Roasted Squash and Kale Cannelloni with Miso Cream Sauce

This is from Food and Drink Holiday 2014..a really nice flavour and a different take on traditional Cannelloni.

Cannelloni
1 medium buttercup squash, about 1 kg
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 large bunch kale, stems and ribs removed, chopped
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper
20 oven ready cannelloni shells, about 175 g

Sauce
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup white miso
1/4 cup flour
5 cups hot water
1 cup whipping cream

Garnish
1 tbsp butter
3/4 cup panic bread crumbs
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• Cut squash into quarters and discard seeds.  Place on a baking sheet and brush with 1 tbsp oil.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from oven.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and cook for 3 minutes, or until soft.  Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Add kale and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often or until wilted.
• Spoon squash into pan with kale and stir to combine.  Remove from heat and add Parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Let cool.
• Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Press squash mixture into cannelloni.  Place in prepared dish.
• Melt butter with miso over medium heat.  When butter begins to of, stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.  Whisk in 1 cup hot water.  Continue whisking in water 1 cup at a time until smooth.  Whisk in cream.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Pour sauce over cannelloni, they will be fully covered.  Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.  To make garnish, melt butter in a small frying pan over medium heat.  Add bread crumbs and cook until golden, about 5 minutes.  Remove format and stir in parsley.  When cool, stir in Parmesan.
• Remove foil from cannelloni and top with bread crumb mixture.  Return to oven and cook uncovered for 10 more minutes or until bubbling and golden.  Remove from oven and drizzle with remaining olive oil.

Serves 4

Super-Green Pinwheels with Minted Pea Puree

From Fresh Juice Magazine.  Not kid friendly…but I loved them.  You could use any salad mix for this.

4 fresh lasagne sheets
1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
140 g Baby Arugula with Spinach Salad
140 g Kale, Chard, Spinach Salad Mix
1 cup crumbled light feta, divided
1 egg, whisked
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup toasted almonds chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

MINTED PEA PUREE
1 tsp olive
1 cup diced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup peas
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1. In large pot of simmering water, cook lasagna sheets for 2 minutes; drain and cool in cold water.  Lay sheets on oiled baking sheet with the length running from top to bottom; cover with plastic wrap.
2. In large deep skillet over medium high, heat oil and saute onion for 2 minutes; add salad mixes.  Saute until wilted; let cool for 5 minutes.  Stir in 3/4 cup of the feta, egg and pepper.  Divide mixture equally into 4.  
3. Preheat oven to 400F.  Spread mixture evenly on lasagna sheets, leaving top 3 inch pare to help pasta seal.  Roll up each sheet from bottom to top; slice each roll into 8 equal pieces.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet.  Sprinkle with remaining feta.  Bake until cheese is golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, for pea puree, in small saucepan over medium, heat oil; add celery and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.   Add peas and broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes.  Add mint.  Transfer to blender and process until smooth.  Reheat in saucepan, if necessary; serve with pinwheels garnished with nuts and mint.

Smoked Salmon Pizza with Baby Kale Salad

I am really loving baby Kale, a healthy and tasty salad choice.  This is definitely an adult pizza…make a pepperoni one up for the kids.  I used pizza dough but if you are short on time just buy a prepared pizza crust or use some Naan bread.  Based on a recipe from Canadian Living Magazine 2013.

350 g pizza dough
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
4 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp milk
150 g sliced smoked salmon
1/4 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tsp capers, drained, rinsed and chopped
2 tsp chopped fresh chives
1/2 tsp peppercorns, crushed

BABY KALE SALAD
1 tsp olive
1 tsp lemon juice
pinch each salt and pepper
2 1/2 cups lightly packed baby kale

1. On lightly floured surface, roll out or press dough into 11 inch circle.  Transfer to greased pizza pan; prick all over with fork.  Spread oil over dough; sprinkle with pepper.  Bake on bottom rack of 500F oven until golden and crisp, about 12 minutes.  Let cool.
2. Meanwhile, combine cream cheese, 2 tsp lemon juice and the milk; spread over pizza.  Top with salmon, onion, Feta, capers, chives, peppercorns and remaining lemon juice.
3. In bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper; add kale and toss.  Sprinkle on pizza and return to oven for 5 min or until kale is wilted.

Spicy Collards and Kale

I wasn't able to find collards at my little grocery store but I did find Swiss Chard and substituted it.  It worked out really well.  I haven't had a chance to try collards but will give it a try when I get a chance.  This is a great spicy dish with lots of flavour and texture.  I also didn't have Nando's Peri-Peri sauce but used good old Tabasco sauce instead.  From Fresh Juice Magazine 2013.

3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 bunch kale, washed and centre stems removed
1 bunch collard greens, washed and centre stems removed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 medium red pepper, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 tsp Nando's Peri-Peri Sauce

1. On chopping board using back of knife or with mortar and pestle, mash garlic and salt until coarse paste; set aside.
2. Stack kale and collards in bunches, roll tightly lengthwise, like a cigar, and slice thinly crosswise; set aside.
3. In large skillet over medium, heat oil.  Add onion and garlic paste; stir until soft and starting to become golden, about 2 minutes.  Add red pepper; stir for about 45 seconds. Add kale and collards; cook for about 1 minute, using tongs to separate ribbons of greens and fold in with onion mixture.  Add hot sauce; toss to combine.  Cook until greens are slightly wilted and vibrant green, 3 minutes.  Remove from and adjust seasoning to taste, if desired.  Serve warm.

Green Minestrone with Pesto

Not a beautiful looking soup, but delicious and healthy!

1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

2 onions, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

pinch hot red chili flakes

2 zucchini, diced

1 bunch swiss chard or kale, chopped

1 head broccoli, trimmed and chopped

1/2 lb green beans, cut into 1/2 in slices

8 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock

1/2 cup macaroni or other small pasta (whole wheat if possible)

1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas

2

cups chopped escarole or baby spinach leaves

3 green onions, chopped

Pesto

1 clove garlic

1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 

2 oz (60g) shaved or grated Parmesan (preferably parmigiano reggiano)

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven.  Add onions, garlic and hot chili flakes.  Cook gently until tender.
2. Add zucchini, Swiss chard, broccoli, green beans and stock. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.  Add pasta and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes longer.
3. Add chickpeas and escarole, salt, pepper and green onions.  Cook 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile make pesto by placing garlic, basil and salt in a food processor and chopping finely.  While the machine is running, add olive oil through the feed tube, until mixture is thin enough to drizzle.
5. Serve soup, drizzled with pesto and topped with Parmesan.  Freeze any leftover pesto.