Balsamic Glazed Beets

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 7 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients
3 1/2 lbs. beets- cooked, peeled, and sliced (click here for help)
Beet greens- washed
3 T balsamic vinegar
2 T pure maple syrup or honey
1 T olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste
1 t cinnamon

Directions
1.    In saucepan stir together vinegar, syrup or honey and olive oil.
2.    Add beets and greens and heat over moderate heat until heated through.
3.    Add cinnamon and salt & pepper to taste.
4.    Serve warm or at room temperature.
5.    Can be made one day ahead.

Collard Salad

Photo by Jill Richards Photography

I have to admit I didn't think I would ever see the two words "collard" and "salad" smooshed together as if they actually "go" together. But then I made what is best described as collard salad for dinner this week, and I don't know why they haven't been put together at my house before now.

A friend suggested the idea to me, so I went with it, because I got a nice bunch of fresh, local, organic collards at the market this week. Try for yourself and see!

Take fresh collards, cut away the stem, fold leaves in half and stack 4 or 5 on top of each other. Now roll the leaves into a fat "cigar" and slice across, making long strips. I cut them fairly close together to make really thin strips. Submerge in water (a salad spinner with colander works best for this part)  and let soak while preparing other parts of the salad. This will plump up the leaves, as well as remove any dirt.

While the collards soaked, I investigated what I had on hand to go with them. Here's the list of things I threw in a bowl:

• roasted beets (click here for simple instructions)
• toasted pumpkin seeds
• grated fresh parmesan cheese
• the best vinaigrette going--Roasted Shallot (click here for the recipe), which I had leftover from the holidays (I used dried herbs, and it's held up nicely)

After gathering these ingredients, I drained the collards, spun the extra water off, and tossed it all together. Quite delicious, quick, and a nice addition to my kitchen. Enjoy!

Simply Sweet

Do you see the evil look on this pumpkin's face? It's laughing at me. Me and the hundreds of other folks trying desperately to get the stinkin' Halloween candy out of the house!

It has been a real challenge for me lately to get a grip on my sugar cravings, and I know that the holidays coming up are going to test me to my limit, but I've got a strategy in place that started the day before Halloween this year, and it's helping!

Sweet vegetables. I know it sounds crazy, but by adding more sweet vegetables into your diet, you can reduce your sugar cravings. And this time of year, the sweet vegetables are abundant, especially beets, sweet potatoes and winter squash. But I'll admit I keep a bag of carrots in my fridge and onions on my counter (yes--they're in the sweet family!) year round to be sure I've got something in the sweet veggie family to easily add daily.

So here are a few simple ways to get those sweet veggies added into your diet quickly. The more you add, the less your sugar cravings. Try it for a week and see how it goes. Maybe you'll have new found success reducing the appeal of that trick or treat bag for everyone, including yourself!

Sweet Sensation--layer several sweet veggies in a pot with hardest on the bottom and softest on the top. For example, from bottom to top layer chopped carrots, beets, and onions. Cover with water and cook to desired tenderness. The longer you cook them, the sweeter they get.You can add seasoning (sea salt, spices, etc.) and/or drink the broth. It makes a sweet sauce!

Roasted Roots--wash some sweet potatoes or peel some beets, cut into bite size pieces, place on cookie sheet, drizzle oil over them, toss to coat, bake at 375 until tender to a fork. The first time I made these with sweet potatoes for my husband he asked if I had put sugar on them. Not making that up.

Easy Winter Squash--I think we have this once a week at our house. Super simple and yummy!

Beet, Butternut, and Turnip Soup

We got a couple of beets with their greens and some tiny turnips with massive greens and butternut squash in our CSA box this week. Truthfully, I don't particularly like turnip greens, but I don't like to throw good, fresh, local, organic food away either, so I got busy trying to figure out what to do with them. What started as an experiment turned into a nice dinner. AND it is full of great nutrients like calcium, vitamins A & E, iron, and potassium, not to mention the grounding energy the beet and turnip roots give it in addition to the sweet flavor of the butternut squash.

Ingredients
1 T coconut oil
2 onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 small beets, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
some really small turnips (just washed and trimmed them)
1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
6 cups water
salt to taste (FYI: I used quite a bit)
1 bunch beet greens, washed and chopped into bite size pieces
1 bunch turnip greens, washed and chopped into bite size pieces
leftover cooked quinoa--maybe a cup or 2 (use any whole grain)
1 can garbanzo beans

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, melt the coconut oil on medium-high heat and add the onions. Saute about 10 minutes, add the garlic and keep sauteing about 5 more minutes.
2. Add the beets, turnips, butternut squash, water, and salt. 
3. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes (don't let things get too mushy).
4. Add the greens, leftover quinoa, and beans and continue cooking for about 10 minutes (try to keep the greens green!).
5. Adjust salt to taste and serve hot.
6. Enjoy!