As I was pondering over what to do with my old hair dryer it occurred to me that maybe I could recycle it. Why not? So I began my exhaustive research (I googled how to recycle a hairdryer) and I discovered the blog, The Red, White, and Green which has some really great articles about Jennifer’s own adventure in trying to recycle her hair dryer. Definitely check it out. Needless to say I gained some very valuable information about recycling small appliances and one less hair dryer will now be unnecessarily added to the local landfill.
While I browsed The Red, White, and Green blog I fell upon Meatless Monday, which Jennifer had included in her many easy tips to be greener and more environmentally friendly. I love this concept! I am always looking for clever ways to incorporate more veggies into our diet and this seemed like a great way to live healthier and help the environment. Perfect! And so Meatless Monday has arrived at the Fork.
And you were wondering what a hair dryer had to do with food.
Our first Meatless Monday was a rather dismal day here in Atlanta, cold and rainy. Ideal soup conditions if you ask me. Searching online for something good to make, I came across a recipe for Rebollita at epicurious. Ribollita is Italian literally meaning ‘reboiled’ and is a delicious soup that is actually meant to be cooled and reheated to maximize flavor. Hello, leftovers. I made a few changes to suit my tastes, I increased the veggies and I left out the pancetta to keep it meatless. It was sooo good! There is something so comforting about a big pot of soup simmering on the stove, you know?
Ribollita (adapted from epicurious, Tucson Ribollita)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 15-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1 15-ounce cans cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 parmesan rind
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
Grated parmesan
Method
1. In a large pot over medium heat, sauté onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil, about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute, add tomato paste.
3. Add the tomatoes and their juices, along with the beans, broth, rosemary, and parmesan rind. Simmer, until the beans break apart, about an hour.
4. Add kale and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more, serve in bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
We served this soup with ciabatta bread with roasted garlic and rosemary and a glass of red wine. Buon appetito!
