spring kale and dill soup with rice

Dill has to be one of the more interesting herbs available, with its citrus aroma and fresh taste. The term dill weed is quite accurate, in the sense that if left to its own devices, your garden would be overrun with the herb in much the same way as mint is apt to do. If the ground is left untouched from season to season, dill will rule.

I suppose in much the same way, dill can be a dominant flavor in a dish and be overpowering if the flavor is not something you enjoy. Me, on the other hand, I am in love with dill. I will even buy it just to freshen the air in the kitchen, as I would use basil; both are aromatic not just in recipes, but in the environment.

The dill weed in this soup adds a refreshing flavor, which is accented by the fresh lemon juice added to each bowl. While the soup might at first seem to be hardy and rich, the kale is young and tender and the rice just makes sure we don't take the soup too seriously. After all, it is spring and the time for heavy, hearty, rich stews and soups are getting ready to be retired until autumn.

Although the recipe calls for small butter beans, which are creamy, you can substitute cannellini or another white bean.

SPRING KALE AND DILL SOUP WITH RICE PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

On a side note, lately my son has been doing video reviews of movies and shows on YouTube. He's been doing it for a while now, but I just saw one for the first time the other day and I was quite impressed. He is doing them while attending college, but has still managed to keep up with his school work and write, narrate and edit his reviews. 

Although most of the reviews he does would not be of interest to most of the readers of this blog (unless you like anime), this short one might. It is of the final movie by Hayao Miyazaki, "The Wind Rises," an Academy nominated animated historical drama.

I am also linking to these recipe parties! The blogs hosting Healthy Vegan Fridays are Suzanne at Hello Veggie, Anna at Herbivore Triathlete, and Kimmy at Rock My Vegan Socks.  

The blog hosting Gluten-Free Fridays is Vegetarian Mamma.

I’ve also decided to submit this dish to What I Ate Wednesday hosted by Peas and Crayons since, well, it will be Wednesday soon enough!

grilled artichoke and quinoa lettuce wraps

It must be spring because I am getting a ton of artichokes in my produce box.

There are many ways to prepare artichokes including steaming, boiling, braising, roasting and grilling. The simplest is to cook them and peel off the leaves, dipping them in warm vegan Hollandaise sauce, the method preferred over all others by the Dever clan. I don't really argue with them since this requires the least prep work on my part.

For better or worse, my box has been so laden with fresh artichokes that we have finally reached the limit of the simple way to eat them; no longer will dipping the leaves and the artichoke hearts in a sauce suffice. The family needed something different.

Here is a good tutorial on how to clean artichokes. After you clean them of the choke, boil them and grill them, as directed in the recipe. If you don't have an abundance of fresh artichokes, don't have the time or the patience to clean them yourself, but you'd still like to make this otherwise fast recipe, use jarred artichoke hearts. I won't tell.

This wrap is made with quinoa, spring onions (or scallions) and lemons, all within the spring theme. If you want to know how to cook quinoa perfectly (and not have to use a microwave ;), it is all spelled out in my upcoming cookbook, Everyday Vegan Eats.

Happy Spring everyone!

GRILLED ARTICHOKE AND QUINOA LETTUCE WRAPS PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

And if you haven't entered the giveaway for Robin Robertson's revised edition of Vegan Planet, do so right HERE. Unless you already have the book, why not? It's an amazing volume that has stood the test of time, now with revised recipes as well as 50 new ones. Contest ends April 11.

Also, be sure to let your friends and family know that the great Meatout is March 20th (tomorrow!). Eat vegan for one day and help the animals and the planet. Pledge HERE.