Recipes 2 & 3 are simple, spicy & sweet!

My mustard greens really popped in the lasagna, though they were not the main attraction. I decided to bring the second bunch front & center to feature their spiciness. And, since contrast is the key to a satisfied palate, I chose sweet squash to complement the greens.

These recipes are meant to last a few meals. We had large servings for dinner tonight, and there are plenty of leftovers to be eaten in smaller quantities with the rest of the meals this week.

I also recommend cooking up a pot of whole grains to ground the extreme flavors. I made millet! Brown rice would be another good choice.

I only used what I got at the Farmers’ Market & what I had in my well-stocked pantry to create these recipes. No need to go to the store.

Recipe 2: Spicy Greens & Beans

This is super-easy so I’m gonna skip the standard formatting. All you’ve got to do is saute some onion & garlic in olive oil. A wok works well, but you could use a large pot. Add some black eyed peas (1 cup, cooked or 1 can), dill and lemon juice. When this has warmed, wilt in a giant bunch of mustard greens (shredded). Continue to fold them in until they’re vibrant. Salt & pepper to taste, and serve hot!

Wanna shake it up?

  • You could use any greens & beans for this. Kale & garbanzos; chard & kidney beans; collards & black beans. You get the point.

Recipe 3: Sweet Squash Stew

Implements:

  • a big soup pot with lid
  • wooden spoon
  • knives
  • measuring implements

Ingredients:

  • 1 large onion, chopped coarsely
  • olive oil
  • 2 T dried sage
  • crushed red pepper (you know how much kick you need to balance the sweet)
  • 3/4 c brown lentils
  • 2-4 c veg broth (depending on the size of your squash)
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • salt
  • pepper

Procedure:

  1. Saute the onion in some olive oil until translucent. Add the sage & crushed red peppers and continue to saute for 1 minute.
  2. Add 2 c broth and the lentils. Cook on medium flame, covered, until lentils are a bit tender (but not yet done) - about 15-20 minutes.
  3. Add squash. Add more broth if you have a very large squash (you can continue to do this throughout the cooking process if you notice it’s getting used up too quickly). Continue to cook, covered, for 20-30 minutes. Stir periodically. After 20 minutes begin to test for done-ness of both lentils and squash.
  4. Salt & pepper to taste & serve.

Wanna shake it up?

  • blend/process 1/2 to all of this to make a thick soup instead of a stew. If you do this, add more broth or some water or rice milk and put back on the stove to finish heating.