Winter is Vata season – season of air and wind. It leaves many of us a little scattered, especially if we are not living in tune with the seasons and taking more downtime and rest as the plants and animals around us do.
People with heavy amounts of Vata in their Ayurvedic constitution tend to have more difficulty staying focused and calm during winter months. Anxiety, worry, distracting thoughts, insomnia, or feeling “spaced out” is common for them when imbalanced. On a physical level, one may experience more gas, bloating, and constipation, fatigue with an inability to relax, and increased sensitivity to the cold. The grounding soup recipe below is seasonally appropriate for winter – when root veggies come into season – and they are quite calming and grounding to the body. From a Chinese 5 element and Ayurvedic standpoint, root vegetables draw our energy back towards the earth and help keep us calm and focused. They are slightly more yang, their own energies cause them to grow close to or burrow into the earth and this energy is passed onto the consumer.
Don’t believe in “energy” around food? Sugar, a highly yin food, makes most people a little spastic and unfocused. When Mom cooks a meal, it tastes better than when you follow her recipe to the “T”, because it is infused with her love. When the chef is upset…well, you can taste it in the food. It’s flat and “off” somehow.

If you are feeling a little spacey, a little anxious, a little constipated and bloated or just want a seasonal, warm winter meal, try the soup recipe below. It’s simple and delightful this time of year!

GROUNDING SOUP

- adapted from Jen Hoy’s recipe at about.com

According to Chinese 5 element theory, round and root vegetables strengthen the spleen and reproductive organs, nourish the liver, and aid digestion. This soothing soup has a notable calming, easing effect, and should be eaten often by anyone with a sensitive nervous system. The soup also helps promote lactation, and balance blood sugar. It is especially good during the cooler months, as it is considered a warming soup.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped
* 1 leek, white and green parts, chopped
* 1 clove garlic, chopped fine
* 1 stalk celery, chopped
* 1 medium carrot, chopped
* 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
* 1 medium parsnip, peeled and chopped
* 1 small turnip or rutabaga, peeled and chopped
* 1 small pumpkin, or butternut or kabocha squash, peeled and chopped
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 quarts vegetable or beef stock
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
* Sea salt
* Chopped parsley (optional)
* fresh ginger to taste (optional)

Preparation:
In large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, leek, garlic, celery and carrot, and sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add potato, sweet potato, parsnip, turnip, pumpkin and bay leaf. Stir vegetables, and then add vegetable stock.

Bring to a boil, cover the pan, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Add thyme, and sea salt to taste. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

Remove bay leaf, and puree soup in a Vitamix, if desired.

To serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley. This soup keeps well for several days.

Makes about 3 quarts, or 6 servings.

Mashed cauliflower is a fantastic alternative to mashed potatoes for those avoiding nightshades or high glycemic potatoes. Surprisingly, these do not taste strongly of cauliflower; rather they pick up the subtle buttery notes and allow spices such as cracked peppercorn and garlic to shine through. Use the recipe below as a baseline and feel free to experiment by adding roasted garlic, basil and sun dried tomatoes, rosemary, dill, or other favorite spices to liven things up!

Aimee’s Easy Mashed Cauliflower

* 2 heads cauliflower
* 1 qt. vegetable broth
* 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
* sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Tear florets from the cauliflower head and add to a large stock pot. Cover with broth, bring to a boil and steam until very tender – about 15 minutes.

Transfer florets into Vitamix (this makes them supercreamy!) or a food processor. Add butter or oil, salt and pepper, and any spices you wish to use. Puree on high for 30 seconds – 2 minutes until smooth.

Transfer to a warmed ceramic dish and serve.
Makes about 7 cups.

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays food carnival. Click here to learn more about sustainable eating and living.

This salad is a quintessential bone-building meal! Dandelion leaves contain more calcium and iron than spinach and anchovy fillets – with the bones – are also a fantastic cource of calcium. The anchovy and balsamic pair well with the bitter nature of dandelion greens rendering this salad a tasty addition to a crisp spring evening. Sweet peppers add additional texture and color.  Serves 4.
1 large bunch Dandelion Leaves, or
4 Wild Dandelion Plants *
1 small red or yellow sweet pepper
6 Anchovy Filets
3 Cloves Garlic, peeled
1/4 c extra virgin Olive Oil
3 tb Basalmic Vinegar
Ground Black Pepper
optional: 1/2 avocado, diced or 1/4 cup toasted walnuts

Instructions
Wash dandelion leaves thoroughly and remove any bits of dirt, root or damaged leaves. Dry. Trim large leaves into 2″ long slivers; leave smaller ones whole. Blend anchovy filets with garlic, olive oil and basalmic vinegar. Toss leaves with dressing, then divide among 4 plates. Top with black pepper and serve at room temperature, preferably al fresco in the garden.

