Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

-Hard boil 4 eggs, then peel and quarter them.

-Slice the stems off, wash and dry 1 bunch of spinach.

-Cut 8 slices thick bacon into ½ inch pieces and cook until crisp.

-Pour all of the bacon fat into a heatproof bowl and then return 3TBS of bacon fat to the pan.

-Chop 1 small sweet onion and then add to the bacon fat and cook for 3 minutes.

-Stir in 3 minced garlic scapes and cook for another 15 seconds.

-Add 3 TBS cider vinegar and then remove the skillet from the heat.  

-Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the browned bits and then pour the hot dressing over the greens.

-Add the bacon and toss until the greens are slightly wilted.

-Divide the greens on plates and top with the egg quarters.  Serve immediately.

White Bean, Arugula and Tuna Salad

For the dressing, in a medium sized bowl whisk together the following:

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1 TBS white wine vinegar

A pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

-Drain a rinse 1 can of cannellini beans.

-Chop up ½ an onion.

-To the bowl of dressing, add the beans and the onion

-Zest 1 tsp lemon zest and add that, along with ½ cup halved Sungold cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes.

-Toss gently to combine then add 2 6-ounce cans of drained and oil packed tuna (if you are using water packed tuna, add a little extra olive oil).

-Serve at room temperature or chill for 30 minutes.

-Serve on a bed of torn arugula.

Tuscan Style Cranberry Beans with Fresh Herbs and Parmesan

-Soak 1 pound of Cranberry beans for 3-12 hours in 10 cups of water.

-Finely chop the following:

1 onion

2 carrots

2 stalks of celery

-Add 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil and the chopped vegetables to a large pot with a tightly fitting lid.

-Saute for 5 minutes, then rinse and drain beans and add them to the pot.

-Add 1 tsp sea salt and 8 cups of water, cover and bring to a boil.

-Preheat your oven to 325 then put the beans in the oven and cook for 1.5 hours.

-Finely chop and add the following:

¼ cup parsley

3 cloves of garlic

2 TBS fresh thyme

-Mix into the beans, then cook for 15 more minutes until beans are soft.

-Finish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Tomatillo Shakshuka

-Husk and wash 4-5 tomatillos.

-Chop up 1 onion.

-Wash ½ a bunch of cilantro.

-Roughly chop all the tomatillos and cilantro into large chunks.

-Add to the bowl of a food processor along with the following:

1 clove of garlic

½ cup water

-Blend for one minute.

-Heat a large skillet.

-Pour mixture (should be runny) into pan and simmer.

-Crack 4 eggs into mixture and cover.

-Simmer eggs for 4-5 minutes or until eggs reach doneness you like.

Tomatillo Salsa

-Take the skins off of 1 pound of tomatillos.

-Put the whole tomatillos in a saucepan and cover with water.

-Halve 1 medium sized onion. 

-Roughly chop one half and reserve the other half.

-Add the chopped half onion to the pan, along with the following:

2 whole cloves of garlic

1 jalapeno (with just the stem cut off, leaving it whole seeds and all)

-Boil until tender, about 7-10 minutes.

-Drain out all but about 1 cup of water and then put the tomatillos etc. in a blender.

-Roughly chop ½ a bunch of cilantro and add it to the blender with ½ tsp sea salt.

-Carefully begin blending the mixture, starting slow so that the hot liquid doesn’t splash you.

-Puree until mostly smooth, about 30 seconds, and then put the salsa in a bowl.

-Finely chop the remaining onion half and another ½ bunch of cilantro and stir in.

-Taste for salt.

-We like to eat this salsa warm, but it also keeps well for several days in the fridge.

Tiger’s Eye Beans with Lime and Cumin

-Soak 1 pound of Tiger’s Eye beans from 3-12 hours (beans are fresh so soaking can be brief).

-Finely chop the following; 2 cloves of garlic and 1 onion.

-In a large pot, heat 2 TBS olive oil and then add the chopped vegetables.

-Sauté for 5 minutes, then add 1 TBS ground cumin, 8 cups chicken broth or water and 1 tsp sea salt.

-Bring to a boil and cook until the beans are buttery and soft, about 1 to 1.5 hours.

-Finish with 1 tsp grated lime rind, 2 TBS lime juice and 1 bunch fresh cilantro finely chopped.

-Taste for salt and serve with a dash of hot sauce.

Sweet Pickled Onion and Watermelon Radish Salad

Make this pretty salad the day before so the flavors have a chance to meld properly.

-Slice 1 large watermelon radish into thin rounds.

-Cut 1 small onion into thin rounds and then separate into rings.

-Toss together in a large glass bowl or container.

-Zest half an orange then squeeze enough juice so that you have 1/3 cup juice.

-Put the juice in a small bowl and whisk in the following:

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

2 TBS apple cider vinegar

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

-Toss with the radish and onion.

-Refrigerate overnight to chill and meld flavors before serving.

Butternut Squash Risotto

-Peel 1 small butternut squash, then cut into ½ inch big cubes.

-Peel and then finely chop 1 onion.

-In a medium saucepan, heat 4 cups chicken stock over medium-high heat until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer.

-Add 3 TBS olive oil or ghee to a large, deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat.

-Add onion and butternut squash and cook until beginning to soften, 8 to 10 minutes.

-Season with sea salt and pepper.

-Add 1½ cups Arborio rice and let cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

-Add ½ cup dry white wine and simmer, stirring frequently, until nearly absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.

-Reduce heat to medium and add ½ cup stock, then let simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently.

-Continue adding stock and simmering until all stock has been used, about 15 minutes.

-Stir in the following:

1 TBS fresh rosemary, finely chopped

2 TBS unsalted butter

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

-Serve with additional Parmesan.

Stuffed Sweet Peppers

-Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

-Slice 3-4 peppers in half lengthwise then scoop out any seeds and membrane.

For the filling:

-Cut 4 slices of thick cut bacon crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips.

-Add to a pan over medium heat.

-Cook, stirring often, until crisp.

-Transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel to drain.

-Dice half an onion.

-Add the onion to the pan used to cook the bacon. If the pan seems dry, add a splash of olive oil.

-Cook for 2-3 minutes.

-Add 1 clove of minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

-Remove from the heat.

-Add the following to a bowl:

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature

Juice of half a lemon

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

-Mix until well blended.

-In another bowl, combine the following:

3 TBS melted butter

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
The bacon

 -Spoon the cheese mixture into each pepper half then place the pepper, filling side down, into the buttery breadcrumbs.

-Arrange pepper halves, filling side up on the baking sheet.

-Bake the peppers until they have softened and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 20 minutes.