Recipes for Your Produce
Use this section for cooking ideas for the more unusual produce. In the list to the right, look up the vegetable or fruit you want to use, and then choose from the selection of recipes. Also, if you have a favorite dish you would like to share, just email it to me and I may post it!
Leafy Greens Recipes
There are a number of greens you wouldn't expect are edible that are filled with vitamins. Visit this link for images of the greens and great recipes to choose from.
Omelet with Turnip Greens, Goat's Cheese & Chili
Turnip greens (or turnip tops) are so jam-packed with iron, dietary fiber and vitamins A, B, C and K that they are well worth rediscovering. These greens are actually the tender leaves of turnips or Chinese cabbage and taste like a cross between spinach and arugula. If you can not get it where you are, simply substitute with a mixture of spinach and arugula.
3 eggs
1 tsp cream
1 tsp sunflower oil
1 tsp butter
1/2 mild red chili, chopped
2 cups turnip greens (or 1 cup each of spinach and arugula)
2 tbsp chevre (goat cheese), crumbled
Loosely beat the eggs with the cream. In a large frying pan, heat the butter and oil until foamy. Add the chili and the turnip greens until the greens begin to wilt and then immediately add the eggs. Once the eggs have slightly set on the bottom, add the chevre and flip the omelet over. Take off the heat and allow to stand for a minute. Serve with a leafy green salad.
TIPS: You may find that your local variety of turnip greens are a bit tough. Simply blanch in boiling water until tender and drain before using in your omelet.
Rainbow Chard
Cut the Swiss chard low on the stem, near the ground. Soak chard in a large bowl with warm water and a quarter cup of salt. Swish the chard in the water, rinse and repeat to remove dirt.
Sauté chard in olive oil over medium-low heat. Add a handful of greens at a time, allowing greens to wilt before adding another handful. Add a small amount of water and cover. Simmer over low heat for 5 to 15 minutes until tender.
Substitute Swiss chard for spinach in vegetable lasagna. In fact, Swiss chard can take the place of spinach in any recipe.
Wrap Swiss chard leaves around a Spanish rice mixture and bake in the oven on medium heat for a twist on the typical cabbage roll.
Add steamed Swiss chard to pasta for a tasty and nutritious side dish. Steamed chard is also an excellent additional to an omelet.
Swiss chard can be used raw as a salad green topped with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.