Beans, beans the magical fruit......

Magic indeed.  and they really are good for your heart!

Great Northern Beans with Sausage and Kale

You may be reluctant to eat beans because of their propensity to cause well ...flatulence. It seems that beans contain a sugar called oligosaccharide that we as humans cannot digest. Because it isn't broken down during digestion and is passed through the body, it causes gastric discomfort before it is expelled. We can reduce effect this by rinsing and changing the water that the beans are soaked in several times before cooking or by using rinsed (to reduce salt) canned beans. Now that you know how to reduce the gas that beans may produce, there is no excuse not to try them.
After talking with John, one of my now vegan friends, I decided to give beans a try. I added a little meat this time, because we like to eat it. Feel free to leave it out if you don't.

What you will need:

1 pound great northern beans

6 cups of water

2-3 sausages raw or precooked; you can substitute bacon, ham or smoked meats  

fresh kale (I used a big bunch from the farmers' market)

2 large onions chopped

chopped mushrooms (I used shiitaki)

a few cloves of garlic  minced  or garlic powder

olive oil

Beans
Prepare beans by soaking them for at least 8 hours, changing  the water several times while soaking, rinse well before cooking. Add the rinsed and drained beans, 6 cups of water  along with 1 of the chopped onions, one or 2 of the mushrooms and a little garlic in a dutch oven or soup pot. If you are using sausage or other meats, add them now. Cover and simmer gently over low heat for 2-3 hours or until beans have reached the desired tenderness.


Kale
Wash kale and trim ends,  chop. You may find it easier to stack the leaves and roll  them up to chop them. I usually cook the stems too, but you can remove them and save them to use in your soup stocks.


Heat oil in pan and add onions, mushrooms and garlic, cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add washed kale and toss together, cover and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes  or until the kale is tender. You might add a little water to help them steam.


Serving
In a serving dish, layer bean and kale mixtures in layers or just mix together like I did. That is the way the Beeblettes like it. Serve with a garden salad. 

YUMMY!

Cheesy Potato bake

Fall foods are great because you can warm up the house by using the oven to bake yummy meals. I tend not use the oven in warmer months because let's face it it is too darn hot. Since we have had some cooler days of late, I have been baking more and trying out different ideas on my very receptive family. This cheesy potato dish contains two of my favorite ingredients, slow roasted Roma tomatoes and Shiitaki mushrooms (although any mushroom will do). I've been trying to create new food combinations because I was getting into a food rut, preparing the same foods in the same way. Yawn... This dish was served with grilled  hot Italian sausages and a salad. It was well received. 

What you will need:

POTATOES sliced ,partially boiled and drained (or microwaved)

LEEKS chopped rinsed (thoroughly to remove the sand) and drained

SHIITAKI MUSHROOMS chopped

chopped OVEN ROASTED TOMATOES

minced GARLIC/ garlic  powder

oil

Grated PARMESAN and MOZZARELLA CHEESE or your favorite cheeses

Note: I did not use exact measurements because I believe that you should use whatever you have on hand and in the amounts that you like. Love leeks, add more! Hate mushrooms, leave them out! You get my drift. 

I used a 1 qt container of red potatoes,  3-4 leeks, a handful of mushrooms, about 5 tomato halves and 3 cloves of garlic. I  ended up using about 4 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and about 1/2 cup of Mozzarella. 

How to:

Preheat oven to 350° 

Saute leeks, mushrooms, oven roasted tomatoes and garlic in a little bit of olive oil until cooked. 

Arrange some potatoes in a shallow baking dish, covering the bottom completely. Spread a layer of your cooked vegetable mixture over the potatoes and add some of the cheese. Cover with another layer of potatoes and repeat the layers until the dish is filled. Top with cheese and bake in the oven at 350° for 40 minutes or so until potatoes are done.

YUM!

Brussels Sprouts and the Beeblette

My littlest Beeblette  is a food snob.  Even though she is just a 'tween she  knows and loves her food. This is the child who never ate baby food from a jar and can count the times she has eaten store bought white bread. This is the child who when asked if she wants cheese on her sandwich, she asks which kind. This is also the child who begged for cucumbers, red peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts  to be served at her 6th birthday party. Last week she turned 10 and  we had of course Brussels sprouts... prepared  just the way she likes them.

Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions

 Bebe-style

 You will need :

one quart Brussels sprouts,washed, ends cut and quartered

one medium onion, peeled and sliced thin

olive oil, 

nutmeg (whole or ground)

salt and pepper to taste

•  Heat oil (about 1 tablespoon) in non-stick pan and add sliced ONIONS, stirring occasionally,  cook until translucent. Add washed and quartered BRUSSELS SPROUTS to pan, mix well to coat sprouts with oil   

• Cook for  a few minutes using medium heat stirring often to prevent burning. As it cooks, the onions will caramelize. 

Steaming sprouts

• You may need to add a 1/4 cup or so  of water to the pan to help the Brussels sprouts achieve the desired amount of softness.They steam a little when a bit of water is added. I do not cover them because I  think that they become bitter tasting if they are cooked while covered. It is also important not to overcook them as they will be bitter and mushy and turn an unappetizing brown color. We like them still a little crunchy and still green.

nutmeg

• Lastly , sprinkle on a little nutmeg or grate fresh nutmeg into the pan. The nutmeg adds a fabulous flavor to savory veggies like cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired.

Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions

We never seem to have leftovers when we make these as both Beeblettes always seem to want seconds.

What can I say?

YUM!