Simple Supper with Staples

I don't know what we've been eating at our house, because I feel like I haven't been doing a whole lot of cooking.

But last night I was determined to create something that tasted yummy, could be made with what we had on hand, and was easy to get on the table quickly.

I believe I succeeded.

Check out what's in your pantry/fridge and have confidence you can create a healthy meal in a flash!

Ingredients
Garlic Grapeseed Oil (or other high heat oil or email here to order)
1 red onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, washed and chopped
1 15 oz can Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch of collards, washed and chopped
salsa to taste
cooked quinoa (or other whole grain)
guacamole (optional)

Instructions
Put grain on to cook, if needed.
Put oil in skillet and warm over medium heat.
Add onions, stir, and reduce heat to medium low.
While onions cook, prepare greens (check here for help) and chop carrots. Don't let the onion burn--stir occasionally.
Add carrots while greens soak. Stir.
Let onions and carrots cook a few minutes.
Add kidney beans. Warm through.
Add greens and stir to coat. Reduce heat to simmer.
Add salsa. Stir.
Serve over grain of choice (I chose quinoa, because it cooks quickly and was done about the same time everything else was.). Top with homemade guacamole (optional).
Enjoy a simple supper with stuff from your stock!

Curry Ginger Chick Peas & Mushrooms with Tumeric Rice

I'm experimenting with a new Wildtree product in my kitchen. It's the Curried Garlic Blend, and it's pretty fantastic. I've added it in place of curry to a couple of different things, but this recipe, I have to admit, is pretty outstanding.
It helps to have fresh produce from the market to add to the experiment, too. So here's what I made up:

Ingredients
2 cups water
2 generous teaspoons ground tumeric
1 generous teaspoon sea salt
1 cup brown rice
a little high heat cooking oil (I used Grapeseed oil)
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2-3 teaspoons Wildtree Curried Garlic Blend or curry powder
a couple of hand fulls of colored peppers (I used red and yellow)
shiitake (or other) mushrooms
1 can chick peas, drained
some chopped up cooking greens (collards, kale, chard, etc.)
2 generous teaspoons freshly grated ginger
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place water in pot with tight fitting lid and bring to a boil. Add salt and tumeric. Add rice, stir it around, return to boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer covered for 45 minutes.
2. Place oil in skillet and warm over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic and reduce heat to medium-low. FYI: I like to let the onion and garlic cook while chopping the remaining veggies. It makes the onions sweet.
3. When onions are really soft, add the curry seasoning and mix well.
4. Add peppers and mix to coat. Let cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add mushrooms, mix, let cook 5 minutes or so to soften.
6. Add chick peas and greens. Cover and let chick peas warm and greens get greener about 4 minutes.
7. Check rice (timer should have gone off by now!). Does it need more cooking time or a little water added?
8. Add grated ginger and mix one last time.
9. Serve chick peas over rice.
10. Enjoy!