Kidney Bean, Sweet Potato, Kale Soup

Soup seem to be the dish of the month. Thick hearty soups, light brothy soups, cheesy creamy soups, chunky filling stews... with a hunk of sourdough or olive bread to mop every last drop up. Of course, these days, the bread is reserved for the kids, the adults are trying not to indulge in dense carbs for a while.

Kidney beans and sweet potatoes already evoke a thick hearty soup; add in some kale and bok choy and chard, plus some onions and tomatoes and garlic for a good measure, and the soup becomes irresistible.

For spices, I went with turmeric powder, paprika, and Madras curry powder, plus some bay leaves and a sprinkling of powdered nutmeg for the warm notes it adds to the dish.

I soaked the kidney beans in hot water while I got the other ingredients ready; and then threw the soaked kidney beans with some sweet potato chunks and vegetable broth in the pressure cooker.

While the kidney beans was soaking, I chopped up some onions, tomatoes, garlic, kale, bok choy, and about 2 cups of diced sweet potatoes for pan-roasting.

When the pressure cooker is going, sauté the veggies -- onions, garlic, tomatoes, bok choy and kale -- with some salt and Madras curry powder. Pan-roast the sweet potatoes with some salt and brown sugar, and keep handy.

Once pressure cooker has finished its cooking, smash some of the kidney beans and sweet potatoes to form the thick base for the soup, add in the sautéed veggies and simmer gently till flavors meld.

Dish up into bowls and add some pan-roasted sweet potatoes just before serving.

Kale and Potatoes Spiced with Turmeric and Berbere

Saag Aloo/Aloo Palak is an earthy staple side for rotis and rice, made with potatoes (aloo) and palak (spinach).  Aloo Mattar (potatoes+peas), Aloo Gobi (potatoes+cauliflower) are two other favorite sides that are ubiquitous in Indian homestyle cooking.

Hunks of pototoes are cooked till they are fork-tender but still retain their shape; along with any other seasonal greens or other vegetable, mildly spiced with turmeric, chili powder, and salt typically.

This time, for this kale+potatoes dish, I went with turmeric powder and berbere powder which I had some handy from my recent Injera bash.

Saute some garlic and onions, add the diced potatoes, some turmeric powder, salt and berbere powder, splash enough water, cover and cook till potatoes have softened a bit, then add the chopped kale, adjust seasoning and cover and cook till kale wilts. Remove the lid and cook till the dish comes together, stirring sparingly as needed.

Beet Lentil Feta Burger Patties

It is comforting to recognize that I've always liked leftovers. Many fond memories surround the "new" foods I tried as a kid-- foods, as it turns out, that were reconstituted and repackaged leftovers, thanks to my mom who is quite adept at making dishes even more attractive each time she "recycled" them. No wastage in her kitchen.

And, no wastage in mine either. Although I tend to primarily serve portioned plated meals most of the time, there are some weekends that call for family-style meals to be savored over a couple of days.

The recent Injera bash with five sides certainly guaranteed some leftovers, which thrilled me to bits as I can find ways to repackage them.

Leftover Mesir wat (lentils), Zelbo gomen (kale), Yeqey Sir Qiqqil (beets) were perfect starting point.

Add in some leftover brown rice, some feta, and already it screams "Veggie Burger".

Since the leftover mesir wat and gomen can be a bit watery, best to strain out the liquids first, then add the brown rice and feta, minced garlic, and a generous sprinkling of berbere spice mix. Gently pulse to a coarse mass.

It still might need a binding agent to hold it all together. While eggs seem like the standard, I don't typically use it in my patties and cutlets.

So, I went with my favorite Coconut Flour.

Mix in just enough coconut flour to be able to shape the patties. Just for fun, some Panko breadcrumbs got pressed in till the patties were happy to hold their shape.

Pan-cooking them first to seal both sides and then baking them till firmly set seems to work well for me, but, if preferred, can grill it or pan cook it all the way through.

Who needs buns? Patties are perfect by themselves.