*Note: Be sure plants gathered from the wild havent been sprayed or treated with chemicals. If you arent sure, dont use them.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

PCC is the local co-op in Seattle, Washington. This recipe is my favorite use of kale, and is a wonderful dish any time of year.  If you live in Seattle, you can usually find this in the deli. YUM!

1 cup uncooked organic wild rice

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 bunch organic kale

1/2 bunch organic chard

1/2 diced red bell pepper

1/2 diced yellow bell pepper

1/2 thinly sliced fennel bulb

1 bunch green onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped parsley

**Optional: add toasted almonds or walnuts, if desired

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Salt the water (if desired) and add rice. Bring back to a boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 60 to 65 minutes. When the water is absorbed, remove from heat and let cool.

Meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. When the rice is cool, toss with dressing.

Remove tough stems and ribs from greens and chiffonade. Combine with peppers, fennel and green onion. Just before serving, toss veggies with dressed rice.

Serves 6 to 8

Recipe from PCC Natural Markets, Seattle, Washington: http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com

Italian-Style Swiss Chard

Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients

• 3 lb swiss chard
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp minced or pressed garlic
• 6 chopped anchovies (WITH bones for extra calcium)
• 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt & pepper

Instructions

Trim stem ends of chard. Thinly slice stems crosswise up to base of leaves; set slices aside. Reserve a few whole leaves to line serving dish; coarsely chop remaining leaves. In a 6 to 8 quart pan over medium-high heat, stir oil, garlic and anchovies until garlic is slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add chard stems; stir until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in chopped leaves (a little at a time if pan if full), cover, and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes. Mix in vinegar; season to taste with salt & pepper.
Garnish a serving dish with reserved chard leaves; spoon greens atop these leaves and serve.

Fettuccine with Swiss Chard, Walnuts and Lemon

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces rice fettuccine
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• kosher salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste
• pinch of fresh chopped rosemary
• 3 cups Swiss chard, washed
• 4 ounces clear vegetable or chicken stock
• 4 tablespoons halved walnuts
• 1 tablespoon white wine
• juice of half a lemon
• OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Over high heat, place the oil and garlic in a large sauté pan and gently cook until the garlic turns golden brown. Add  roughly 3 pinches of salt, 2 pinches of black pepper, and 2 pinches of crushed red pepper to the oil, or flavor to your liking. Add the rosemary and Swiss chard. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.

Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still has a bit of bite to it (al dente).
While the pasta is cooking, add the stock to the Swiss chard and steam-fry for 1 to 2 minutes until reduced in size. Add the walnuts and cook for 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice and olive oil. Taste for seasoning.
Strain the pasta from the water and add it to the Swiss chard. Toss it all together until most of the liquid is absorbed by the pasta. Add the cheese (if using).
The pasta should be slightly creamy, and no extra sauce should be apparent. Divide into two bowls and serve.

Swiss Chard Dahl

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Swiss chard
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 large Onion, chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 fresh red chili
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1/2 cup stock
• 1 can peeled tomatoes
• salt to taste
• 1 small can tomato puree (to thicken)

Instructions

Chop the old stems tips off the swiss chard and compost. Slice the stems into 1/4 inch pieces.  Steam them in a large frying pan with a little water with add the chopped chili, garlic and the onion. When the onion is tender add the black pepper, cumin, turmeric, and coriander.  Cover and simmer for ten minutes. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the remaining chard leaves and add to the pot with the stock. Add the red lentils and simmer for a couple of minutes more, then add the canned tomatoes; continue to simmer for about 10 minutes. The lentils should be soft but still intact. Add about half a can tomato puree and salt to taste. Simmer for another couple of minutes till the dahl has thickened.
Serve with brown rice.

There is an abundance of arugula in my yard.

I was originally considering an arugula pesto, but I am well underway on my winter cleanse and am not consuming pasta (rice, quinoa or otherwise). I proposed a salad to go along with dinner on Sunday, and a roommate asked if that salad could be warmed.

