Berry Almond Oatmeal Kale Granola

Stay with me!  I know this sounds weird...or gross...or unappealing.  It's not - it's awesome.  Let me explain.  Regular granola is great, but isn't it such a disappointment at how unhealthy it really is?  High calorie and so fatty, ugh.  When I stumbled upon this recipe from Eating Bird Food, I just had to give it a shot.  Plus, I love to try out unusual flavor combinations.  For example, when I gave our Executive Director  THIS cupcake without telling him what flavor it was he said, "Knowing you, it's something weird, but good."

If calling this 'granola' is too much to wrap your head around, just think of it as sweet kale chips!  Now kale has a pretty distinct bitter flavor, but the preparation really cuts through that and makes a light, crispy, sweet, cinnamon-y treat.  The original recipe calls for a dehydrator, but since I do not have one, I'm extremely grateful that the author of Eating Bird Food figured out how to bake them in the oven.

It's quite clever how a paste of dates and mango (two of the sweetest fruits to combat kale's bitterness) with cinnamon is then rubbed into the leaves and transforms this hearty leaf to a crispy and sweet treat.  Add in your favorite dried fruit (I used craisins and cherries) and sliced almonds.  The original recipe also called for shredded coconut, but I cut that out since I don't really care for it.  After my first batch, I thought it would be nice to make it a bit more granola-like, so at a friend's suggestion I added oatmeal.

You're still not sold.  Okay, imagine a warm, cinnamon-y scent wafting through your kitchen.  Smells great, right?  (Yes, there are a multitude of other ways to accomplish this - apple pie, zucchini bread, cinnamon rolls, etc, but this one won't leave you feeling lethargic and sugar-blasted.  And it's really tasty.)

Almost everyone that I gave a sample to liked it (and even the husband was snatching a few off the cookie sheet).  In addition to snacking on it dry, I'd also like to note that it's quite good on yogurt, just like regular granola.  It's a fun way to get your greens, so be daring and give it a try!

Berry Almond Oatmeal Kale Granola
(Adapted from Eating Bird Food)

1 large bunch of kale, washed, dried, de-stemmed and torn into bite-size pieces
5-6 pitted medjool dates (I used fresh because they were available, but dried is okay too)
½ cup fresh or frozen mango (thawed), chopped into chunks
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup dried cherries, blueberries or cranberries
½ cup sliced almonds

½ cup oatmeal (I used 1 minute oats, just because they're smaller and this is such a light and crispy snack, but rolled oats would be fine)

1. In a medium bowl, soak the dates in ½ cup water for at least 30 minutes, or until softened.
2. Make sure your kale is as dry as you can get it. Then place it in a large bowl.
3. In a food processor, chopper or high powered blender, combine the soaked dates + 1 tablespoon of soaking liquid and fresh mango. Blend until it is a thick paste. Add the cinnamon and salt and blend briefly to combine.
4. Add paste to kale leaves and massage with your hands to coat each leaf, until all leaves are coated
5. Add in the dried berries, almonds and oatmeal and mix well so these items get coated as well.
6. Pre-heat your oven to 300°, spread kale into a thin layer on two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake for roughly 30 - 40 minutes with the oven door slightly ajar (a wooden spoon wedged in the oven door works perfectly for this). Maybe sure to watch at the 30 minute mark gets close so that the kale doesn’t start to burn.  Spread and flip the kale, if needed, to completely dry it out.  You want it light and crispy, but not scorched.
7. Once cooled, store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Chickpea Sauté with Greek Yogurt

Have you ever encountered a recipe that really is a collection of ingredients you wouldn't think to group together, but end up being an absolutely fantastic dish?

A friend of mine made this for a party and gave me a pre-party taste.  I was a bit wary at first, thinking it would be some fancy-schmancy dish that wasn't my thing... but I was pleasantly surprised.  It was so good!  So good, in fact, that at the party I kept sneaking back to the big platter of it to grab some more and hope no one noticed my four multiple helpings.

When I asked my friend for the recipe I thought it would be a long and complicated recipe.  Nope!  It's super easy and quick, especially with a shortcut with the greens.  It's a fairly healthy dish, and with the addition of some brown rice or quinoa you have yourself a solid meal.

This was my first time cooking with fresh mint, which is apparently only sold in large bunches.  Mojitos, anyone?  It also uses caraway seeds, which gives rye bread its distinctive taste.  The husband dislikes rye bread (odd, in my opinion), so I thought this dish would be a flop for him.  However, he liked it too!

Because of the ease, the amazing flavor, and the healthy ingredients, this will definitely be a staple in our home!

