Week 31

Curried Vegetables, serves about 3 as a main dish or more as a side. You can certainly mix and match the veggies to use up whatever you have on hand (that's how I created this anyway, with a little inspiration from my mom). Serve with hot brown basmati rice.
Ghee, Butter or Grapeseed oil for sauteeing
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 Tbs curry powder
1 Tbs garam masala
1 small onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 turnip, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
1/4 cup water
kosher or sea salt to taste

Melt ghee over med-high in deep-sided skillet or dutch oven. Add seeds and cook until  they start popping. Add curry powder and garam masala and stir until fragrant. Add onion, garlic and veggies and saute another minute. Add water, cover and simmer until veggies are tender. Adjust seasonings to taste.


Braised Greens with Root Vegetables, serves 6
1 bunch collards, kale, or similar sturdy greens
1 small red beet
1 small golden beet
1 small turnip
1 big carrot
EVOO for sauteeing
1/2 medium onion, sliced thickly
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs water
1 Tbs low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs sake or white wine
1 Tbs ume plum vinegar, or to taste (sold at better supermarkets or health food stores in the Asian section)

Wash greens and de-stem. Coarsely chop. Scrub root veggies well but don't peel. Cut into 1/4"x4" strips. Heat EVOO in dutch oven over med heat. Add onion and saute a minute or two. Add garlic and root veggies and saute another minute. Add remaining ingredients except greens and ume plum vinegar, cover and cook until veggies are almost tender. Add greens and cook just until wilted. Remove from heat and add ume plum vinegar to taste.


BLT Salad with Egg and Avocado, serves 6
2 heads romaine, washed and chopped or torn
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 English cucumber, washed and diced
1 avocado, diced
4 Tbs plain yogurt
4 Tbs mayo
2 tsp mango chutney or apricot jam
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1/2 tsp curry powder, or to taste
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
6 strips bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled

Place lettuce, onion, tomatoes, cucumber and avocado in large salad bowl. Mix yogurt, mayo, chutney, vinegar and curry powder in small bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper, thin with water if necessary. and pour over salad. Top with egg and bacon.