Beef, Beans and Greens

I've never been big on 'hot dogs,' but I saw these a while ago at Sam's Club and was surprised to read the label and find. . .they're almost healthy! Ever since, I've been craving them from time to time, so I was glad I had 3# and froze what I didn't use at first. 

Today I was going to combine them with homemade mac & cheese, but decided I didn't want the pasta carbs, so this happened instead.

4 stalks celery - sliced

3 BIG garlic cloves - sliced

2-3T single source EVOO

1 sm. onion - chopped

beet stems (and greens later)

kohlrabi stems (and greens later)

8-12oz. water

12oz. cut up beef hot dogs

12oz. cubed kohlrabi

1-2 drained-rinsed cans of garbanzos

3T black bean garlic sauce

1-2T coconut sugar

1t± garlic salt

a 2T corn starch + 3/4c water slurry as a thickener

Sauté the sliced celery and 1 clove of garlic in the olive oil until the celery turns a little translucent and the garlic browns. Add the water and stems only, of the beet and kohlrabi greens, and cook a little longer. Next, add the hot dogs and kohlrabi, turn up the heat and simmer covered, then stirring and uncovered for a bit.

When the kohlrabi turns translucent, add the garbanzos, the slice-chopped greens, sauce, and remaining ingredients. Simmer another 10-15 minutes until the greens are wilted.

This would be excellent with cornbread. . .Lin

Beet and Vegetable Borscht-Type Soup

I was going to heat up the beef roast and vegetables, then that idea morphed into something else altogether. I'll use the remaining 8oz. of beef for a stroganoff tomorrow. I heated the vegetables, added chopped cabbage, chopped up beet greens, 2T dried cilantro, garlic salt, smoky Arizona chipotle seasoning and a little water. Simmered that for 10 minutes.

Scrub the beets, rough cubed them and simmer, until barely tender, in 3c or so of water in a 3 quart pot. 

Next, add the vegetables to the beet pot and blend with an immersion blender. 

Serve with seasoned sour cream, sunflower seeds and a good sprinkle of dill. 

Remember too that the carotene in beets is very strong. Eating food this dark, it can color everything that comes 'out' of you for a couple days. TMI?? Sorry, I'd rather be blunt about this sort of thing than have anyone think they're bleeding internally 😉 . . . Lin

Beets Greens and Grains with Feta

a bunch of beets and their greens

¾ chopped walnuts

1-2T butter

1c of quinoa blend*

2c cold filtered water

2±T BTB soup base in cooking water

1 lg. leek - sliced

crumbled feta cheese

Pick a bunch of healthy looking beets with good tops.  Cut off the tops, at the base of the stems, set aside the stems and tops.  Scrub the beets, don't peel them, but cut off any bad areas.  Slice and wash the greens and stems in your salad spinner.  (You do have one right?  If not I recommend the Progressive brand spinner sold for under $10 at Walmart - excellent!)  

In a 2-3 quart pot, dry toast the walnuts.  When their nutty scent is released and they're lightly browned, remove from the heat.  After this cools just a bit, add the grains and butter.  *I decided against the sorghum in the original picture and used the quinoa, millet and buckwheat shown here.  Stir this together, turn on the heat and add water, a little at a time for a few minutes.  Add the remaining water and soup base.  Cook this about 8 minutes before adding the leek slices.  Simmer over low heat until all the water is absorbed.

Okay, back to the beets!  While the grains are simmering, cut the beets into ½" cubes and simmer, in a little water, in a covered pan, until they start to soften.  Add the chopped-sliced stems and greens and simmer, covered.  When the beets and stems are tender, drain the liquid.  (Use this later for a dark soup base, or give it to your dogs with their dry food!)

Combine the beets, greens and the grain mixture in a casserole dish.  Top with crumbled feta cheese.  Cover until the cheese melts a bit.  This is a great vegetarian main dish, or as a side to meat, chicken or fish.  

Remember, food that goes down red, often comes out red!

This is caused by betanin, in purple-red beets  which is similar to the beta carotene, responsible for the orange color in carrots.  If this happens. . .don't be alarmed. 😉 Lin

Bacon, Eggs and Beet Greens Breakfast Bake

Breakfast Bake Central

½# bacon - cut up

1 bunch beet greens & stems

1 can diced water chestnuts

¾ lg. onion - sliced

½ lg. green pepper - sliced

2T capers

8-10oz. sharp cheese

9 lg. eggs - beaten w/

a little half & half

Fry the bacon until crispy, drain the fat off.  Lightly steam the chopped beet greens and stems, then steam in a little water.  When the greens have wilted to about half their original volume, turn off the heat and drain them well.  Meanwhile, butter a 9"x13" glass baking pan and arrange the water chestnuts, onions, green peppers and capers, in the bottom.  Cover with half the shredded cheese, then arrange the bacon on top of this.  Gently pour in the eggs, moving your pouring container around to cover everything.  Shake the pan a little to be sure the eggs are well distributed.  Sprinkle on the remaining cheese then bake in a preheated 350° oven for 20 minutes.  If more time is needed, reduce heat to 325° for another 10 minutes then check again for doneness.  Makes 12 squares containing about 150 calories each. . .Lin