Swiss chard and rice soup

I made this yesterday with my Lay Nay Ferme greens and it's delicious!

from the New York Times

created by Martha Rose Shulman

This is a simple and comforting soup that is especially delicious in the spring, when Swiss chard is at its sweetest and most tender.

2 pounds Swiss chard (2 generous bunches)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, finely diced

Salt to taste

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 quarts chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf and a couple of sprigs each parsley and thyme

1/2 cup basmati rice

Freshly ground pepper

Freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)

Freshly grated Parmesan for serving (optional)

1. Trim the bottoms of the chard stems. If the stems are thin and fibrous, separate the leaves and discard the stems. If they are wide, separate the leaves and cut the stems into 1/4-inch dice. Set aside with the celery and onion. Wash the leaves in 2 changes of water and chop medium-fine.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot and add the onion, celery and chard stalks. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, another 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stock or water, bouquet garni and rice. Bring to a boil, add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

3. Stir the chard into the soup, cover and simmer another 10 minutes. Add freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust the salt. Serve with fresh lemon wedges for people to squeeze into their servings if desired and Parmesan for sprinkling.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Advance preparation: This can be made through Step 2 a day or two ahead. It can be frozen. The rice will absorb liquid as it sits, so you may want to add more when you reheat.

Nutritional information per serving (4 servings): 191 calories; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 33 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 491 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 10 grams protein

Nutritional information per serving (6 servings): 128 calories; 3 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 22 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 327 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”

Arugula salad and spinach frittata

Eat your greens - they are good for you!

We just got our first  fresh picked, full of vitamins,  produce bag from La Nay Ferme - a local organic farm. It has baby veggies (carrots and turnips) and lots of greens, including spinach and arugula. I went searching for recipes and found these two winners for dinner tonight. Every plate was licked clean.

Frittata 

from March 2013 Sunset Magazine

(original recipe has swiss chard - I substituted spinach)

2 Tbs olive oil

2 Italian turkey sausages (8 oz total), casings removed

1/2 cup each sliced red bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, and chopped onion

1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped

8 large eggs

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat broiler with rack set 4 inches from heat. Heat oil in large ovenproof frying pan over high heat. Cook sausage, stirring often, until browned, about 3 minutes. Add bell pepper, mushrooms, and onion and cook until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in Swiss chard, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 10 minutes (less for spinach).

Meanwhile, whisk eggs in large bowl until they start to foam. Stir in cheese and salt. Pour mixture into pan with vegetables; cook on stove until bottom sets, about 3 minutes. Broil until firm and browned.

Arugula, Fennel, and Orange Salad  from Allrecipes.com

Rated: Submitted By: Ms.P. Photo By: Piglet1983 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Ready In: 15 Minutes Servings: 6

"A honey-and-lemon-juice dressing is drizzled over arugula, fennel, oranges, and olives in this tasty salad recipe."

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 cup olive oil

1 bunch arugula 2 orange, peeled and segmented 1 bulb fennel bulb, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons sliced black olives

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Whisk together the honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; slowly add the olive oil while continuing to whisk.
2.	Place the arugula in the bottom of a salad bowl; scatter the orange segments, fennel slices, and olives over the arugula; drizzle the dressing over the salad to serve.

The health benefits of Kale

Kale is among the most nutrient-dense of all vegetables. One cup provides 1,327 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin K, 192 percent of the DV for vitamin A and 88 percent for vitamin C. The Tuscan Kale Salad is one of the most popular dishes at True Food Kitchen, a line of restaurants based on Dr. Weil's nutrition insights.

I like to add it to soups or saute it in olive oil and garlic - with a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end. It also makes a great salad. You can see Dr Weil make Tuscan Kale Salad here.

So - buy it at the store and grow it in your garden - it's easy and very pretty.