50 Best Plants on the Planet (52 page)

Shred romaine and place it on a platter. Top with bite-size roasted beets (cooled and quartered or halved), tangerine sections, and slivers of red onion. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and tangerine juice. Season with salt and pepper. Top with toasted pine nuts and thinly sliced fresh basil.

Thinly slice
3
or
4
radishes and
1
trimmed and cored bulb of fresh fennel. Put them in a bowl and top with enough vinaigrette to generously coat. Coarsely chop
1
heart of romaine; add it to the bowl, along with
1
tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley,
1
tablespoon minced fennel fronds, and
¼
cup small cubes feta cheese. Toss; taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Garnish with pitted black olives, such as kalamata.

Sure they are often served for breakfast, but huevos rancheros make great dinners, too. A romaine salad is refreshing and offers a welcome bit of crunch to contrast the creaminess of the beans and eggs. Offer bottles of hot sauce for diners to use if they want a spicier hit.

Yields
4
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
330

fat calories
80

total fat (g)
9

sat fat (g)
3

cholesterol (mg)
15

sodium (mg)
430

total carbohydrates (g)
43

fiber (g)
9

sugars (g)
1

protein (g)
21

vitamin A IUs
50
%

vitamin C
6
%

calcium
25
%

iron
20
%

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

Freshly ground black pepper

2 green onions, thinly sliced (including dark green stalks)

2 radishes, thinly sliced

 2
½
tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 cups thinly sliced hearts of romaine

One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained, rinsed, well drained again

½
cup salsa verde, store-bought or homemade
(see page 105)

8 corn tortillas

Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray

¾
cup shredded low-fat pepper Jack cheese

8 egg whites

1
.
Preheat the oven to
400
degrees F.

2
.
In a medium bowl, combine the oil and lime juice and season them with salt and pepper. Add the onions, radishes, and cilantro; toss. Add the romaine, but wait to toss it until after the eggs are cooked.

3
.
In a small bowl, combine the beans and salsa verde; toss.

4
.
Coat both sides of the tortillas with cooking oil spray and place them in pairs on a rimmed baking sheet (each pair should overlap by about
3
½
inches). In the middle of each overlapping pair, place about
⅓
cup bean mixture. Top with
2
tablespoons cheese. Bake until they are hot and the cheese melts, about
9
minutes.

5
.
Meanwhile, coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking oil spray and place it on medium heat. Lightly beat the egg whites and add them to the skillet. Cook, without stirring, for about
1
½
minutes, or until they are almost set. Turn and finish cooking them, about
45
seconds.

6
.
Transfer each pair of tortillas to a separate plate and top each with some eggs; season with salt and pepper. Toss together the romaine mixture. Top the eggs with the romaine and remaining
1
tablespoon cheese for each serving.

Toasted nuts and seeds add an appealing crunch factor and turn this dish into a more substantial salad that will serve deliciously as a light lunch as well as a first course. If desired, the mixture of almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and pepper flakes can be toasted a day in advance.

Yields
4
first-course servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
200

fat calories
170

total fat (g)
19

sat fat (g)
4

cholesterol (mg)
10

sodium (mg)
360

total carbohydrates (g)
4

fiber (g)
2

sugars (g)
1

protein (g)
6

vitamin A IUs
90
%

vitamin C
10
%

calcium
8
%

iron
8
%

3 tablespoons whole skin-on almonds

1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

1
½
teaspoons sesame seeds

Pinch dried red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1
½
tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

Freshly ground black pepper

3
½
cups bite-size pieces romaine

¾
cup coarsely chopped fresh dill

¾
cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

½
cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1
½
ounces chilled goat cheese, pinched into small nuggets

1
.
Coarsely chop the almonds, leaving many only chopped in halves or thirds. Place a plate next to the stove. In a medium, deep skillet, combine the almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and pepper flakes. Toast them on medium-high heat, shaking the handle almost constantly, until the sesame seeds are lightly browned,
1
to
2
minutes. Spread the mixture on the plate to cool.

2
.
In a small bowl or glass measuring cup with a handle, whisk together the oil, juice, and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

3
.
In a large bowl, combine the romaine and herbs; toss. Stir the dressing and pour it over the salad; toss to combine. Add the nut mixture and toss. Divide the salad between four salad plates. Top with the cheese and serve.

Carrots are generally sweeter if you buy them with the green stalks attached. Because they have increased natural sweetness, they harmonize in a lovely way with the spicy heat of harissa, a chile paste that is often used in North African cuisines. Serve these sweet-hot carrots as a topping for a simple chopped romaine salad.

Yields
8
side-dish servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
130

fat calories
8

total fat (g)
10

sat fat (g)
1.5

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
190

total carbohydrates (g)
11

fiber (g)
3

sugars (g)
7

protein (g)
1

vitamin A IUs
270
%

vitamin C
15
%

calcium
4
%

iron
4
%

½
teaspoon ground cumin

8 medium carrots, peeled, cut into
¾
-by-
⅛
-by-
⅛
-inch matchsticks

¼
cup fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons harissa (
see Cook's Note
)

½
teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)

1
½
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

¼
cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons diced dates

1 medium garlic clove, minced

6 cups chopped romaine

1
.
To make the carrots: Sprinkle the cumin in a small skillet. Toast it over medium-low heat, until it is fragrant and darker in color,
2
to
3
minutes. Remove it from the heat and set aside.

2
.
Bring a medium saucepan or Dutch oven half full of water to a boil on high heat. Add the carrots and cook until they are tender-crisp, about
1
to
2
minutes. Drain well. In a medium-large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, harissa, toasted cumin, and the salt. Add the carrots and toss. Set the carrots aside to cool to room temperature. Add the oil and toss. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

3
.
To make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and syrup and season with salt and pepper. Add the oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Stir in the dates and garlic. Set aside.

4
.
Put the romaine in a medium-large bowl. Stir the vinaigrette and pour it over the romaine; toss well. Divide the salad between eight plates. Top with the carrots and serve.

COOK'S NOTE
Harissa is a North African chile paste that is often packaged in toothpaste-type tubes, but it is also available in jars. Look for it at natural food stores, stores that carry imported specialty foods, and some supermarkets.

Savoy cabbage offers delicate flavor as well as a stunning appearance, its green ruffled leaves crisscrossed with white veining. Cabbage is in the same plant family as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli. They are classified together as cruciferous vegetables because their flowers have four petals that resemble a cross.

They are nutrient-packed rascals, excellent sources of fiber and vitamins A, B (especially folate and riboflavin), C, and K.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per
1
cup raw, shredded)

Calories
19

fat calories
1

total fat (g)
0

sat fat (g)
0

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
20

total carbohydrates (g)
4

fiber (g)
2

sugars (g)
2