cups of finely chopped kale
3 large fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 15 oz can of Great Northern white beans, drained

1 Preheat oven to 400°F (reduce heat by 25°F if using convection oven). Brush rimmed baking sheet with a thin coat of olive oil. Arrange carrots, squash, tomatoes, onion, and garlic on sheet. Drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast vegetables until they are brown and tender, stirring occassionally, about 45 minutes.

2 Cut squash and carrots into 1/2 inch pieces; set aside. Peel garlic cloves; place in food processor. Add tomatoes and onion; puree until almost smooth. Pour 1/2 cup broth onto the baking sheet; scrape up any browned bits. Transfer broth and vegetable puree to large pot. Add 5 1/2 cups broth, kale, thyme and bay leaf to pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until kale is tender, about 30 minutes.

3 Add carrots, beans, and squash to soup. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

Lorri's Stale Bread Soup (Ribollita con Verdure)

from Rachael Ray

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, plus some for drizzling
4 thick slices pancetta (not smoked) or bacon (smoked), chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium to large onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium, skinny zucchini, cut into thin slices
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry red wine, a couple of glugs
1 (15-ounce) can petite diced or chunky style crushed tomatoes
6 cups beef stock, available in boxes on soup aisle (recommended: Kitchen Basics brand)
4 cups, about 1/2 pound, chopped or torn stale bread
2 (15-ounce), small white beans (recommended: Goya brand, smaller than cannellini beans)
4 cups chopped kale or chard
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to pass at table

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and the the pancetta or bacon and render 4 minutes. Add rosemary, the garlic, 3/4 of the onions, carrots and zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Saute the veggies 7 to 8 minutes, then add wine and deglaze the pot. Stir in the tomatoes and stock and bring up the heat. When soup boils, reduce to a simmer and stir in bread and beans. Pile the greens into the pot and wilt them into the soup. Simmer the ribollita 5 to 10 minutes, stirring soup as it simmers until it thickens to a dense stew-like consistency. A wooden spoon should be able to stand upright in the pot. Turn off heat, adjust seasonings and ladle into shallow bowls. Top with grated cheese, an additional drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and a spoonful of reserved finely chopped raw onions.

Christina's White Bean, Rice and Spinach Soup

Ingredients
3 14-ounce cans vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can tomato puree
1 15-ounce can white or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach or kale leaves
Finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions

1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine broth, tomato puree, beans, rice, onion, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper.
2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours.
3. Stir spinach into soup. Serve with Parmesan cheese. Makes 6 main-dish servings.