I can't seem to ignore the kale flowers from my garden, they sneak into every food photo I've clicked since they bloomed. They are short-lived, of course, so, soon there won't be any, but at least I'll have these pictures to make me smile when I miss them.

Fattoush with Grape Molasses, Fenugreek, and Mango Powder

Mediterranean foods are perfect for Spring and Summer... well, any time of the year, really, but as fresh produce is abundant around this time of the year, it makes it all the more easier to serve up these bursting-with-goodness options.

Fattoush is a wonderfully fresh salad if one can get the traditional spices, but, suitable substitutions are fine with me. I tend to go MediterrAsian or MediterrIndian with the spices that are handy.

Coating the pita with olive oil and lightly pan-frying them is an extra step I do sometimes to prevent the pita from soaking up the vinaigrette and ending up a soggy mess.

Grape Molasses, one of the original sweeteners, is still a favorite for me, especially in vinaigrettes. I try to keep an extra jar in my pantry, as these are not easy to find in the regular grocery stores. While I don't actively hunt for ethnic ingredients, I can't pass them up when I find them at specialty stores around town that I manage to visit on and off.


MedirrIndian Fattoush Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lemon, plus its lemon zest
2 Tbsp grape molasses
1 Tbsp finely pressed/minced garlic
½ tsp dried mint leaves
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
¼ tsp dried mango powder
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, maybe a bit more...
salt to taste

For the salad:
English cucumbers (or burpless Persian cucumbers if available)
kale
radicchio
cherry or grape tomatoes
seedless red or black grapes
kalamata olives
avocado
scallions or red onions or both, thinly sliced
whole wheat pita bread, or naan

Served here with leftover Fenugreek Sesame Oregano Cumin Stuffed Eggplant, plus some wholewheat pita slices, and those gorgeous kale flowers that I am determined to enjoy for the short couple of weeks that they grace my garden.

Refreshing Cucumber Mango Sweet Potato Salad

Come spring, I start dreaming about the various fresh vegetables that will start rolling into the market as the season progresses... and the salads I can make with them.

This refreshing cucumber mango salad is marinated in a zesty lime vinaigrette for that extra burst of flavor. Semi-ripe and firm mangoes that are not mushy work best for this salad as they bring the tangy-sweet flavor.

Sweet potatoes are optional, but, since the older child loves them, it gives another dimension to the salad with its texture, and its mildly sweet flavor.

Ingredients
English cucumber, diced chunky
Seedless red grapes, halved lengthwise
Grape or cherry snack tomatoes, halved lengthwise
Celery stalk with leaves, coarsely chopped
Kale leaves, ribboned
Orange bell pepper, diced
Semi-ripe but firm mango, sliced
Shallots or purple onions, sliced thinly

Lemon-Lime Sweet Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp honey or agave nectar
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp ground paste of fresh jalapeno and cilantro**
1 Tbsp cilantro chopped finely for garnish
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp chives
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 garlic clove squeezed through garlic press
6 Tbsp hazelnut oil or walnut oil
salt to taste

**Pulse some fresh cilantro leaves, some fresh de-seeded jalapeno, some oil and apple cider vinegar to make a coarse paste

Preparation

1. Massage the kale ribbons with some olive oil and let them sit 
2. Combine the cucumbers, mango, celery, bell peppers, onions and toss with some salt and the cilantro-jalapeno paste from the step above; allow to marinate while assembling the rest
3. Pan-roast the sweet potatoes and allow to cool before tossing into the salad
4. Stir together the vinaigrette ingredients, adjust to taste
5. Serve layered or tossed, with feta or goat cheese, if preferred

Kale and Southwest Veggies Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Israeli Cous Cous

Simple saute of kale with southwest blend veggies like onions, peppers, corn, black beans, and maybe some mushrooms, is versatile as a base for many other dishes.

A good helping of this sauteed veggie blend wrapped in home-made rotis makes a fantastic lunch. And the leftovers come in handy for this chicken dish.

