Green Beans Amandine

Amandine, often misspelled as almondine in the States, indicates a dish prepared or garnished with almonds. Native to the Middle East, almond trees are classified along with other cling fruit in the genus Prunus. Botanically speaking, an almond is not truly a nut but instead a drupe with a seed inside a hard shell and outer hull like a peach or cherry. I am fond of cooking with almonds because they have a rich mellow flavor, adding depth to most dishes, especially when they are toasted. Green beans pair well with smashed new potatoes and coconut pumpkin purée.

½ lb green beans, trimmed

¼ c almonds, roughly chopped and toasted

1 tsp parsley, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil green beans until brilliant green and tender. Remove from heat, place in a strainer and run under cold water to stop cooking process. Set green beans aside to dry.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat and add the almonds, garlic and parsley. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute, and remove from heat.

3. Slice green beans in half lengthwise. Gently combine green beans and sautéed ingredients in a medium-mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve green beans chilled, room temperature or warm.

Serves 3-4

Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

I love to both make and eat fresh spring rolls and recently I have been having them at least once a week. Spring rolls, fresh or fried, can be found in many Asian countries under different names with a variety of wrappers, fillings and dipping sauces. Luckily these rolls seem to be more popular in the States and so the wrappers, made of rice and tapioca flour, can generally be found with a bit of searching, especially at Asian markets or natural food stores.

Salad greens and scallions are also good in the spring rolls. I blanch some of the vegetables to make them tender for eating, but the vegetables can be left raw depending upon preference.

Fresh Spring Rolls

1 medium cucumber, thinly julienned into 4" strips

1 medium red or orange pepper, thinly julienned into 4" strips and blanched

1 medium avocado, thinly sliced

2 large carrots, thinly julienned into 4" strips and blanched

8 rice paper wrappers

8 sprigs of cilantro, trimmed to 4"

Peanut Sauce

½ c natural peanut butter

1 tbsp tamari

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 clove garlic

1 tsp ginger

¼ - ½ c water

Peanut Sauce

1. Combine peanut butter, ginger, garlic, tamari and sugar in a food processor or medium mixing bowl. Gradually add water until sauce reaches desired consistency.

Fresh Spring Rolls

1. Arrange carrots, peppers, cilantro, avocado and cucumbers in individual piles on one edge of a work surface large enough to make rolls.

2. Meanwhile, fill a large shallow dish with hot tap water. Place one wrapper in the water to soften, about 1 minute.

3. Once wrapper is soft, gently remove from water and place on work surface. Place 1/8 of each cucumber, carrot and pepper in the middle of the wrapper. Add one segment of avocado and one sprig of cilantro.

4. Next, fold the bottom wrapper segment over the filling. Fold each side in over the filling and then continue rolling towards the top of the wrapper. Repeat process for all spring rolls. Allow spring rolls to set at least 30 minutes.

5. Serve room temperature or cold with peanut sauce or dressing of choice.

Makes 8 spring rolls and 1 cup peanut sauce

Arugula Pecan Pesto

Pesto originated in Genoa, Italy and means to crush or pound in Genoese. Traditionally made with basil, hard cheese, pine nuts and olive oil, I like to make both traditional pesto and variations. Arugula makes a nice substitute for basil because of its spicy nutty flavor. Roasted garlic is delicious on its and as an ingredient because it add a smooth and mild garlic flavor. I generally make enough pesto to freeze as an easy option for future dishes. Arugula pesto is delicious over gnocchi and makes a great pizza sauce.

Other hard Italian cheeses may be used instead or in addition to Parmesan. Walnuts or pine nuts may be used instead of pecans.

3 c fresh arugula

½ c parmesan

¼ c pecans, toasted

2 cloves roasted garlic

2 tbsp parsley, stemmed

½ c olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add arugula and cook for 1 minute. Place arugula under cold water to stop cooking process and blanch. Once cooled, squeeze water from arugula, tightly wrap in a clean dish towel and set aside.

2. Next, place pecans, parsley, garlic and parmesan into food processor or blender. Blend ingredients until well combined. Add drained arugula to food processor and blend until thoroughly combined. Slowly add olive oil while processing and continue blending into a smooth paste.

3. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper. Serve as desired. Pesto may be frozen for up to 1 year.

To roast garlic: preheat oven to 400 degrees, sprinkle olive oil on a head of garlic, wrap in tinfoil, place in oven and bake until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Use or refrigerate for up to one week.

Makes about 2 cups

Toasted Walnut and Lemon Chard

I find chard to be one of the milder leafy greens. I like the soft tender texture and lovely color, especially the stems of red and rainbow. For this side dish I used red chard because the colors seem particularly suited for winter, remaining bold after blanching. Chard works as a nice side dish for pasties or stewed pork.

Similar nuts or cheeses may be substituted for the asiago and walnut. Any kind of chard will work well.

1 bunch of chard, thinly sliced

½ c walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

½ lemon, juiced

½ c asiago cheese, grated

1 ½ tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add chard and cook until bright green and tender, 2-3 minutes. Drain chard and place under cold water to stop the cooking process. Once cool, squeeze out remaining water, wrap chard in a clean towel and set chard aside.

2. Next, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion, sauté until translucent and then remove from heat.

3. Place chard in a large mixing bowl. Add onions, walnuts, cheese and lemon juice and thoroughly combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve room temperature.

Serves 3-4

Orange Pecan Kale

When I went to make this kale salad, I thought I was going in an entirely different direction, with lemon and pine nuts, which I have made before and is also delicious but very different. I discovered I did not have pine nuts and so shifted my vision. Toasted pecans and oranges sounded like both a good combination and more seasonally appropriate. I do believe this is my new favorite way to prepare kale. I like kale with many things including fried sweet potatoes and feta roasted potatoes.

