Collard Greens

This was a great side last night with chicken, but it uses bacon.  If you are a veggie or vegan, leave out the bacon & add some more spices for flavor.  A friend provided fresh collard greens from his garden & we were very grateful.

Recipe:

garlic - 2 cloves
salt & pepper - to taste
olive oil - 1 tablespon
red pepper - 1 tablespoon (less if you don't want it spicy)
onion - 1 medium onion.  I prefer white or yellow.
chicken stock - 3 cups
collard greens - about a pound
bacon - 3 slices


Cut bacon into bite size pieces.  Over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Add bacon.  Cook until bacon is to your liking (I prefer less crispy).  Add one minced onion.  Cook onion down, stir occasionally (don't let it stick or burn).  Add 2 cloves of garlic & cook for about 5 more minutes.  Add the collard greens & cook down until they wilt.  Then add in the spices, cook for a few more minutes.  Add the 3 cups of chicken stock (you can also switch to vegetable stock) & turn to low.  Let this simmer for 45 minutes.  Remove lid & cook for another minute or two to let some of the liquid cook off.  You can serve over rice or with a side of chicken.  Delish!

Avocado Sammie!

Since I'm new to this whole clean eating thing & I'm doing ok, but it's hard at times (ice cream, candy, etc!).  I'm going to post a really yummy sandwich that I really have been digging lately.

I know that a lot of people (my family!) have some differing opinions on what I think is delicious, but when you give up eating processed foods, real/natural foods really start to taste a lot different.

Yesterday morning Jim made me the best sandwich.  & I actually found gluten free bread that doesn't taste like cardboard.  It's Millet/Flax bread & if you toast it, it really is like multigrain bread.

This sandwich is super easy.  Smashed avocado, onion, garlic & a scallion, some kale & toast the bread!  Viola!  I'm hoping I will get another one this afternoon for lunch.  Add whatever veggies you like - or chicken - hey, it's ok to eat lean meats!

Veggie Millet Stir Fry

Here's a different recipe to try.  Personally, I had no idea what millet was until I started clean eating.  & in full disclosure today, I had a bunch of mini candy bars.  Now that's not good!  & think of all the sugar, but hey, everyone slips once in a while, right?   Right!

Last night we had a really great dinner.  & here's the recipe so you can try it too.  It's easy.  Millet, I found out, is the main ingredient in bird seed.  WHAT?!?!?!?  Who eats that?  Well hold on....it's not bad.  It a grain & you cook it like rice.  & it's very inexpensive.  The entire organic bag cost $3.99 & it looks like you can get about 10 servings out of it.  That's good!

You cook it like rice - 1 cup of millet to 2 cups of water.  Boil for about 35-40 minutes & it's finished.  Now here's where the stir fry part comes in.

(If you want to add chicken or shrimp or beef, you should saute that after the onions/garlic mixture below).  I opted just to do the veggie stir fry last night.

I took a tablespoon of avocado oil (mostly because it's a high heat oil - you can heat it til 500 degrees - hmmmmmmmmmm deep fryer calling!) & heated in my pan.  I added the following:  half an onion (use whatever kind you like - I usually use a stinky yellow or white one because I like the flavor).  One to two scallions & one large leek & two cloves of garlic.  I sauteed all of this with a pinch of sea salt & some red pepper.  You can add any veggie you like to the saute.  I added a head of broccoli (diced) and two carrots (also diced).  I let this cook for about 10 minutes til it seemed like all the veggies & flavors smelled right.  Then I tossed in a can of water chestnuts (drained) & sauteed for about 3 more minutes.

At this point I added the millet into the mix & covered.  I mixed up 4 tablespoons of soy sauce (use the gluten free kind if you want) and 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar.  I tossed this into the mix right before I was ready to turn off the heat.  Stir a few times & then serve!

It was really tasty!