Green Greens

lily of the valley bowl with local broccoli

Everything is GREEN these days from the local leafy greens at farm stands to the bountiful green grass in my own yard. 

Look up "GREEN"  on the Internet, and you will find Wikipedia's beautiful green photo (left) as well as a definition that includes such phrases as "green symbolizes hope and growth" and has "ties to nature".  There is a great vegetarian website called "green". And also green.yahoo.com where you can get tips on going green.  


But I really like this one best: Heart of Green Awards where among many interesting facts, they name "Urban Pantry" as the hot new cookbook for 2011. 

I read through many cookbooks this week, but decided on a trusted one to start my seasonal green cooking: Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, given to me by a friend and fellow advocate of sustainability.  Here's the recipe that I made multiple times because it was so easy to substitute in different veggies.

Stir-Fried Mixed Greens - 2-4 servings
Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
1 T peanut oil
1 tsp roasted peanut oil
1 T minced garlic
1 T chopped ginger
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 T chopped scallions
10 cups greens, sliced into ribbons about 3/4 inch thick
1/2 cup stock
2 tsp dark sesame oil
1 tsp rice wine
1 tsp cornstarch diluted with 3 T water


Heat wok and both peanut oils.  When hot, add garlic, ginger, red paper flakes, and scallions.  Stir-fry 30 seconds, then add greens and stir-fry 1 minute more.  Add stock, cornstarch, cover, and steam until tender. Season with remaining ingredients.  Serve with brown rice.

Green Leaf Bowl

Note: For the most interesting stir-fry, use a combination of greens like bok choy, spinach, lettuce and cabbage.  Sprinkle sesame seeds over cooked greens. I serve my stir-fry with brown rice, but you could easily mix with noodles or even use in a wrap for a delicious lunch on the go.

Time to make some bowls for all these great recipes I'm finding...