Chickpea Sauté with Greek Yogurt
(from Plenty)
Serves 4+

10-12 oz. Baby kale or green of your choice (swiss chard, etc)
1/3 cup olive oil (which seems a bit extreme, so I cut it back to 1/4 cup or less)
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 can chickpeas
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp olive oil
Prepared quinoa or brown rice (optional)

(The original recipe calls for blanching 3/4 lb. swiss chard and chopping roughly.  Feel free to do that, but I preferred the ease of using baby kale)
**7/22/13 EDIT: I recently made this recipe and blanched a mix of swiss chard (chopped stems and leaves) and kale, as listed in the original recipe, and really enjoyed it that way as well!

Heat up the olive oil in a large saucepan.  Add the carrots and caraway seeds and sauté for 5 minutes on medium heat.  Add the greens and the chickpeas, cover, and cook for roughly 6 minutes, or until the greens are wilted.  Now add the garlic, herbs, lemon juice, and some salt and pepper.  Remove from the heat and cool down a little.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.

To serve, mix together the yogurt, olive oil and some salt and pepper.  If using a cooked grain, spoon grain into bowl.  Pile the vegetables on the grain and spoon the yogurt on top.

Enjoy!

Kale, Bean, & Sweet Potato Soup with Rosemary-Cheese Biscuits

Anyone else all sugared out from holiday sweets?  I am.  However, I can't...stop...eating...them!  Something healthy was in order.  Enter a favorite soup of mine that fits the bill - Kale, Bean & Sweet Potato Soup.  It's veggie-loaded and freezes well for "emergency lunches."

Don't you feel less sugar-blasted already?

For this soup, I wanted a tasty, carb-y accompaniment.  I had been buying this fantastic rosemary bread from a local bakery, so I knew the flavor profile I had in mind.  However, since I'm not quite ready to be nursing a needy starter (two furry, needy kitties are quite enough, thanks), I needed another option - biscuits!  I'm an avid Cook's Country reader, so I just tweaked their recipe by adding some rosemary and a local favorite cheese - Beecher's.

I also decided to try using lard for the first time, and I must say that the results lived up to my expectations - amazing!   I don't have any biscuit cutters (yet), so I thought I'd make it fun by using some flower and heart shaped cookie cutters.  Who says biscuits always have to be round??

I would ask the boyfriend what he thinks of the final result, but he's too busy noshing on the biscuits to tell me.

Kale, Bean, & Sweet Potato Soup
(adapted from Martha Stewart Living)
~ 6 one and half cup servings

1 head of garlic
Olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, rinsed, white and light green parts chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped (I cut out the woody center)
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 bunch of kale (I used half green, half purple in this batch)
1 can white beans, drained
6 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Pull off almost all of outer skin of garlic (leaving some to hold the cloves together), and cut of top so all of cloves are exposed.  Drizzle couple of teaspoons of olive oil over it so it soaks into the garlic.  Wrap in aluminum foil and cook until soft and darkened (about 40 minutes).  Remove garlic from oven, let cool, and squeeze out roasted cloves.

Place large pot over medium heat (I use my big soup pot, but smaller ones would do).  Add olive oil and heat.  Add rosemary, leeks and onion and cook until translucent.  Add roasted garlic, sweet potato, carrot, parsnip, and celery, stirring until potato pieces begin to soften.

Add kale and cook until it begins to wilt.  Add chicken broth and cook until vegetables are tender.  Add beans, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until heated through.  Ladle out into bowls and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Rosemary and Cheese Biscuits
(adapted from Cook's Country)
~12 biscuits

8 Tbsp (1 stick) unstalted butter
4 Tbsp lard (or shortening)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced (I may add a bit more next time)
1/2 cup grated Beecher's (or cheddar, or other cheese of choice)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk OR substitute (Stir 1 Tbsp + 3/4 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 1/4 cups milk. Let stand at room temp for 10 minutes until thickened)

Cut butter and lard into 1/2 inch pieces and refrigerate until chilled.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Whisk dry ingredients in large bowl.  Cut in chilled butter and lard with pastry cutter until the mixture is coarse and butter is the size of small peas.  Stir in minced rosemary and grated cheese.

Stir in buttermilk until just combined.  Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly, 8 - 10 times, to form a smooth cohesive ball.  Cover with plastic wrap (or wax paper or parchment paper) and roll to 3/4 inch thick.  Using biscuit (or cookie) cutter dipped in flour, cut out shapes and arrange upside down on prepared baking sheet.  Gently gather scraps and re-roll to 3/4 inch thick to cut remaining biscuits and place on baking sheet.

Bake until biscuits begin to rise, about 5 minutes, then rotate pan and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.  Baking until golden brown, 10 - 12 minutes more.  Transfer to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes.

Enjoy!