Ingredients
chicken breast, boneless skinless, thinly sliced
some red wine vinegar and Bragg Liquid Aminos for marinating

Veggies blend: Kale, corn, black beans, onions, red peppers, ancho chilies, mushroom, sun-dried tomatoes

Spices: either store-bought cajun seasoning or home-blend of favorite spices

A few tablespoon oil for pan-cooking

Ptitim, aka Israeli Cous Cous

Some toothpicks

Preparation

1. Thinly slice a medium chicken breast into three slices, pound to uniform thickness as needed 
2. Marinate in some red wine vinegar and Bragg liquid aminos for a few hours to overnight 
3. Saute the veggies with spices and keep handy
4. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium low heat
5. Assembly: Place a scoop of the sauteed veggies on a marinated thin slice of chicken breast; roll it up, pulling in the sides, and secure with toothpicks so it doesn't unravel while cooking
6. Gently arrange the stuffed chicken breasts on the hot skillet, cover and allow to cook over medium heat till the bottom is seared and the inside is cooked
7. Flip gently and cook the other side as well until the thickest part registers 165 ° F
8. Cover and allow to rest before serving with cooked cous cous

Pan-Seared Yellow Eye Rockfish Infused with Hibiscus Tea and Tamarind

Another small portion of the Alaskan Yellow Eye rockfish was in the freezer, caught by the other adult last summer.

For over half a dozen years now, I have been savoring hibiscus tea made with dried hibiscus flowers as my beverage of choice for a relaxing evening. I've used the thick steeped hibiscus tea for home-dyeing of small fabric projects with the kids.

While making the thick gravy-ish sauce/topping for the pan-seared yellow eye, I decided to incorporate some of the lovely flavor (and color!) of the hibiscus tea that I had steeping handily in the tea pot.

Some fresh baby kale leaves and arugula leaves from the home-garden was rubbed with a hint of olive oil and sprinkled with a dash of lime juice to make a quick side salad.

Ingredients
½ onion, diced
6-8 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 large tomato, chopped

½ cup thick rich hibiscus tea
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon tamarind paste
salt to taste

2 Tablespoons olive oil

fairly thin fish fillets, thawed and ready to cook

Preparation

1. Grind the onions, garlic, and tomato to a coarse paste
2. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil, add the paste, some salt, and saute
3. Add some hibiscus tea and saute some more till the gravy is rich and aromatic
4. Rub the fish fillets with salt, cayenne pepper, and tamarind paste
5. In another pan, heat another tablespoon of oil and add the fish fillets
6. Flip when bottom side is golden brown, and a dash of balsamic vinegar and hibiscus tea
7. Cook till fish is done

Herb-Walnut Encrusted Wild Alaskan Ling Cod with Kale Pesto

Ling cod is mild and buttery, perfect for fish-and-chips or broiling with a crusty topping. We had a hunk of it caught in Alaska by the other adult last summer that I wanted to use up.

Herb-Walnut crust that crisps under the broiler, with a layer of Parmesan cheese forming a crunchy topping, seemed like the way to go. Typically, butter is used for the crust, but I went with olive oil in this recipe.

Paired with Kale Pesto made with sunflower seeds and sesame seeds, this was a nutty, seedy treat one winter night.

I did leave the fish a tad longer in the broiler than I intended... that seems to happen a lot when I ignore the oven timer and focus on something the kids have drawn me into... but, it was still all good. It helps to keep an eye and check often when broiling.


Kale Pesto:
1½ cups chopped kale
½ cup roasted salted sunflower seeds
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
6 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic
salt to taste

Pulse the ingredients till desired coarseness/smoothness for the pesto.

Herb-Walnut Crusting:
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh chopped basil or freeze dried basil
2 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste


Ling cod cut into portioned chunks
1 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil (or any oil)
1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
3 to 4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese,grated, to use as topping

Preparation

1. Start the Crisp Julienned Veggie Salad as below, and allow it to marinate while the fish is getting ready
2. Pulse the Herb-Walnut crust ingredients and keep handy
3. Preheat the oven to Broil at about 370 °F
4. Rub the fish with some salt and smoked paprika, if using
5. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet, place the fish gently, allow to brown a bit, then flip and brown the other side, on medium low heat, till mostly cooked through on the inside
6. Turn off the stove, apply a layer of the Herb-Walnut crust on the fish and place the skillet with the fish under the broiler and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes till the crust turns brown and crunchy
7. Sprinkle a layer of grated Parmesan and continue to broil for a few minutes more till crisp on top
8. Remove from the oven, serve on a bed of Kale Pesto, accompanied by Crisp Julienned Veggies salad.

