Happy National Nutrition Month!

I was recently informed, by a nutritionist friend, that March is National Nutrition Month. Now, although my love for all-things-delicious usually leads me somewhat off course when it comes to a healthy diet, I think healthy eating is incredibly important. I'm also inspired by the theme this year, which is, "Eat right. With color." 

So, with that in mind, flavorfull will focus on healthy eating for the rest of March. I'm really excited to share ideas and techniques that produce healthy meals without sacrificing flavor. If you have questions, comments or advice (or, best of all, recipes), I'd love to hear from you. You can reach me through blog comment, or at:
facebook.com/flavorfullblog
@flavorfullblog
flavorfullblog@gmail.com

White Bean and Kale Soup

Hold it right there, readers. Don't go anywhere. I know the mere sight of kale might send some people running, but I promise you: I would never dream of giving you a recipe that didn't taste delicious. But, kale? You say. Yes, Kale, I say. 

I understand your hesitation. My relationship with Kale wasn't exactly love at first sight. My mother often forced  encouraged me to eat kale, and I wasn't keen on it. But now, because of this recipe, I'm madly in love with Kale. (It's true.) Give me a few minutes of your time, and I'm sure you will be, too. My kale-paradigm-shift happened one afternoon at the coffee shop across the street. Feeling guilty for a particularly indulgent blog post, I ordered Kale and White Bean soup for lunch. It was, after all, the healthiest option on the menu. Much to my surprise, it was light, delicious and full of flavor, with none of the bitterness I remembered from the kale of lunches past. The soup had a slightly salty broth and the kale had softened from boiling in the soup. The white beans added some much needed texture to the mix. 

As I was enjoying this fabulous soup, I remembered some things I'd been told by various kale-lovers. Kale is good  great for you. It is a source of Protein and Dietary Fiber and it's low in Saturated Fat and very low in Cholesterol. On top of all that, it contains great vitamins. Oh, also, it contains anti-oxidants and is considered an anti-inflammatory. For more on the awesomeness of Kale, go here. Or, just make the recipe I've posted here. 

White Bean and Kale Soup

By Alexandra Rogers 

Ingredients

1-2 Tablespoons coconut oil

1 cup diced yellow onion (about 1 small-medium onion will do)

2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 cups kale leaves, torn into small pieces
1 1/2 cups great northern/white beans *use beans from a can, here, not dried beans*
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)

parmesan cheese rind (optional)

Recipe

In a medium or large pot, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, stirring once to coat with oil, cover and reduce heat to medium. Let the onions sweat for about 3 minutes, then add minced garlic. Cook for 2-3 more minutes, until garlic is fragrant but softened, and onions are tender and browning. 


In a separate bowl (or large liquid measuring cup) mix together vegetable broth and water. Pour about 1/4 cup broth mixture into the hot pot containing the onions, and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Do this twice. This process is called deglazing the pan. Add the rest of the broth mixture and bring to a boil. At this point, add the rind, if you're using it.


Once the broth, onions and garlic are boiling, add kale leaves. Cover and boil for 10 minutes. 


After 10 minutes, add salt to taste. Then, add the beans and boil, covered, for 5 minutes. Add a crack or two of pepper, stir and serve. Makes 5-6 servings of healthy, delicious soup.

Key Lime Pie

Hello readers. I'm writing today to ask you for help. What started as a citrus-phase (as seen here) has now gone spinning out of control into a pie phase. There are two slices of this key lime pie left sitting in my fridge and I am doing everything I can not to finish the pie tin and lick it clean. Do any of you happen to have some extra self-control you can lend me? I'm a sucker for a graham cracker crust. 

Especially a graham cracker crust with coconut. And the creamy, tangy filling in this pie? Well, I'm a sucker for that, too. This recipe is made with regular, grocery store limes, instead of juiced key limes or persian limes. My mother has perfected it, adapted from The New Best Recipe cookbook. We like to serve it with a bowl of freshly whipped cream and allow guests to garnish their own slice, instead of pre-decorating the pie.There's nothing like topping your own slice of heaven with a gigantic spoonful of airy whipped cream. 

Key Lime Pie

Adapted by Marcella Rogers from The New Best Recipe

Ingredients

Lime Filling

4 teaspoons grated lime zest

1/2 cup strained lime juice (from 3 or 4 regular limes)

5 large egg yolks

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Graham Cracker Crust

9 graham crackers (5 ounces), broken into rough pieces

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

5 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut 

Whipped Cream Topping

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 lime, sliced paper thin

Recipe

Whisk zest and yolks in a medium glass, plastic or clay bowl for about 2 minutes, or until it takes on a light green color. Beat in milk and lime juice. To thicken, set aside at room temperature for at about 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and adjust oven rack to center position. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until they are fine crumbs (about 30 seconds)--this should result in 1 cup of crumbs. Add the sugar and coconut, then slowly add the butter. Pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press mixture into a 9-inch pie pan, evenly. cover with saran wrap and refrigerate lined pie plate for at least 20 minutes to firm up the crumbs. Bake until lightly browned and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Cool pie crust to room temperature--this will take at least 20 minutes.

Now, your lime filling should have thickened a bit. Pour the lime filling into the prepared graham cracker crust and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until the center of the of the pie is set. This should take about 15-17 minutes. Let pie cool to room temperature, then refrigerate to chill (for at least 3 hours). 

Right before serving (within an hour), make your whipped cream. In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy whipping cream until it forms soft peaks. Gradually add the confectioners sugar while whipping. Serve the whipped cream with your key lime pie and garnish with thinly cut lime slices, if you wish. 

This pie can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to one day. 

Serves 8-12  (depending on how big you cut the slices).