How To Beat a Crappy Mood (plus a recipe for spiced greens)

It's been raining since I woke up at 7. I have a sore throat and a sinus headache. Two weeks ago, I had a kidney infection. It was excruciating. I'm better now, but, you know...being able to feel your inner organs (in a bad way) just isn't right. So, I'm lying in bed with a shiny new cold, having just recovered from an internal infection. Schtuff happens. And because I've had to rest a lot and work less in the past few weeks, I start to feel like I'm trapped in a little town in the middle of a foreign country, going nowhere. That's not really true, but it's how I feel today. In other words, I'm in a crappy mood. Just being honest.

So, what do I do when that happens? Here's a list of a few essentials. Try them out next time you're stuck in a rut.

*First, I make sure I'm eating good food, in other words, green vegetables, since they're packed with nutrients (see recipe below). I include spices like turmeric for its antibacterial properties, its benefits for the liver and skin and many other healing functions. I might eat a kiwi or two because of their exceptional Vitamin C levels. I have a couple of eggs for protein, which helps keep my blood sugar steady. But basically, I keep my food light and super nutritious. I don't eat cookies or a chocolate bar. That makes you feel worse, once the sugar high has worn off and you've swallowed it and can't taste it anymore. Then you just feel more lethargic and maybe slightly regretful, and your body still needs the real food to nourish it.



*Second, I move. I turn on this song...



...and I dance. There, now you can do it too! I adore old music videos. They don't make 'em like they used to. I'm diggin' the guy in the orange/red shirt and black trousers on the platform - I don't know what he's up to, but it makes me smile. I almost always choose 'Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now' by McFadden & Whitehead because it's the most positive, uplifting song I can think of. You could say, in terms of Ayurvedic medicine, that 'Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now' is universally beneficial. I jump around, clap to the beat, kick my legs up and really get the blood going. Even with a sore throat. I do this in front of a mirror so that I have someone to grin at. It feels great.

*I drink ginger infused hot water with lemon and add some manuka honey after the 'tea' cools enough to comfortably hold the tip of your finger in. Manuka honey is helpful in fighting off infections (it seems) because of its antibacterial action. Ginger helps to clear any phlegm, perks up your digestion in a big way, and helps to detoxify the body. In Ayurveda, ginger is also said to promote circulation and creativity. You can't lose with ginger. Just slice an inch (or less if you want less spice) of ginger root into 3 cups (700 - 800 ml) water and boil; then reduce to a simmer and cover, simmering for 5 - 10 minutes until it's nice and spicy. Pour into a mug, squeeze in lemon to taste, let it cool down and stir in the manuka.

*I ask myself what I really, really, really feel like doing. In other words, I listen to my body. This is a little like meditating. Maybe I need to rest. Journal. Dance. Stretch. Finish a task that's been on my mind for too long. Clean the house. Get some sun. Turn off the computer. Snuggle the cat. Whatever it is, I take the time to do it.

After all of that, I can usually fight off any encroaching ailment, feel better and get some good work done. Like writing this post, so that you can have a better day too.

Dark Greens with Garlic, Lemon and Spices

As usual, use organic where possible to avoid giving yourself a dose of pesticides. The better the vegetable, the less you have to do to it to make it taste gorgeous. So hit up your local farmers market or save money, support independent farmers and join a CSA (in the UK or the USA).

The point of this recipe is simplicity and ease. It can be as fast as: steam greens. Toss in lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve. Or you can get fancy with the garlic and spices.

Chard, kale, tenderstem or purple sprouting broccoli, broccoli rabe, beet greens, turnip greens, spinach, arugula (rocket), mustard and dandelion greens...these all work. If you're using dandelion or mustard greens, you might want to use them as an accent to a different green like chard, spinach or kale, unless you're really hard core about your bitter foods.