Crisp Julienned Veggie Salad:
Julienne some beets, colorful bell peppers, yellow sumer squash, purple onions, carrots, ginger
Toss with some lemon juice, salt, and apple cider vinegar
Serve as a side salad to add a cleansing freshness to the palate

Roasted Kale and Colorful Bell Peppers Warm Salad

It almost feels wrong to enjoy colorful mini bell peppers around this time of the year, with snow all around, and my garden totally dead... but, I couldn't resist picking up a bag at the grocery store.

This is a simple recipe, almost didn't want to post it, but, it was so filling and hearty and perfect for the awfully cold weather here that I thought why not...

Toss rainbow kale, bell peppers, and onions, with olive oil, some salt, and a splash of apple cider vinegar, spread it evenly in a roasting pan and bake in a 450 °F oven for about 15-20 minutes, checking partway to make sure kale is not withering away, but a nice bit of crunch would be fine.

Topped with some hemp hearts, this warm salad seemed like a perfect meal for a cold snowy day a while back.

Cream of Kale Soup

With nicknames ranging from "Power Soup" (no guesses who picked this one) to "Brown Slime" given at home, this filled-with-green-goodness soup is one of my favorites, even if kids drink it reluctantly every time I make it. Fifteen more times and am sure they'll end up loving this soup.

Pressure cook some greens - kale, mustard greens, spinach - with celery, onions, garlic, and mayo coba beans. Then, run it through the blender to make a smooth mush. Then, strain it to remove pulpy lumps for a smooth texture.

At this point, stirring in cream and simmering gently should be fine. But, since I like to use my slow cooker to keep the soup warm and ready for dinner when I come back from work, I poured the strained soup into the slow cooker one morning and let it slow cook till dinner time. Around the 8-hour mark, some heavy cream was stirred in, plus dried basil (I use freeze-dried which feels intense fresh), dried parsley, dried oregano and continued till the slow cooker is done.

Cook longer if preferred for the soup to come together with a creamy  warmth. I start it first thing in the morning and let it slow cook till dinner time - about 12 hours - in the slow cooker.

With a few slices of Pumpernickel bread, the kind made according to "old world methods, utilizing a slow-rise process", from Trader Joe's. Of course, the name "Pumpernickel" itself has fun origins that we talk about every time we eat this bread.

An alternative origin of "pumpernickel" is nearly as strange, if somewhat less savory. "Pumpern" was a New High German word similar in meaning to the English "fart" (so chosen because, like the word "achoo," it imitated the sound it described), and "Nickel" was a form of the name Nicholas, an appellation commonly associated with a goblin or devil (e.g., "Old Nick" is a familiar name for Satan). Hence, pumpernickel is the "devil's fart," allegedly a reference to the bread's indigestible qualities and hence the effect it produced on those who consumed it. (Some word fanciers have claimed that "pumpern" refers to the sound produced by thumping on a loaf of pumpernickel, but that explanation is extremely unlikely.) 

With winter firmly here, the old slow cooker gets a lot of use with stews and soups; quick one-pot meals come about often as well, like casserole and roast vegetables.

Summer Salad with Kohlrabi and Lentils

I almost talked myself out of posting yet another salad recipe here. However when salads take center stage, especially during summer months, it almost begs to be shared, if only to inspire me the next time I feel like I'm in a culinary rut.

Tossed together with my current favorite Green Goddess-like dressing made with herbs from the garden, this salad was just the perfect weekend dinner.

