Beet and Kale Smoothie
Ingredients
3/4 cup almond milk
3/4 cup frozen blackberries and/or blueberries
1/4 cup grated beet (from about 1 small beet)
1/4 bunch kale
1/4 cup mint leaves
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp ground chia seeds
1 Tbsp honey
Pinch of kosher salt
Directions
Using a blender, mix almond milk, blackberries, beet, kale, mint, lime juice, chia seeds, honey, salt, and 1/2 cup ice in a blender until smooth. It is as easy as that!
The smoothie can be made the night before, stored in a mason jar, and be ready to go the next morning! You can barely taste the kale and beets, they just add nutrients and a beautiful color!
Picture and recipe adapted from: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/berry-beet-mint-lime-chia-seed-smoothie
Vietnamese Rice Crepes with Lettuce, Kale, and Snap Peas
Ingredients
Batter:
3/4 cup white rice flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Dipping Sauce:
1–2 serrano chiles, thinly sliced (or any type of hot pepper)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 Tbsp fish sauce
3 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp sugar or 3 Tbsp maple syrup
Assembly:
2 cups mixed lettuce, chopped
1 yellow or red onion, thinly sliced
8 oz sugar snap peas, strings removed, trimmed
8–10 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small beet, shredded
1/2 bunch kale, shredded with stems removed
1 large handful basil leaves
salt to taste
Directions
Whisk rice flour, cornstarch, salt, and turmeric in a medium bowl to combine. Whisk in 1.5 cups of the hottest water from your tap followed by the coconut milk. Let batter sit, uncovered, until thickened to the consistency of half-and-half (it will be slightly gritty from the flour), about 30–45 minutes. If batter is too thick, whisk in about 1 Tbsp water to get it to the right consistency.
Whisk chiles (use 1 or 2 depending on how hot your chiles are and your own preference for heat), garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and 1/2 cup warm water in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Set the dipping sauce aside.
Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat until very hot and shimmering. Add a small handful of onions, shredded beet, and sugar snap peas to the pan (you’re going to make 6 crepes total, so eyeball it accordingly); season with salt.
Stir batter vigorously with a ladle until there are no chunks. Pour about 1/3 cup batter into pan, covering the fillings. Carefully swirl skillet so batter coats the bottom without disturbing the filling; batter should set around filling and form a round. It will sizzle and sputter! If needed, quickly add more batter to fill in empty spots.
Cover crepe with a lid. Cook for about 1 minute, then uncover and drizzle 1–2 tsp more oil around the crepe’s rim to encourage crisping. Reduce heat and cook until golden brown around the edges (they should lift off the pan a bit) and entire crepe is mostly crisp, about 3 minutes longer.
Slide a spatula under one side and fold crepe over (no big deal if it breaks in the center). Set aside on a plate.
Stir batter vigorously again and repeat process to make 5 more crepes.
Serve crepes with a salad of lettuce mix and basil, and enjoy your dipping sauce alongside.
Picture and recipe adapted from: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/vietnamese-shrimp-and-sugar-snap-pea-sizzling-rice-crepes
Stuffed Grape Leaves
Ingredients
1 cup white rice (uncooked)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 bunch grape leaves
Directions
To prepare the grape leaves, you can either soak in very hot water for 15 minutes to soften the leaves, or blanch grape leaves in a brine until they are soft (about 1-5 minutes).
In a mixing bowl, combine the rice, tomato sauce, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well with hands.
Flatten a grape leaf and place about 1 to 2 tablespoons of mixture in the middle.
Fold in the sides and roll upward. Think of rolling a burrito, only smaller. Set aside and place at the bottom of a medium sized pot.
When you have rolled the last leaf and all wraps are side by side in the pot, place a heavy plate on top of the stuffed grape leaves to keep the grape leaves in place during cooking.
Fill pot with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes until rice is done.
Remove from the pot with tongs, let cool, and enjoy!
Picture and recipe adapted from: https://www.thespruceeats.com/easy-stuffed-grape-leaves-2355862