2 bunches of greens, about 300 grams, or 4 big handfuls after you chop them
1 - 2 Tablespoons olive oil
2-3 medium/large garlic cloves
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds, enough to sprinkle over the pan
1 - 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (save the rind and put it in tea)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon each: cumin, coriander and paprika powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
pinch of chili flakes (optional)
fresh herbs (optional): parsley, coriander, basil, oregano...it's up to you. A sprig or two of each.
fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (to taste, or leave it out here)

Wash the greens, remove any tough stems and chop them. Mince the garlic. Heat the oil on medium in a medium/large skillet, then add the garlic and sesame seeds. Toast for a minute or two, just until the garlic starts to brown a bit. Then add the greens, lemon juice to taste and crack the pepper over the greens. Stir occasionally until the greens have wilted down.

A minute or two before the greens are cooked to your liking, add the cumin, coriander, paprika and turmeric powder; also add the fresh herbs. Sprinkle a bit of salt over everything. Mix well. With dry spices, you want to add them just before you're done cooking. They dry out the pan and will stick and burn quickly if there is very little moisture in the pan. You want to heat them just enough to take out any raw taste but not much more.

Taste for salt and pepper, then serve. I actually love this for breakfast, for the way it tastes and for the way it makes me feel, with an egg or two on the side, or fried and placed on top.

Walnut Pesto: Better Than Nutella

I know the title of this post might make some people think that I'm not human, but the truth is that the full cup of walnut pesto we made the other day was gone within 24 hours. We also recently had some Nutella hanging around, since Colm occasionally makes crepes on Sunday mornings. The jar of Nutella, less than a cup, lasted over two weeks.



It's true: I eat pesto straight from the jar. I love it. Not the store-bought stuff, but real, home made pesto. The difference is huge. Actually, let me make that really clear: home made pesto is a million times better (and somewhat cheaper) than store-bought varities. I haven't made my own pesto for nearly a year - probably not since the last time basil was in season. I had forgotten the massive difference between the stuff from the store, made with cheaper ingredients and probably containing preservatives, and the stuff you make at home. I had forgotten the sweet sharpness of raw garlic, how bright the taste of fresh basil is, the tang of the parmesan (or lemon). I made it right before dinner on Wednesday, and we each mixed a big spoonful into our soup. The next morning, I put some of it on a salad that I was taking to work. Colm took the rest of the soup with another big spoon of pesto. When I arrived home in the afternoon, I spread it on oatcakes with goat's cheese as a snack. Then Colm came home and saw how quickly it was disappearing, so he had to have it on rye crackers. And that was it. Done. Gone.

Maybe, if we have this stuff around all the time, then we'll adjust and regain some self-control and civility. It's worth a shot. But before that happens, maybe you should make some yourself so that we can be in good company. It only takes a few minutes to make, walnuts are far more affordable than pine nuts these days (at least they are in England), and they're rich in omega 3 fats. Basil is a green leaf, and green leaves are always good for you, unless they're rhubarb leaves.

If you don't eat dairy, you can use a bit of lemon zest and juice, to taste, in place of the parmesan. This is a trick I learned from Peter Berley's books, and it works really well: the sour, bright taste of lemon replaces the sour taste of cheese. There are thousands of ways to make pesto: with different nuts, vegetables, herbs and spices, so feel free to play around. It's also very easy to make, and involves no cooking. I'm sure that stirring it into mayonnaise would be amazing. On artichokes. Mmmmm.

Walnut Pesto
note: 1 cup = approximately 235 ml, 1/3 cup = 80 ml

1 generous cup of chopped basil leaves, packed lightly
1/2 cup or a bit more of roughly chopped walnuts
1/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese (or 1 - 2 tsp. lemon zest and 2 TBS fresh squeezed lemon juice - this is a guess, so taste as you go if using lemon)
3 small or 2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
good quality extra virgin olive oil, about 1/4 - 1/3 cup - enough to create a paste-like consistency and to cover the top for storing

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the basil, walnuts, garlic, cheese or lemon and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Begin to blend on a low speed and as it's blending, slowly drizzle in a thin stream of olive oil. Continue to blend and drizzle until the pesto is coming together into a paste. Pause and scrape down the sides of the mixer. Adjust the salt if you need to.

If you're happy with the consistency, then stop here. Or, add more olive oil as needed and blend again. I like my pesto thick enough to hold together when used as a spread. Plus, with home-made pesto, you need to put a layer of olive oil over the top to keep it from turning brown (see below), so more oil will go in anyway. Blend for a total of several minutes, making sure all ingredients are well ground.