Any variety of kale will work. Walnuts may be substituted for pecans and tangerine may be substituted for orange. Rosemary, lavender or thyme could be used in addition to or in place of sage.

1 bunch kale, thinly sliced

¼ c pecans, roughly chopped

1 tbsp sage, finely chopped

1 tbsp finely diced shallot

1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped

½ orange, juiced

¼ c parmesan, grated

2 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp brown sugar

salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add kale to water and boil until brilliant green and tender, 2-3 minutes. Once tender, strain kale and place under cold running water to stop cooking process. Squeeze excess water from kale, wrap kale in a clean kitchen towel and set aside.

2. Next, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add pecans and sauté until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add shallots and continue sautéing until shallots are translucent. Turn heat off, add sage and garlic, sauté off heat until fragrant for about 1 minute and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, combine orange juice and brown sugar in a medium bowl, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Once sugar has dissolved, add remaining olive oil and sautéed ingredients, stirring to combine.

4. Place kale in a large mixing bowl, add parmesan and dressing. Gently toss ingredients until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve room temperature.

Serves 2-3

Brassicas Marinated with Fresh Herbs

Blanched brassicas may be my favorite way to eat them because they become milder, tender and brilliantly colored. Because they are members of the mustard family, brassica flavors tend to be similar and so compliment each other well. Brassicas are also known as crucifers or cross bearing due to their four-petaled flowers reminiscent of crosses. I first made this salad for a friend's birthday, to compliment an Italian inspired meal. Marinated brassicas can be served with any number of other side dishes including creamy polenta and mashed carrots.

Other combinations of herbs will work as well. I used baby spinach but arugula or mixed greens would be good too. More garlic may be used depending upon preference.

1 small bunch of broccoli, stemmed and cut into florets

1 medium head of cauliflower, stemmed and cut into florets

1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned

1 c radishes, sliced lengthwise into thin rounds

1 small red pepper, trimmed and diced

1 onion, trimmed and finely diced

1 clove of garlic, pressed or chopped

¼ c basil, finely chopped

¼ c parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

2 c baby greens

salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Working in individual batches, blanch cauliflower (1-2 minutes), broccoli (1-2 minutes), radishes (1-2 minutes) and carrots (2-3 minutes) until brightly colored and slightly tender. Once cooked, place each vegetable under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Gently towel dry and add to large mixing bowl. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the red pepper and continue sautéing until soft. Turn heat off, add garlic and herbs, stir to combine and allow to cook off heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add sautéed vegetables to the blanched brassicas and gently combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and allow to marinate for a few hours at room temperature. Serve over baby greens.

Serves 3-4

Garlic and Herb Marinated Green Beans

One of my favorite foods, green beans are wonderful to cook with for both their appearance and taste. One of the few beans eaten fresh, green beans are picked immature, while their inner beans are newly formed. Most of the beans commonly eaten fresh were first cultivated in South America thousands of years ago. Green beans are a great choice for many dishes as they have a delicate flavor yet can hold up well to different preparations. Green beans are excellent with celeriac purée and feta roasted potatoes.

Most fresh herbs may be used as a substitute for parsley and oregano. More garlic may be used depending on personal preference and/or size of cloves.

1 lb green beans, trimmed

1 red pepper, trimmed and julienned into 1-2 inch strips

1 medium carrot, trimmed and julienned into 1-2 inch strips

¼ c parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or pressed

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, which will remain boiling and be used to blanch all the vegetables. Working in batches, blanch each vegetable until tender (2-3 minutes for green beans, 2-3 minutes for carrots, 1-2 minutes for red pepper). Remove each vegetable from the boiling water and place under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Gently dry the vegetables using a clean towel, place them all in a large mixing bowl and set them aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Once heated, remove the oil from heat, add garlic and herbs, stir to combine and allow to cook away from heat for 1 minute.

3. Combine herbs and garlic with vegetables in large mixing bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently toss, cover and marinate for at least two hours. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled depending on preference.

Serves 3-4

Blue Potatoes with Broccoli and Caramelized Onions

Blue potatoes are lovely and enticing, especially because the color, which runs through both the skin and flesh in some varieties, is maintained after cooking. Like all potatoes, blues originated in the Andean highlands of South America. Anthocyanin pigments provide both the color and the antioxidants found in these potatoes. Blue potatoes are versatile for cooking, starchy enough for mashing but also moist and waxy enough to hold together for salads and side dishes. I love blue potatoes served with other brightly colored foods mashed carrots and roasted bell peppers.

Though I am particularly fond of the blue potato's color, any variety of new potato will work well for this dish. The flavor of parsley contrasts well with that of the potato, but most fresh herbs may be used as a substitute.

1 small bunch of broccoli, stemmed and cut into florets

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and sliced

1 red pepper, trimmed and finely diced

¼ c parsley, trimmed and finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped or pressed

1 lb small new potatoes, washed and left whole

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

salt and pepper

1. Steam potatoes on steamer rack set over boiling water until tender to a knife, 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Remove from heat once and allow to cool. Once cooled, halve potatoes, place in large mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet, add onion, and cook, stirring often until caramelized to a deep golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and add to the potatoes.

3. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add broccoli and blanch until brilliant green and slightly tender, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, strain and place broccoli under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, place broccoli in a clean dishtowel, dry gently and add to potatoes and onions.

4. Melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Once the butter is melted, add red pepper and sauté for about one minute. Remove skillet from heat, add parsley and garlic, stir to combine and allow to cook for another minute.

5. Gently combine all ingredients in the large mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled depending on preference.

Serves 3-4