Beet Greens Salad

Some people love beetroot.  I am not one of them.  Though I have always loved a good borscht, I have never loved beets.  In fact there was a time when I wouldn’t even eat them.  Not until I was 25 and my kid sister’s nanny always made them for her–roasted and served with balsamic vinegar, was I able to eat them without grimacing or furtively giving them to the dog under the table.  But what I have always loved are beet greens.  Sweet and delicious and packed full of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and protein.  They’re also really pretty with bright purple veins running throughout.  It’s a shame but most supermarkets sell beetroot without the greens attached.  To get them go to a farmer’s market or just grow them yourself.  You won’t regret it.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of beet greens, washed and chopped

a bunch of dill, chopped

1/4 cup toasted chopped almonds

the juice of 1 lemon

a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper

 

Method:  Put all the ingredients into a large dish, toss ,and serve.

 

 

Hello, Sailor! (A Navy Bean Recipe)

Navy Beans are good for you.  They are chock full of fiber, copper, protein, and zinc.  They are also known to lower cholesterol and risk of heart disease.  Their anti-oxidant properties fight wrinkles and boost collagen production.  But none of this is why I eat them.  I eat them because they’re delicious.  And okay maybe because I’m vain.

Who says looking good can’t taste good too?

Ingredients:

400 grams (about 14 ounces) navy beans, known as haricot beans in the U.K.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion diced

3 smashed garlic cloves

5 sprigs of fresh thyme

a bunch of fresh kale, washed and roughly chopped

chicken stock (about 4 cups)

1 tablespoon salt

Method:

Soak the beans for at least 8 hours in a large bowl of cold water.  Make sure the water covers the beans by about an inch.  Drain the beans and set aside.

In an ovenproof saucepan, sautée the onion and garlic in the olive oil.  When the onions start going translucent, add the beans and the thyme.  Stir for about five minutes.  Add the chicken stock and kale and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Now cover the saucepan with a lid and put in the oven for about two hours at 350F/180C.  Be sure to stir every 20 minutes or so.  Remove the lid the last 30 minutes and allow the liquid to reduce.