How to store: Spoon the pesto into a jar with an air-tight lid and pat it down, making sure there are no air bubbles and that the top is flat. Pour a thin layer of olive oil over it and close the jar. The oil will sit on top and keep air out. Refrigerate. I prefer a jar that is tall and thin rather than wide and flat so that I don't need as much oil.

Now you have some delicious pesto. The self-control part is up to you. Good luck!

Turnip Potato Soup with Turnip Greens

I am not a lover of turnips. I don't know anyone who is. Turnips are not the life of the party in the vegetable world. That would be asparagus, which everyone is head over heels for at this time of year. But spring is also a good time for baby turnips, whom I fell for last week. Baby turnips, made into a soup, with their greens.



In New Mexico, you could head to the local co-op and find a vast, sprawling line-up of amazing greens, many grown locally. Dandelion greens, broccoli raab, broccolini, dino kale (called cavalo nero in the UK), mustard greens, all sorts. It's a bit harder to produce all of that when you live in the middle of a northern island. But we have an amazing CSA right down the road, and last week we had a small bunch of baby turnips, greens attached, in our share. I was stumped. What to do?



I looked up a recipe for turnip soup with turnip greens by Deborah Madison. Instead of stock, it called for milk. I am also not a huge lover of milk. Maybe a splash in my tea now and then, but not four cups of it, with turnips. But I hadn't made a milky soup in ages, and I decided to throw caution to the wind and plunge ahead with reckless abandon. It was delicious. The next week, there were no turnips in my vegetable box, so I had to beg. I made the soup again, this time with some old potatoes that needed using up (it's almost new potato time) to thicken it. It was, again, delicious. My partner, also a turnip skeptic, loved it.



I thought that a turnip soup recipe might be a nice way of saying thanks for the bonus veggies. I also feel that what the world needs now is greens, bitter turnip greens. They're delicious, especially fried in butter and mixed into a soup that's creamy and sweet. Their bitter crunch balances out the other flavours in the soup. Spring is the time of year to eat plenty of bitter green vegetables - daily if you can - to help cleanse your liver and balance out any lingering effects from winter indulgences (spotty skin, excess weight or water retention, etc.). So say Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. And with all of the amazing green leaves coming into season at the moment, it makes perfect sense to focus on this type of vegetable. I topped my bowl of soup with some walnut pesto, which was really delicious. So delicious that I'm going to have to make that my next recipe.

Turnip Soup with Turnip Greens (and potatoes)
inspired by The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison

3/4 lb (6 - 7 small) turnips, removed from their greens before weighing
All the greens from the turnips (most of the stalks included)
3/4 lb potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 leeks, tough green part discarded, washed and sliced into thin half-circles
6 branches of thyme, plus a few pinches of fresh thyme leaves
2 cups of organic milk
water
sea or kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper

Wash, trim and peel the turnips. Slice them into 1/4" rounds. Peel the potatoes, quarter them if they're large and slice them into 1/2" pieces. Bring a small pot of water to the boil, salt the water and add the turnips and potatoes. Blanch for 1 minute, then drain.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a heavy bottomed soup pot with the olive oil. Add the sliced leeks and cook them in the oil for a few minutes, until they're going translucent. Then add the potatoes, turnips, thyme, 1/2 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon or so of sea salt. Cover and stew all of this over medium low heat for 5 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the milk and about 2 cups of pure water, enough to not quite but almost cover the vegetables. Slowly raise the heat without letting the milk boil. Eventually it will simmer a bit, but keep the heat low so it's barely boiling or just under. Cook this way until the turnips and potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, sort through the greens, remove the ends of the stems and discard any that are too tough. Wash the greens and stems. Chop them into small pieces. Melt the second tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet. Let the butter brown a bit if you like. Toss in the greens, season with salt and pepper and fry them in the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally until they're tender, 5 - 10 minutes.



When the turnips are tender, remove the soup from the heat and puree with a hand blender. Add the turnip greens and stir to incorporate. Season with pepper, taste for salt, stir in some fresh herbs of your choice (thyme, parsley or chives) and serve. I happened to be making pesto at the same time and it made for a really nice garnish, so that's an option too.