Balsamic Glazed Chickpeas with Mustard Greens

INGREDIENTS

10 oz mustard greens
4-6 Tbsp vegetable broth, divided
1/2 large onion, sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp tamari
1/4 tsp agave
1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed

DIRECTIONS

Remove the mustard leaves from the large stems and discard stems. Tear the leaves into bite size pieces.

In a deep pot or wok, saute the onion in 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth until onion is translucent. Add in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon of vegetable broth and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.  Add the mustard green leaves and 2 more tablespoons of vegetable broth. Cook and stir until greens are wilted, but still bright green. Stir in salt.

Remove the greens and onions from the pan with a slotted spoon and place in a serving dish, leave the remaining liquid in the pan. Add in the balsamic vinegar, tamari sauce, and agave to the liquid in the pan. Add in the chickpeas and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until liquid is reduced by half.

Spoon the chickpeas over the greens and drizzle with remaining sauce.

Serves 2.

Vegetarian Savory Cobbler

INGREDIENTS

For the biscuits:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp sea salt
5 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup cream

For the collards:
2 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
3-4 pounds collard greens, thick stems removed and sliced into 1-inch ribbons
1/2 cup milk or cream
2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
One package smoked tofu, sliced lengthwise in three equal pieces and then sliced about 1/2-inch thick
Sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and red pepper flakes, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Make the biscuit dough: In a food processor, pulse flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, honey, and butter until the butter is in pieces about the size of small peas. Add the cream and pulse until it comes together in a dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough a few times until completely consistent and smooth. Roll the dough out to about 1-inch thick. Slice into square biscuits or use a round cookie cutter to make the biscuits. Place them on parchment paper on a baking sheet and refrigerate.

In a big, thick-bottomed pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and garlic and saute, stirring constantly, until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant, about 8 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil.

Add the collard greens to the boiling broth in batches, stirring after each addition. Lower the heat and simmer for about thirty minutes, until the mixture is a bit reduced and collards are very tender.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir the milk or cream and the cornstarch slurry into the collard mixture, then allow it to simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken up. Add the sliced tofu and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.

Pour the entire mixture into a large glass or ceramic baking dish. Lay the biscuits on top, with the corners overlapping if possible. Bake the dish in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, until biscuits are deep golden brown and the collard mixture is bubbly.

Let the cobbler rest for 10 to 20 minutes before serving it up in warm bowls.

Vegetarian Mincemeat

Make a big batch of vegetarian mincemeat so that you can make a few pies and have some left over to serve with ice cream, custard, pudding, or crêpes. You can also can or freeze it for later.

INGREDIENTS

1 unpeeled orange, washed
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 lb raisins or currants
1 lb pitted prunes, halved
2 1/2 quarts apples, chopped (peeling is optional)
2 1/2 quarts green tomatoes, chopped
1 lb brown sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap) or sorghum syrup
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ginger

DIRECTIONS

Quarter the unpeeled orange and remove all the seeds. Place in food processor with vinegar and half of the raisins, and process into a chunky paste. Transfer to pot.

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower heat and simmer, stirring often, about 30-40 minutes, until mixture is thick and apples and tomatoes are cooked but not falling apart.

Can, refrigerate, or freeze the mincemeat until ready to use.

For mincemeat pie: Roll out two pie crusts. Place one in a pie plate, then pour in 3 cups of cooled mincemeat. Top with second pie crust, crimp the edges, make slits in the top, and bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden.

Notes: You can replace some of the raisins and/or prunes with walnuts.