Many clients I work with talk about getting stuck in patterns with food. They eat the same three or four things all the time and feel uninspired to get into the kitchen. If cooking feels like drudgery, try changing the form of a food.
We have started serving blended greens at Hale Pule lately, and they are always met with surprise and delight. The one-minute additional step of blending greens after cooking makes the experience of kale or collards completely new. All the senses get a refresh with new ways of looking, tasting, feeling, smelling, and even hearing the blender! I like to add a little buttermilk or yogurt to bring in the sour and sweet tastes to the otherwise bitter and astringent greens.
Served on their own, greens can be quite vata-provoking. This recipe for blended greens is meant to be served with a slightly greater portion of a sweet, augmenting vegetable—like sweet potatoes, zucchini, squash, beets, or carrots. The combination of these vegetables balances the doshas, brings in all rasa, and it tastes delicious!
Blended Greens
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 4–5 large whole leaves of kale or collard greens
- 1 tablespoon ghee or sunflower oil
- ¼ teaspoon mineral salt
- ⅓ teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon fenugreek powder
- ⅓ cup buttermilk or yogurt (for a vegan option use freshly made rice milk with a squeeze of lime)
- Water
Directions:
Remove the thick stems and chop the kale or collard leaves into thin shreds. Warm the ghee or oil in a saucepan and add the salt, ginger, mustard seeds, and fennel seeds and simmer until the aroma is present. Add the fenugreek powder, stir and simmer another minute. Add the chopped kale or collards and stir to coat. Add enough water to just cover the bottom of the pan. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat until the leaves are tender. Turn off the heat and let the greens cool down slightly. Blend the greens and cooking liquid briefly until they are a smooth consistency. If more liquid is needed, add some of the buttermilk or yogurt during blending. Stir in the remaining buttermilk or yogurt and serve with your favorite sweet vegetables.
