Welcome March!

It’s March 3rd, and we’re having what I hope will be the last snow day of this winter, as we welcome March! Spring starts in a few weeks, both my daughter and I celebrate birthdays in March, and, as I’ve mentioned before, March will be a month devoted to Chicken, Quinoa and Kale, so stay tuned for loads of recipes and info about these hot ingredients! My fridge is packed and ready for this month, and I’ve already started working on some great recipes and ideas for them. You’ll see them used together and separately, and I hope you’ll find some new and fun ways to incorporate them into your menus. 

Chicken has become the default meal for many of us. We think of it as a healthier and lighter choice than beef or pork, and it remains a more economical choice than either of those as well as fish.  Ask almost any chef and they will tell you that despite America’s preference for boneless chicken breasts, their cut of choice (when using parts) is the thigh. It is pretty easy to remove the bone if you like, and the dark meat is more flavorful, and fatty, and so more juicy than white meat.  I love all kinds of chicken dinners, and as the weather gets warmer we’ll do some salads, too.

Kale has been the sweetheart, go-to vegetable for a  while now, and there are some who say it’s on the way out.  The Chicago Tribune recently proclaimed that collard greens are the new kale, while according to the Huffington Post, it’s cauliflower.  Though either of these ‘new’ trends may usurp kale’s supremacy in the pantheon of food stars, kale is here to stay.  It’s hearty, packed with vitamins, and has earned it’s place at most tables. Just in time for today’s snow I offer a recipe for a warming, thick kale and cauliflower soup, easily made vegan by swapping vegetable stock for the chicken stock I used.

Quinoa has a rather complicated story. It is a nutrition packed super-grain, and it has been embraced by paleo, and gluten-free enthusiasts, for good reason, but it’s popularity is not without some cost to the countries where it has long been a food staple. It’s popularity has also caused the price to go up, and demand has put a strain on the supply. Many of the recipes I offer for quinoa will be suitable for a variety of grains, and I will always note that. I’ll also be a bit flexible on the quinoa third of this month, and we’ll explore some other interesting grains like amaranth, millet, kamut and farro.

If it’s lovely and warm where you are then I am envious, and if you live where the snow is once again piling up outside your door, this soup may be just what you need to warm you up when you come in from shoveling!

Kale and Cauliflower Soup

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Serves	8-10
Prep time	15 minutes
Cook time	50 minutes
Total time	1 hours, 5 minutes
Meal type	Soup

Ingredients

• 1 head Cauliflower (Leaves removes and cut into chunks)
• 2 bunches Kale (Stems removed, and torn into pieces)
• 1 Large Onion (Chopped)
• 2 quarts Stock (Chicken or vegetable)
• 1 tablespoon Dill (Dried is fine for this)
• 2 teaspoons Oil or Butter
• 1/2 cup Dehydrated Potaotes (Many instant potatoes have other ingredients, try to find some that are just potatoes)

Directions

Step 1

Because you are going to puree this soup, no need to be meticulous about chopping! Melt butter or oil in large soup pot, over medium heat When fat is hot add onions

Step 2

Saute onions until translucent, do not let them brown

Step 3

Add cauliflower and stock to pot and bring to a boil over high heat, stir in dill Reduce heat and simmer covered for thirty minutes

Step 4

Add kale to soup cover and continue cooking for ten more minutes

Step 5

Puree soup in a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender

Step 6

Stir in potatoes, mix well and taste for seasoning