When Spring arrives many people feel motivated to eat fresher, healthier, and lighter. Here are some recipes that can help you to clean up your diet:
Greek Grain Salad
Baby Kale and Noodles
Gingered Carrot Soup
Greens, beans, and whole grains are high on my priority list of foods to consume daily and this salad from the Cookie and Kate website combines all three. I love adding grains to salads to make them feel more like a hearty meal. As you will see the original recipe calls for farro. I used bulgur but you could also easily substitute quinoa, barley, rice, or a small whole grain pasta.
And, since we are on the subject of whole grains I will mention that the Whole Grains Council recognizes Whole Grain Sampling Day in March of every year. Check out their website for lots of ways to incorporate whole grains into your meals.
Baby Kale and Noodles
Another quick dish that combines greens with grains is this kale and noodle combination I found at Allrecipes.com. Most sturdy greens do well sautéed with a little oil, garlic, and red pepper flake. I prepare them this way often with variations. Here I used whole wheat noodles with baby kale and added some red cabbage and black eyed peas to make a meatless meal.
I have a go to carrot soup recipe but tried something different this time and it went over well with my husband’s family at our Easter dinner. Both recipes come from Epicurious.com, a favorite recipe website of mine. I make a lot of my own soups and one kitchen tool that makes my life so much easier is my immersion or “stick” blender. Here is what it looks like on the job and off. This saves the mess of transferring hot liquids to a blender. I’ve also used it to make hummus, sauces, whipped cream, etc., etc. It is a handy little gadget!