It’s a time for resolutions, reflection and new directions – we cut back a little while determinedly trying to fit into those pants that suddenly seem a bit too tight.  Luckily there’s a full bag of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables on the counter just waiting to be rinsed, cut, roasted, sautéed, tucked into a warming soup or simply popped, without any treatment at all, right into our mouths.  Wholesome goodness ready to nourish our bodies and souls while also reorienting our eating habits after weeks of, let’s just admit it, whole-hearted over-indulgence.  The good news is that getting back into a routine of healthy eating doesn’t need to be bland, boring or devoid of pleasure – in fact with the ready assistance of a little olive oil and some herbs and spices, all of the components of this week’s bag can be served up in a fabulously flavorful way, while reining in the fat and calorie load to a reasonable, pre-holiday level.

The first item I’m going to pull out of the bag this week is the wonderfully nutritious bunch of greens.  Kale is a perennial favorite making the cut onto many a “superfoods” list.  Not having grown up eating this dark, leafy green, many of us have struggled here and there figuring out tasty and creative ways to incorporate the vitamin powerhouse into our regular diet.   One of the easiest tricks I turn to is adding some chopped leaves to most any vegetable soup (whether they’re called for or not).   I started sneaking kale into steaming tureens many years ago, in an attempt to encourage my soup-loving preschooler to eat a little green stuff (something she wouldn’t have otherwise dared to do without gagging). Kale is surprisingly mild, and its presence rarely throws off any flavor or texture balance.  I doubt my daughter could distinguish it from the green herbs she was used to seeing in her minestrone.  Over the years I’ve done the same with other leaves – cabbage, collards, chard, spinach – all have been happily snuggled into countless pots of mouthwatering, tummy-warming soup, and consequently the bowls of appreciative, albeit unsuspecting, daughters (and husbands).

This week I turn to a decidedly old-fashioned barley soup (takes me all the way back to elementary school lunch, alongside the classic PB&J) as the vehicle for our greens delivery.  A mug of this soup will feel hearty and satisfying, with plenty of well-balanced nutrition to offer as well.

Recipe – Old Country Mushroom, Bean and Barley Soup

Recipe – Potato and Kale Cakes with Rouille

Serve the soup or potato cakes with a light green salad made with lettuce (I like to include some assertive greens such as arugula), fresh orange segments (sliced from their connective membranes), thinly sliced red onion, sliced almonds and cubes of creamy avocado.   Toss with fruity vinaigrette – 3 to 4 parts olive oil whisked with one part champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar, a good dose of fresh orange juice, salt and freshly ground pepper.   Add a little Dijon mustard to the mix if you like an extra kicky dressing.

Here’s to a local, fresh, healthy and home-cooked start to the New Year!