I’m not accustomed to making ”warm salads”. Typically my greens are cold and raw or sauteed. In a mood to take on a challenge and get crazy in the kitchen, I set out to find a “warmed salad” using arugula and other ingredients available. The recipe below is the result: a winter salad adapted from a recipe I found on thekitchn.com. It was an incredibly nourishing, yet lighter addition to Sunday dinner than steamed or stir-fried winter greens.

There is still an arugula overgrowth happening outside. I am wondering – what are you favorite recipes for arugula? I’d love to hear your ideas and recipes. Click here or on the comment tab below and share your kitchen magic!

Warm Sweet Potato Arugula Salad
serves 4

1 large sweet potato, cubed into small pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Fresh black pepper
Sea salt
2 small bunches arugula, washed and torn
1 cup walnuts

Dressing
1/4 cup apple cider
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
Salt and pepper

Heat the oven to 500 degrees F. Toss the cubed sweet potato with the oil, spices, salt and pepper. Spread thin on a large cookie sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, or until browned at the edges.

Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron or other teflon-free skillet on medium high heat. Toast walnuts, stirring frequently, until aromatic and lightly browned (about 5 minutes). Whisk dressing ingredients together, or blend at high speed for greater emulsification.

Toss hot sweet potatoes with the arugula and walnuts. Drizzle the dressing over the salad to taste. Salad will wilt slightly, which is desired.

Another gem stumbled upon online: the menu and recipes served at the Inaugural Luncheon on January 20th, 2009. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has posted the recipes, along with a great deal of information on the luncheon itself. A fun visit for the Omabaphile or the Martha Stewart in you.

JCCIC Luncheon page

Inaugural Luncheon Recipes

(Seafood Stew, Roasted Duck with Cherry Confit, Herb-Roasted Pheasant with Wild Rice Stuffing, Winter Vegetables, Molasses Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Cinnamon Apple Sponge Cake)

I met Peter the day after Christmas at The Market in Anacortes, WA. He was passing out samples of this salsa with a cashew-crusted chicken breast seasoned with his personal spice blend. Chef Peter had a bad experience with a computer once — so bad that he no longer has one, nor a website. So I cannot properly direct you to Chef Peter, his spices, or other recipes of his, but I can share with you a smashing spicy, fruity pico de gallo recipe that would pair well not only with cashew-crusted chicken but grilled whitefish (halibut! mahi-mahi!) or tossed in grilled or steamed shrimp. You may also wish to fold it into a quesadilla or place a spoon of it atop brie and crackers for New Year’s hor d’oeuvres.

• 1 cup dried, unsulfured apricots
• 1 fresh pineapple – slightly unripe (rock hard – no soft spots)
• 2 Braeburn apples, peeled and cored
• 1 red pepper, cored and seeded
• 4 jalapenos, stems, seed, and veins removed (keep veins for a little more heat, seeds for extra heat)
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup honey or agave nectar
• 4 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 pinch salt

Peel and core pineapple. Dice all produce into tiny pieces. Mix with lime, honey and salt. Refrigerate until chilled and stir in cilantro just before serving.

1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup water, more as needed
2 large potatoes, cubed
3 carrots, sliced in half lengthwise and chopped
2 cups kale or favorite mixed greens
3 tbsp. fresh parsley
2 tsp. nutritional yeast
Tamari or soy sauce, to taste
1 tbsp. chickenless broth powder mixed in 1 cup Imagine Foods non-dairy cream based soup mix (can be found at Fred Meyer in natural foods section)
1 tsp. arrowroot powder (cornstarch may be used)
1 leek, sliced thin
3 stalks celery, sliced thin
4 ounces of mushrooms, sliced
Red pepper flakes to taste
Rosemary to taste
Pepper to taste
Oregano to taste

BISCUIT CRUST
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. sweetener of choice
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup non-dairy cream soup base or hemp milk
3 tsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. Earth Balance, palm oil or coconut oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Sauté onion in water until clear. Add potatoes and carrots and cook until they begin to soften. Add all remaining veggies and cook for 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat, and add nutritional yeast, tamari, and seasonings. Dissolve broth powder and arrowroot/cornstarch in soup base and pour mixture into steaming veggies. Stir and continue cooking until mixture thickens slightly.
Spoon mixture into a 9×13 baking dish. Cover with crust and bake until crust is browned, about 30 minutes.
For Crust:
Sift flour(s), soda and powder, salt and sweetener. Cut the margarine into the mixture until it becomes coarse. Mix the vinegar with the soup base and let sit for approximately 3 min. Pour soured milk into flour mixture and mix with a fork until moist. Knead dough in bowl and turn out onto floured cutting board. Roll dough to fit the top of the casserole and lay it over the veggies.

