Dark Greens Salad with Roasted Beets and Oranges

5 ounce salad mix that contained baby spinach, baby arugula and radicchio

1 small bunch of beets with greens

2 oranges

3 Tablespoons raw sunflower seeds

1-2 ounces of crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to make the dressing

Clean the salad greens and place in a large bowl.

Remove beets from greens. Remove greens from stems; wash, chop and add to the bowl with the rest of the greens. For the beets, peel them and slice in half. Slice each half into 1/4 inch half moons. Place on a dark roasting pan, toss with olive oil, and roast for 20 minutes at 425. Remove from oven and allow the beets to cool completely.

Cut each orange in half along the equator and use a citrus knife to cut out the sections. Reserve the sections for the salad and squeeze the remainder of the juice in the oranges into a separate bowl.

Toast the sunflower seeds in a small, dry skillet on medium until they just start to brown. Remove from heat and allow them to cool completely.

To make the dressing, take 3 Tablespoons of the reserved orange juice and whisk in 1 Tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Very slowly whisk in 3 Tablespoons of olive oil until the dressing is combined. Taste and adjust any of the seasonings as you feel are necessary.

Pour the dressing over the salad greens and toss to combine so all the greens are covered. Sprinkle the roasted beets, orange sections, toasted sunflower seeds, and feta cheese if you are using it, over the salad greens. This salad served 6 with no leftovers.

The main spice in this dish is garam masala. Garam masala is actually a blend of different spices which usually includes coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, etc… If your grocery store does not carry garam masala you can purchase it here.

Cauliflower, Tomato and Spinach Coconut Curry

1 onion, chopped

1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

3 cups of tomato, chopped

1 can of coconut milk

3-4 big handfuls of baby spinach

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained (I used black eyed peas as that was what I had in the pantry.)

Heat some canola oil in a large skillet with sides and saute the onion over high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the cauliflower and continue to saute until the veggies just start to brown. Move the veggies around to create an opening in the center of the pan and add a little more oil. Add the garlic, jalapeno, garam masala, turmeric, and mustard seeds and saute for about 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes with their juices and coconut milk, reduce the heat and allow everything to simmer together. Stir in the baby spinach until it just wilts. Remove from the heat, taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the beans and serve with brown rice.