Garlic Sauteed Beet Greens

For years I would buy a bundle of beets, chop the greens off and throw them away without giving them a second glance. Little did I know how delicious, and seriously nutritious, these little greens were. To be honest, I actually like the greens more than I do the beet. Who would've thought?

3 bundles of beet greens shrinks down to about 2 tiny servings, or 1 appropriately sized side. Beets stay well in the fridge for quite some time, so buy as many bundles as you need. You can always juice the beets, add them to a smoothie, roast them, or steam them down the line.

3 bundles of beet greens
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
1 pinch of salt
1 lemon wedge

Derib the greens and soak the leaves in a cold water bath. You are going to want to switch out the water a few times to make sure all the dirt is gone, beet greens can be a bit gritty. Once the greens are well washed and dried, stack them and roll them into a 'cigar' then cut them into thin strips. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, once hot toss in the greens and saute for one minute. Add in the garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes and continue to saute for another 2-3 minutes. Squeeze the lemon wedge over top before serving.

*You can chop up the ribs and add them to a salad. They also do well in the freezer, you can just wash and chop, stick them in the freezer, and pull them out for green smoothies or vegetable soups.

*Swiss Chard can be used to replace beet greens, it's also a bit more economical 

French Onion Soup

Lately I'm all about convenience. Yes, technically French onion soup should be finished in the oven with a piece of toasty baguette and cheese broiled to perfection, however, I don't own those little oven safe soup mugs. Nor do I enjoy trying to push my spoon past the melty cheesy floating baguette to find my soup as it sloshes down the sides of the mug. Hence the cubed bread... I think cheesy croutons are much better suited for the practical. 

4 tablespoons plant-based butter

4 large onions, sliced thin 

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

2  1/2 cups water

1 garlic clove, crushed

1  1/2 tablespoon sherry vinegar (substitute with red wine vinegar when all else fails)

2 tablespoons molasses

1/2 baguette or a few pieces of sliced (GF) bread of your choice, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 cup Diaya mozzarella cheese

In a large soup pot over medium-high heat melt the plant-based butter, add in the onions, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and sauté until the onions start to become golden and soft, about fifteen minutes. Once the onions are softened, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot, cook for another 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf, scrape the bottom of the pot and give the onions a good stir. Raise the heat back to medium-high and pour in the water. Add in the garlic, sherry vinegar, and molasses. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for an additional ten minutes. Taste and adjust salt, molasses, vinegar ratio to your liking. 

Drizzle the bread cubes with a little bit of olive oil, then toast in the oven at 375° until they become crispy, this should take just a few minutes. Pull out the croutons and sprinkle with the Diaya, then place back in the oven and broil for one minute, or until the cheese is bubbly. 

Laddle the soup into mugs/bowls, and top it a spoon full of cheesy croutons. Enjoy!

*I'm used to French onion soup having a bit of a salt kick to it, this version however, doesn't. I think that's one of the reasons why this recipe for French onion soup is so appealing, and it also means it's suitable for those with high blood pressure ;)

This recipe was adapted from In Jennifer Perillo