1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

2 tsp. olive oil or coconut oil

2 tsp. chopped ginger

12 oz. spinach or other dark leafy green

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. soy sauce

Place a large pan over high heat until hot. Add oil, swirly bottom to coat.  Add ginger and cook until fragrant – about 10 seconds. Add spinach and broth, stir once then cover.

Reduce heat to medium; cook – stirring again, until greens are wilted – about 2-3 minutes.

Add sesame oil, soy sauce, and seeds.

Toss to distribute flavors, remove from heat, and serve!

Serve this salad as an accompaniment to fresh crab or lobster or to start a meal. The avocado will color if it sits too long, so be sure to prepare the dressing first.

SERVINGS
4

TOTAL TIME
20

INGREDIENTS
2 limes, juiced
1 tablespoon local honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
4 cups mixed baby lettuce greens
2 papayas
2 avocados

PREPARATIONS
1. Combine the lime juice, honey, salt and pepper; blend until smooth.

2. Peel the papayas and cut them in half. Using a spoon, remove the seeds; discard seeds.

3. Slice the papaya halves into thin wedges. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Slice the flesh into thin strips.

4. Arrange the fruit slices on salad plates, alternating between papaya and avocado.

5. Combine the greens and dressing in a bowl and toss well to coat.

6. Mound a portion of the greens in the center of each plate. Drizzle with a few drops of dressing.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
(Based on individual servings)
Calories: 251
Total Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 166 mg
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Protein: 4 g

Originally published in

Find this article at: http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/recipes/3023

This recipe comes from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. If you don’t have or feel like skewering these vegetables, they will be just as tasty simply oven-roasted. Enjoy!

A belated congratulations to Keith of Thundering Hooves for his prize-winning potluck entry at the VIBRANCE open house in late April. Keith won a $25 gift certificate to Sur La Table to further cultivate his culinary imagination!

Keith’s grass-fed Mongolian Beef recipe was a fantastic addition to the potluck, and narrowly pulled ahead of a southwest quinoa dish contributed by the Purcell family. The mongolian beef was rich with multi-colored veggies and contained very added fat. Grass-fed beef is not only more humane, but it contains less saturated fat and has omega3 fatty acids from the cow’s natural diet of wild plants. VIBRANCE guests raved over the flavor and vegetable variety within this dish.

Thundering Hooves Grass-Fed Mongolian Beef with Veggies

• 1 lg head broccoli, chopped into florets, stalk diced
• 1 lg. onion, thinly sliced
• 1 each – red and green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 sm. serrano chili, diced
• 2 cups snap peas
• 1 bunch scallions, cut into matchsticks
• 1 lb. grass-fed top sirloin steak (skirt or flank steak will also do nicely)

Coat the beef in the following marinade for an hour, then stir-fry until browned:

• 1 tbsp. corn starch
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tbsp. dry white wine
• 2 tsp. grated ginger
• 1 tbsp. oyster sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

Whisk together the following sauce for the veggies:

• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp. dry white wine
• 1 tbsp. oyster sauce

As meat is browned, add veggies and stir fry with sauce until crisp tender.

This salad was adapted from a recipe in the June 2007 issue of Gourmet and originally found on Epicurious.com. Michael detests most fruit (at least he likes his veggies!) so we omitted the 1/2 cup dates the recipe originally called for and added more ingredients to make it a heartier, entree type salad. This would also be fantastic with steamed haricot verts and chickpeas or with flaked tuna a la Salade Niçoise.
Recipe alterations are italicized.

Recipe courtesy of Institute for Integrative Nutrition
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoons of olive oil
1-2 cloves of crushed garlic
1 bunch of kale, chopped
pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Warm oil in pan on medium heat with minced garlic until aromas of garlic are released, about 2-3 minutes.

2. Add chopped shiitake mushrooms, stir-fry for 5 minutes.

3. Add chopped kale, stir-fry for a couple of minutes.

4. Add a splash of water and pinch of salt to pan, cover and let steam for 4 minutes.