Some kale, Romaine, and butter lettuce from the garden. Some cooked green lentils, seasoned. Some cherry tomatoes and shallots. Some raspberries from the garden. Some Spiralized kohlrabi. (I do love the Spiralizer, a Christmas gift a couple of years ago.) 

Easy to throw together and easy to go for that third helping, minus the guilt. 

Lacinato Kale Flowers and Leaves

Home garden kale from last year is at the end of its life cycle, putting out gorgeous tiny yellow flowers to spread its genes.

Some of these delicate-looking yellow kale flowers paired with bluebells and Solomon's Seal from the garden bring instant cheer.

And, some of the kale flowers got sautéed with the last of the Lacinato kale leaves plus colorful bell peppers, onions and garlic to make a simple plate of irresistible dish that is perfect as-is, or can be served with brown rice or quinoa or even rotis.

Lumaconi with Roasted Beets, Sweet Potatoes, Kale and Chard

Large snail shell lumaconi is wonderful to stuff with favorite filling and serve warm or at room temperature. Sometimes, leftovers become the filling. This time, some pesto with Greek yogurt and sauteed chopped spinach came together to make the filling. Served with roasted sweet potatoes and beets, this was a sumptuous meal one weeknight.

Now that it is cold and rainy, the last of the kale and chard from the garden were waiting to be used up. Am told they'll manage winter fine and keep yielding, but they seem quite sparse now.

Saute some kale, chard, garlic in olive oil with a pinch of salt, then add a splash of lemon juice and set aside. Roast the sweet potatoes and beets. Meanwhile cook the lumaconi to preferred doneness, drain, coat lightly in favorite vinaigrette.

Simply toss the roasted beets, sweet potatoes, sauteed kale and chard, with lumaconi and serve warm.

Kohlrabi Eggplant and Lentils with Kale Basil Rice

The last of the Italian basil from the garden needed to be used up. So, the basil, plus a few Lacinato kale leaves from the garden came together for the delicious Basil Kale Rice.

The heady aroma of Italian basil, plus some coconut oil, along with kale makes this rich green rice a meal of its own, especially when topped with some toasted walnuts and black currants.

Here, I serve the Basil Kale Rice on the side, with the Kohlabi, Eggplants, and Lentils stew, slow-cooked with layers of flavors.

Ingredients for the Basil Kale Rice:
½ cup finely chopped basil leaves
1 cup finely chopped Lacinato kale leaves
1 Tablespoon coconut oil (or any preferred oil)
2 cups cooked brown rice
salt/seasoning to taste

Preparation
Heat the oil in a pan, add the finely chopped basil and kale, sauté till aromatic, add some salt and seasoning; then stir in the cooked rice. That's it.

Ingredients for the Kohlrabi, Eggplant, Lentils Tagine/Stew:
½ cup green lentils, soaked
1 medium kohlrabi bulb, sliced
1 medium globe eggplant, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped chunky
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
3 green chilies, sliced
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon grated ginger
2 cups vegetable broth or water
a few threads of saffron, soaked in a few Tablespoons of warm water (optional)
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley or 2 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon each of marjoram, thyme, oregano
Juice of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve on the side
a few tablespoons of oil

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a pan, add the garlic, ginger, chilies, and onions, a pinch of salt and sauté
2. Add the green lentils, broth or water, cover and allow the lentils to par-cook to medium doneness
3. Then, add the kohlrabi slices, green bell peppers, the saffron water, if using, all the herbs and spices, a sprinkling of salt, cover and cook on medium-low heat till kohlrabi and lentils are done.
4. Meanwhile, heat some oil in a pan and brown the eggplant slices, just till the outsides are golden brown
5. Arrange the browned eggplant slices on top of the lentils and kohlrabi, cover and cook till eggplant is soft but not mushy
6. Off heat, splash some lemon juice before serving

Roasted Kabocha Squash, Chard, Kale, Quinoa Salad

Winter squashes are here. With its relatively thin-ish edible skin and sweet and soft flesh, Kabocha squash is a favorite with me. It cooks up fast - roasted or steamed - and needs very little to enhance or boost its flavor.

