Tag: swiss chard

Pared-Down Paella with Peas and Chorizo

I know I just said the other day that I wasn’t going to put any meat on the blog, and here I am posting a recipe with chorizo.

Sound the alarm!

The thing is, once in a while… I eat meat.

And this is my blog. So when I make a recipe with meat in it that totally kicks ass, I’m going to want to post it on my blog.

So that’s what I’m doing.

It’s funny, really. This whole blog thing has been a really fascinating way to question my own motives and challenge myself to not only develop my voice, but accept it. Accept that what I have to say is what someone out there needs to hear. It’s not about saying what I think people want to hear. That’s been a really intricate, complicated lesson for me.

And so, since I ditched dietary labels and dove into intuitive eating, I’ve been eating meat once in a while… generally once or twice a week (though I reserve the right to eat it as many or as few times as I please). I tend to do my best to get the best sourced meat I can find – and then sometimes I’m out and about or I get lazy, or you know, life happens, and I eat some crap that I know isn’t totally nourishing my body… and maybe, just maybe, I let guilt slip in for a brief moment before I give it a big fat karate chop to the face and remember – I’m doing my best, and that’s that.

And I’m still awesome. And I’m still healthy.

And you can be too – even if you don’t subscribe to super rigid dietary protocols (that might just suck the life out of you and make you go a little craaaaazy). Note: I used to do that, and it made me craaaaazy.

Sometimes people have a hard time understanding that I just listen to my body and try to eat what makes me feel good. They want a word to describe my dietary choices, it’s just easier that way I guess. But I’m not giving in. You can’t fit me in a box! I’m just me, guys, seriously.

Acceptance, my friends. The word of the day.

Paella. The other word of the day.

If you are thinking vegan thoughts, or seafood thoughts (probably not both at the same time, but hey, what do I know?!) then mosey on over to The Food Matters Project site and check out the other super duper versions at this week’s Paella Party. It’s happenin’.

PARED-DOWN PAELLA WITH PEAS AND CHORIZO
adapted from Mark Bittman’s The Food Matters Cookbook
serves 4

1 tbsp coconut oil
8 oz Spanish chorizo or other smoked sausage, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 heaping cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch saffron
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp smoked paprika
dash cayenne
1 cup short-grain brown rice
salt and black pepper
2 heaping tbsp tomato paste
2 cups water
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
2 large handfuls of greens of choice (I used a mix of kale, chard, and spinach)
lemon wedges for serving

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chorizo until lightly browned, 3-5 minutes. Add the onion and cook until translucent, 3-5 minutes more. Add the roasted red pepper, garlic, and spices and cook 1-2 minutes.

2. Add the rice and stir to coat it with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, add the tomato paste and 2 cups water, and stir. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer, cover.

3. Cook for 30 minutes then check if it’s done. Add more water, little by little, if it’s not quite tender yet. Cover and cook until the rice is just done and the liquid is absorbed, another 5-10 minutes. Stir in the peas and the greens and cook uncovered for 1 minute more. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve, garnished with lemon wedges, which I totally forgot to do. Oh well, it still tasted amazing! Enjoy!

*Check out the original recipe on Meg’s blog here.

+ Erin
P 02/19/2013
t Blog, Dinner
Cbrown rice, chorizo, kale, peas, spinach, swiss chard
9 4 Comments

White Bean Dip with Red Chard and Caramelized Onions

Hey all, this is going to be a quick one. I’ve been chasing my tail since last week, and finding I barely have time to catch my breath. This holiday break is going to be a much needed rest period for me as I try to see how I can do better to manage my schedule in the new year.

Lexi chose this week’s Food Matters recipe: Pureed White Beans with Tons of Fresh Herbs. I didn’t have tons of fresh herbs, so I went with caramelized onions and red chard instead. It made my bean dip pleasantly pink! See what the gang thought up over here.

WHITE BEAN DIP WITH RED CHARD AND CARAMELIZED ONION
adapted from Food With Presence <-- I go to school with her, and you should check out her site for some awesome inspiration!
serves 4-6 as an appetizer

2 cups cooked canellini beans (soaked overnight and cooked for 35-40 mins or until tender)
2 onions, halved and sliced
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 bunch red chard, or 5 leaves, de-stemmed and sliced thinly
juice of one lime
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp maple syrup
1 drop stevia (this is my not-so-secret ingredient in just about everything)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste

Caramelize your onions by sauteeing them in the coconut oil on med-high heat until soft. Turn the heat to low and continue to cook them for 45 minutes, stirring once in a while so they don’t burn. You can have the beans cooking at the same time as the onions and be prepping the chard and pre-mixing the rest of the ingredients while the beans and onions cook. Once the onions are all nice and brown they are done! Remove them from the pan, turn up the heat to med, and stir in the chard along with a splash of water. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. In a bowl, coarsely mash the beans with a fork and then mix in the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and voila! Bean dip.

