Lee Hullender is a fabulous acupuncturist and herbalist based in Seattle. Her practice is called Abundant Spring and specializes in treating both male and female fertility. If you know anyone who needs a good acupuncturist in the Seattle area, I can wholeheartedly recommend her. Lee’s husband Joe is a chef and she emailed me last week with some of his healthy vegetable recipes that she thought you all might like.

Joe’s Braised Greens

1 bunch kale or chard, cleaned
1 Tbsp olive oil, cold pressed
½ Cup chopped carrot
½ Cup chopped celery
½ onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
3 Cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water (or any combination of liquids that equal 3 cups)
¼ Cup chicken stock, vegetable stock or water for deglazing
2 strips cooked turkey bacon, (optional)
1 t ground pepper & 1 t kosher salt or to taste

• Place oil in large skillet and place on medium-low heat. Add onions, carrot and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until onion is transparent.
• While cooking, chop up greens so they can fit into skillet.
• Add greens to pan with onions, carrot and celery and turn up heat to high. Sauté for about 1 minute, or until greens wilt.
• Add 3 Cups stock or water, vinegars, honey and garlic to pan. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to medium-low.
• Cook for about 1 hour or until the liquid in the pan becomes a glaze. Add optional meat (crispy turkey bacon crumbled) and sauté the greens over high heat for about 1-2 minutes.
• Add remaining stock to deglaze pan. Serve.

Brussel Sprouts

Bring a large pot of water to boil with about 2 Tbsp salt. Once boiling, add brussel sprouts and cook until water resumes boil (about 1-2 minutes). Remove sprouts and cool in ice water. Cut in half and coat in 1-2 Tbsp olive oil (enough to coat the sprouts. Place in 350 F oven and cook for 30-45 minutes or until brown. Toss with salt and pepper to taste.

Green Beans

Bring pot of water to boil with about 2 Tbsp salt. Once boiling, add green beans and cook until water resumes boil (about 1-2 minutes). Remove beans and cool in ice water. Heat oil in pan over high heat until slight smoking occurs. Add beans to pan, and fry with 1 chopped clove garlic and 1 t lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet Potato Rounds

Cut a sweet potato into 1/4 in rounds. Toss in enough oil to coat them, three to four pinces of salt, and 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice and place on baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 F or until brown.

Photograph
© Olga Solovei | Dreamstime.com
© Jaileybug | Dreamstime.com
© Janet Hastings | Dreamstime.com