Caribbean squash and Kabocha squash were handy, plus the weather dipped to the 70s so that turning on the oven was not as self-destructive as it can be on the 100 degree days.

Slice the Kabocha, toss in some olive oil, sprinkle some salt if preferred and roast  in a 425°F oven for about 12 minutes. (Thicker slices might take a little longer).

Meanwhile, cook the quinoa in stock (or water plus some salt) in a rice cooker. I prefer 1:1 quinoa:stock. When done, stir in some lemon juice and olive oil, if preferred.

A bunch of kale and chard from the home-garden came in handy to boost the salad. Simply saute them with a dash of salt and a splash of lemon juice.

When ready, toss the quinoa and chards+kale together, arrange roasted Kabocha on top and serve warm or at room temperature.

A simple salad for the sweet autumn days...

Kohlrabi Stuffed Kale and Fennel Naan with Home-garden Lemon Cucumber Raita

The unassuming basic naan recipe lends itself well to boundless additions and variations.

Much like the Mint Fennel Garlic Naan, this recipe starts out with Fennel and Kale added to the dough; but, to take it a step further, sauteed and flavored kohlrabi is stashed into the dough when making the naan.

Instead of Kohlrabi, Daikon radish or Opo squash or Chayote squash can be used.

Peel and grate the kohlrabi finely; heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and saute the grated kohlrabi with salt and turmeric powder till cooked and fairly dry. Since this will be enclosed and folded in the dough, it cannot be runny.

Fennel and Kale being handy in the backyard garden, I went with those. I needed to find ways to use them up. But, any other herbs and greens can be used instead.

The naan dough is pretty much the same as Mint Fennel Garlic Naan, so, prepare as usual and let it rise. The only addition is grated sauteed flavored kohlrabi folded into the naan as it is rolled out for cooking.

My preferred method of making naan using gas stove:

1. Heat a cast iron skillet to high heat
2. Brush one side of the rolled out naan dough with water and place it water-side down on the hot skillet
3. Allow bubbles to form on the top surface
4. Transfer the part-cooked naan to a wire frame, flipped now so the uncooked side is down over the flame
5. Hold the naan on the wire frame directly over the flame till cooked through, shifting and moving it to cover all its surface
6. I prefer some mild charring as it adds character and flavor

Serve warm with vegetable curries,  chutney, and raita.


Here I serve it with a simple Indian chickpea curry called Cholay, and a yogurt-based raita made with home-garden lemon cucumbers.

For the Lemon Cucumber Colorful Raita:
1 Lemon cucumber,grated
½ Green apples, diced
¼ Red onions, sliced thin
Orange and Yellow Mini Peppers, chopped finely
Green Spring Onions, chopped on a bias
Thai green chilies, slit and chopped on a bias
Cilantro for garnish
Greek Yogurt

1. Cut the lemon cucumber in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp and grate finely
2. Chop some mini orange and red peppers, red onions, green apples, spring onions, and Thai green chilies if preferred
3. Combine the grated lemon cucumbers and all the finely chopped veggies, along with thick Greek yogurt and stir well; season to taste
4. Garnish with chopped cilantro

Home Garden Eggplant, Kale, Chard, Mint Rice with Lemon Cucumber Cherry Raita

Summer has been rather hot around here, and I haven't been cooking anything new or interesting. Just the same trusted comfort foods. And a lot of salads. Home garden lettuce and kale have come in handy for the salad base so far.

Ichiban eggplant, kale, chard, mint and chilies from the garden came together for this simple Indian rice dish flavored with mild spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, plus star anise, cardamom and cloves, along with some crushed ginger and garlic.

Typically, raita is a cooling yogurt accompaniment served with spicy dishes in India. This time, I went with lemon cucumbers from my garden (pictured in the right bottom corner of the collage above), plus some mint and cherries, as well as colorful mini peppers and red onions.

Kale and Spinach Saag Paneer

Kale can be quite crunchy and reluctant to give up its structural integrity even when cooked to a mush. But, the texture and flavor it brings to the original spinach recipe, called Saag Paneer, is wonderful.

