Mustard Greens and Kale Sauce with Sundried Tomatoes

Two of the most powerfully beneficial groups of vegetables that we can eat are leafy greens and cruciferous veggies. This includes foods like lettuces, spinach, mustard greens, beet greens, kale, collard greens, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and bok choy. They’re low in calories and fat, high in fiber, and a great source vitamins such as A, K, C, and folate, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorous.

Chlorophyll-containing greens purify and alkalize the blood, and both groups provide anti-oxidants, phyto-nutrients, and are mildly to strongly anti-inflammatory. So any way you can think of to get these veggies into your diet will provide tremendous health benefits to you and your family.

The inspiration for this recipe came from 101 Cookbooks from a pasta recipe calling for kale that sounds fantastic. The recipe sounded good and since I had a bunch of kale and mustard greens in the fridge at the time, I decided to combine the two. Because I was using mustard greens, I thought it would be nice to caramelize the leeks to sweeten them up a bit to balance out the bite of the mustard greens–the same for the balsamic vinegar. The tomatoes give the sauce more of a concentrated flavor as well as body, but I think tomato paste would work here too.

The sauce is good both cold/cool and heated and I’ve had it both ways. First with quinoa pasta (which is actually a blend of rice and quinoa flours), pictured above, and with cooked quinoa. It would also work with rice or other grains, or (I’m thinking!) as a pizza sauce.

Mustard Greens and Kale Sauce with Sundried Tomatoes

1 T grapeseed oil

1 leek, sliced thin crosswise

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 c vegetable broth (or more for a thinner sauce), warm

2 T balsamic vinegar

½ c sundried tomatoes, sliced

6 – 8 large leaves each of mustard greens and kale, removed from the stems and broken into large pieces

sea salt and pepper to taste

goat or feta cheese, optional

In a medium skillet, heat the oil to medium and sauté the leek until tender and almost caramelized. Meanwhile, soak the sliced sundried tomatoes in the broth. When the leaks are ready, add them to a blender or food processor. Add the garlic, tomatoes and about ½ cup of the broth, vinegar, the mustard greens and kale leaves, and a pinch of sea salt and pepper. Blend or process until the leaves are well processed. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper. Add more broth if a thinner sauce is desired. Serve over pasta or grains. Top with cheese (or blend in during the processing).

Forbidden (Black) Rice, Lentils and Kale

Black rice, also known as Forbidden Rice, is an heirloom grain that was evidently grown for the Emperors of China as a longevity food. It has a deep, nutty taste, is high in nutrients, including iron, and contains anthocyanins, compounds that act as antioxidants, in its deep pigment. It’s also high in vitamin E and fiber and is being touted as the new “superfood”.

I just found the rice the other day at Whole Foods and thought I would give it a try in a very dark dish I put together with lentils and kale. Lentils are high in fiber, folate, vitamin B6, thiamin, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, and iron. Its protein is a great complement to the amino acid content found in rice which makes the combination a wonderful, complete-protein dish.

Kale is a superstar leafy green. For it’s health benefits, I want to direct you to this great Facebook page for a Kale Challenge that I’m following right now. The Green Lemon-Aid recipe on this page is tangy and delicious and if you're into juicing, I encourage you to try it!

Here’s the rice and lentil dish with kale:

1 T grapeseed or coconut oil

1 medium onion, chopped small

1 cup black rice, soaked in water overnight and rinsed well

1 cup green lentils, soaked in water overnight and rinsed well

water or veggie broth

2 cups kale leaves removed from stalks and broken into small pieces

Juice from ½ to 1 lemon

sea salt and black pepper

1. Place lentils in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat and allow to simmer until tender, ~10-15 minutes, but maybe less depending on how long they’ve been soaked.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a second medium saucepan. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add black rice and 1 ¾ cups of veggie broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until cooked, ~15-20 minutes since it's been soaked.

3. Drain the lentils, then add to the cooked rice and onions.

4. Pick up the kale with hands and squeeze/massage it in hands to tenderize it. Add to the hot rice and lentils and stir well to wilt the kale.

5. Squeeze half a lemon (or more) into the mix and season with sea salt and pepper.

This is a hearty dish on its own and is even good cold so would be great to take for lunch or for a simple dinner with a salad. Here's to your health!