Kale with Penne and Sausage

Ingredients

1 bunch of Kale, cleaned and chopped

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 cup of short pasta (penne, rotelli or farfalle)

1/4 of cranberries or raisins

1 carrot sliced (optional)

1/2 cup of chicken broth

1 small can of diced tomatoes

Red pepper flakes

Spicy Italian sausage sliced (optional)

Parmesan (optional)

Olive Oil

Cook the pasta al dente in salted boiling water. In a large shallow pan with a lid saute the onions and garlic in medium heat for a few minutes. Mix in the sausage and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the chopped tomatoes, carrots and cranberries. Put the kale over the onion mix and add the broth. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, parmesan,  and season with salt and pepper. 

Farro with Swiss Chard

Ingredients

1 cup of farro

1 bunch of swiss chard

1 cup of cremini  mushroom

1/4 dried porchini mushrooms

(rehydrated in some water)

1 chopped spanish onion

2 cloves of garlic chopped

Chiken stock

Olive oil

Fry onions until translucent in olive oil, add garlic and cook for one more minute.  Add farro and let it toast for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and rehydrated porchini and cook 5 minutes. Add Chopped swiss chard and some chicken stock. Cook the farro like a risotto adding chicken stock and stirring until the grains are soft but not mushy. 

Benefits of farro

http://www.suite101.com/content/the-goodness-of-farro-a34822

Lebanese Tabouleh

Ingredients

1/2 cup of bulgur wheat

1 cup of cherry tomatoes

1 cup of diced persian cucumbers

3 tbsp of chopped mint

5  green onions sliced

1 Large Bunch of Parsley 

Olive oil

1 or 2 lemons

Red pepper flakes

Place bulgur wheat in a container and pull boiling water over it just to cover it, no too much. Cover the container with a tight lid and let to bulgur rehydrate. This has to be done in advance so the bulgur can dry up (overnight is best). 

Take the stems of the parsley and select the leafs, wash, dry in a salad spinner, and chop finely.

Cut tomatoes in half and dice cucumber in cubes. In a bowl mix with sliced green onions, mint and add bulgur. Season generously with olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon, or 2 if  the lemons are small. Add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste. 

Bulgur and cholesterol

http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/40730.aspx

Broccoli Rabe with Orecchiette Pasta

Ingredients

1 cup of orechiette pasta

1 large bunch of broccoli rabe

2 cups of turkey meatballs

1/2 cup of vegetable or chicken stock

1 cup of diced San Marzano tomatoes

1  medium spanish onion diced

2 or 3 diced cloves of garlic

Olive oil

Red pepper flakes to taste

Cook the pasta in salted water until it's al dente, (6 to 8 minutes)  drain and set aside. In a large pan sautee the onion in olive oil for a few minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Mix in the chopped tomatoes and the broth and put the broccoli rabe on top. Cover and let the broccoli rabe cook in medium low heat for 3 minutes, add the prepared meatballs and cook for another 5 minutes. Mix in the cooked orecchiette pasta. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.

Benefits of broccoli rabe

http://www.wholeliving.com/article/power-foods-broccoli-rabe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orecchiette

Watercress and Sardines Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup of watercress

1/2 cup of canellini beans

1 can of sardines

2 green onions chopped

2 tbsp of mayonnaise, 

2 tbsp of lemon juice

2 tbsp of olive oil

1 tsp of dijon mustard

Spicy Shiraza sauce to taste

Make a creamy dressing mixing mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard and spicy sauce.

In a bowl mix sardines, canellini beans, watercress and green onions. Add the dressing and season with salt and ground black pepper. 

Benefits of watercress

http://hubpages.com/hub/Health-Benefits-of-Watercress