+ Erin
P 12/03/2012
t Blog, Gluten-Free, Sides, Vegan
Ccanellini beans, caramelized onion, lime, swiss chard
9 4 Comments

Roasted Root Veggies, Chard, and Lentils

After a summer of our fridge being stocked to the point overflowing from all our CSA and market pickups, this week was notably bare. I’m working at the gym on Main St. Market nights now so I’m no longer available to help out Klippers Farm with their stand.

So I went to a new grocery store today, one that was closer than the Co-op and it was totally bizarre. I’ve gotten quite used to eating what has been seasonally available and it was kind of strange to see asparagus staring back at me this afternoon. I was also intently looking for something to satisfy my craving for Korean food and I was disappointed to find nearly every ingredient label I read containing corn syrup or MSG or some other gnarly additives. I guess that means I’ll be doing some whole-food-down-home Korean cooking from scratch sometime soon. More to follow on that (!).

Back to this meal, which was the result of a nearly empty fridge. I did, thankfully, have a bag of TruRoots Organic Sprouted Bean Trio in the pantry.

Plus some chioggia beets.

And some rainbow carrots. Both roasted with love (and rosemary, and lazily applied still kind of solid-ish coconut oil).

Add some Swiss chard, tons of onions, garlic, and ginger… and you get a super fresh, tasty, healthy meal. The beets and the carrots bring an earthy sweetness to the mix, the bean trio adds some texture, and the chard just greens it all up. A quick weeknight dinner and loaded with veggies, just the way I like it.

+ Erin
P 09/13/2012
t Blog, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Vegan
Cbeets, carrots, easy weeknight dinner, lentils, rosemary, seasonal, swiss chard
9 No Comments

Cauliflower, Tomato, and Swiss Chard with White Beans

I can barely keep up with all these greens! I picked up our first CSA share this past weekend (too exciting) and though it was a small first share, there were plenty of delicious greens. Add to that all the produce from volunteering at the market and I just can’t seem to eat all of it fast enough.

In this week’s share was a great big head of lettuce, a big bag of bok choy, garlic scapes, blueberry jam from last season’s berries, buckwheat sprouts, mint, rosemary, and a big fat bunch of swiss chard.

I can’t believe I still have to use up my frozen tomatoes from last season, but I do, so I tossed them in the mix with some cauliflower, white beans, and chard for a quick and easy weeknight veggie-filled dinner.

+ Erin
P 06/22/2012
t Blog, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Vegan
Capple cider vinegar, canellini beans, cauliflower, heirloom tomatoes, sesame seeds, swiss chard, tahini, tomato
9 No Comments

Sweet Potato and Swiss Chard Gratin

Phew. We just got back into town from the first camping trip of the season! Man, was it tough to camp right next to Skaha Lake and watch everybody go off to climb the bluffs each morning knowing that I’d have to stay behind. My ankle is getting better with each week, but it still isn’t ready to take on hiking or climbing. I did manage to do a super fun bike ride through Myra Canyon in Kelowna. We went up on a whim, rented mountain bikes, and cruised over the 18 trestle bridges and through 2 tunnels. So fun! And I was totally psyched that my ankle held up for the whole ride.

I’ll put some pictures of our trip up soon, but for now I have a delicious casserole-type thing for you to try. I’m always searching for new ways to pack our meals with green, and this one does the trick while still managing to be extra tasty.

A huge bonus is that you get all the nutrients from the leaves AND the stems of the chard, and the woody stems offer a bit of substance and crunchiness. Mmm.

The nutmeg and the coconut milk add a bit of sweetness that pairs well with sweet potatoes and is lightened up nicely by the chard. The coconut milk doesn’t thicken up as thick as a traditional roux, but I think it still makes a great, creamy substitute for those wanting to avoid dairy. Daiya vegan cheese shreds are a great addition if you want to make this a vegan meal but still have some cheesiness.