Daily Dinner Table
Ideas for dinner tonight. Household and kitchen tips, recipes, tweaks. What's worked great, and not so great.
Caribbean Collards
I’m trying to eat “clean”, at least for today! We’ll see how long I go. I eat pretty healthy for the most part,( although I’ve noticed that lots of pasta has passed these lips lately) but I’m thinking I’d like to kick it up a notch as I approach 52. (I still feel 12) Anyway, tonights’s dinner is vegan. No animal ingredients whatsoever. I was vegetarian many years ago, and mainly eat that way anyway, but going a little deeper now. I’m learning from my son. Thanks David! Dinner is still cooking now, but sure smells good, so we’ll see how it goes. This is very healthy, virtually no manufactured oil, ( a quick spray of Pam is all). Turns out I’ve found that the miraculous Olive Oil isn’t actually all its cracked up to be, so I’m going to try to whittle that out of my regular diet also. According to Dr. Fuhrman whose book I’m reading now, “Eat to Live” which is about the benefits of eating highly nutritional foods, during his 20 odd plus years of treating patients and doing tons of research, finds that olive oil is very rich in calories, low in nutrients and can be stored on your body within minutes. Ounce for ounce olive oil is one of the most fattening, calorically dense foods on the planet, packing even more calories per pound than butter. (butter: 3200 calories, olive oil: 4020) As for its healthy reputation in a Mediterranean diet, those were the old days. The Mediterranean people ate lots of olive oil, but they also walked nine miles a day and worked hard in the fields. Americans just heard the Olive oil is a health food, and forgot the rest of the program of eating mainly vegetables, and doing lots of exercise. I’m learning so much from this book, and it’s got the evidence to back up it’s research. I’m finding it very, very interesting. Some of the notions I’ve truly believed in have been shattered, with proof. I love this book so far.
So, while having a goal of clean healthy eating, here’s tonight’s concoction. Here’s to good health and longevity! Forks up, here goes!
For 4 servings you’ll need;
2 T minced garlic
1 small diced onion
1 1/2 c vegetable stock
about 6 cups chopped collard greens or 1/2 of a big bag
1-2 tomatoes, diced
2 carrots, sliced
1 can black beans (after making this, 2 cans would work well, or 1 can black beans, 1 can garbanzo beans) You can drain if you like. If you do not drain, reduce liquid to 1 cup.
1 c cooked barley
1/2 t chipotle chili powder
1/4 t Chinese 5 spice
1/8 t cumin
1 t paprika
2/3 c chopped walnuts
1 mango, peeled and sliced or chopped
Spray a spritz of Pam in large stock pan over medium heat. Add garlic, and onion. Cook till onion is translucent. Add carrots. Cook for 2 minutes. Add beans, and spices. Mix well. Add collard greens, tomatoes. Cook, covered for a total of about 15-20 minutes, mixing occasionally, until collards are almost tender. Add barley, mix well, cover and cook until collards are tender to your liking. Add more liquid to deglaze if beans stick to the pan. Plate, top with walnuts and mango. Enjoy this really healthy meal. This has tons of protein, Yes! protein, AND calcium, all sorts of vitamins and minerals. Hope you like it. An added note, you’re not a mango fan, try plantains. Remember, these ingredients are a guide. Use what you like!
Caribbean Collards
;
Daily Dinner Table 
Superb information here, ol’e chap; keep burning the midnight oil.
Nice!