For smoky spiciness, and since fusion cuisine is my signature and preferred style, I brought in some chipotle in adobo sauce plus some lemongrass to spice up this Indian staple.

Paneer can be homemade or store-bought. Several online resources show a step by step procedure for making paneer at home-- it does take time, so, plan ahead. However, many Indian stores sell packaged paneer which works just as well.

Sometimes I saute the paneer cubes before adding it to the mix, but I omit this step here-- the clear blandness it brings balances the spiciness of the kale and spinach mix.

Ingredients
4 cups finely chopped fresh kale
2 cups chopped frozen spinach, thawed

spices and flavoring:
1 chipotle chile, finely chopped, in about 1 Tbsp of adobo sauce
a bit of crushed lemongrass or 1 tsp of lemongrass powder
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp garam masala powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice

¼ to ½ cup heavy cream
1 cup cubed paneer (more if preferred)

salt to taste
1 Tbsp ghee or coconut oil or olive oil

Preparation

1. Pressure cook kale and spinach with some salt
2. Blend the kale and spinach to a mush
3. heat oil/ghee in a pan, add the spices and flavoring ingredients, mushed kale+spinach, stir well and allow to simmer gently
4. Slide in the paneer (sauteed or plain) and simmer a bit more
5. Off heat, stir in heavy cream, a little at a time, to desired consistency and flavor
6. Optional Tempering: heat ghee or oil in a pan, break some dried red chiles and add to the hot oil, add some cumin seeds; remove from heat and add to the dish before serving

Spicy Lentil Balls with Kale, Eggplant, Bell Pepper, Zucchini

Lentil balls (Paruppu urundai) sambar was a favorite when I was young; and of course, my mom made the best lentil balls sambar. Growing up vegetarian, and looking back at the amazing array of vegetarian foods I got to eat, I am always eager to share some of these recipes with friends who feel limited by their choice of vegetarian diet - salads are fine; steamed broccoli and cauliflower are nice; creamed corn and blanched green beans are wonderful, but that is not all. There's so much more.

Anyway, lentil balls can be made ahead (as in the paruppu urundai kozhambu recipe), steamed and then frozen for later use. Thaw before incorporating it in recipes. This time, I added some tomato paste, sambal oelek, cayenne pepper powder and paprika to the soaked-and-ground lentils before forming balls and steaming them. Hence the "spicy" lentil balls.

The combination of bell peppers, eggplant and zucchini is quite irresistible for me. Sauteing these three with some red onions and a touch of garlic, with a sprinkling of salt and turmeric powder gives off a heady aroma that is utterly appetizing.

Ingredients
6 to 8 lentil balls
2 cups chopped kale
1 cup diced eggplant
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup diced green bell pepper
½ cup diced red onion
1 tsp turmeric powder

2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp cumin powder
1 Tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp sambal oelek
1 tsp brown sugar
salt to taste
oil as needed
water as needed

Preparation

1. heat the oil in a pan, saute the onions, garlic, tomato paste with a dash of salt and turmeric powder
2. add the rest of the veggies and spices, a cup of water, cover and allow to simmer
3. slide in the steamed lentil balls and simmer till the flavors infuse into the balls
4. serve warm with basmati rice or roti

Quinoa Fritters with Eggplant, Kale, Zucchini and Mushrooms

I had ground up some quinoa to stock up on quinoa meal, about fine corn meal consistency, to make vegetable porridge. And used some of it to make these griddle cake-like fritters loaded with veggies.

Of course, the outsides got a bit too well done on the cast iron skillet, but, the insides were moist and cooked; the taste was just fine, so we enjoyed it with some chutneys.

1. Finely grate eggplant and zucchini, squeeze out excess water and keep handy
2. Finely mince kale, onions, and mushrooms
3. Add seasoning to taste
4. Fold in the quinoa flour or meal, adding a little water as needed to make the batter about pancake consistency; alternately, keep water to a minimum to shape into patties
5. Cook on a medium hot cast iron skillet
6. Serve with tomato chutney and coriander-mint chutney