Green Quinoa with Pine Nuts

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 c. quinoa, rinsed well and drained

1 ¾ c. low-sodium chicken broth or mild vegetable broth

½ c. pine nuts, lightly toasted (or substitute toasted slivered almonds)

½ c. sliced green onion

½ c. chopped cilantro or parsley

Procedure:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add quinoa and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover; cook until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.  Fluff with fork and stir in pine nuts, green onion, and cilantro (or parsley).  Serve hot or warm.

Fava Bean Dip with Green Garlic

Ingredients:

1 cup shelled fava beans (about 1 pound unshelled)

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. + 1 Tbs. olive oil, divided

⅓ c. green chopped green garlic

½ tsp. lemon zest

1 Tbs. fresh-squeezed lemon juice

2 Tbs. water

2 oz. goat cheese (optional)

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

To shell the fava beans, squeeze the bean pods so that the shelled beans fall into a bowl.  If you prefer, you can remove the outer skin from each bean, but this step is not necessary.  Bring a pot of water to boil and add the 1 tsp. salt.  Add the shelled fava beans and cook for 5 minutes, until bright green.  Drain beans and submerge in a bowl of ice water.  Let sit for 1-2 minutes, then drain again and add beans to a food processor.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add 2 tsp. olive oil.  Add the green garlic and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat and add to the food processor, along with the beans.  Add the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 Tbs. water, and goat cheese (if using).  Pulse until smooth.  Add additional water or olive oil if needed to achieve a smooth texture.  Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Store leftover dip in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

2 c. water

1 ½ c. diced peeled potato

1 can low-sodium cannellini beans, rinsed well and drained

1 pound broccoli, trimmed and chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

¼ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Procedure:

Heat oil in a large soup or stock pot over medium heat.  Add onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown.  Add garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly.  Add broth, water, and potato and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 10 minutes.  Add beans and broccoli; cook until broccoli is tender, about 10-12 minutes.  Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth.*  Add salt and pepper to taste.  When serving, sprinkle each bowl with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese (if desired).  

*Note: If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can blend the soup in two batches in a regular blender, removing the center piece of the blender lid and covering with a kitchen towel (to let steam escape but protect from splashes).  Return the blended soup to the pot and reheat to desired serving temperature.