My Classic Go-To Meal: Mustard Greens & Rice

One of my standby, go-to, quick & easy meals is brown rice with sauteed greens of some sort. It's tasty, easy, very nutritional, it fills you up, and makes great leftovers.

My husband has a penchant for mustard greens, so I often use these when making this dish. Kale works deliciously too. Any dark, leafy green of your choice would work -- spinach, chard, collards, dandelion greens, and the like.

Dena's Mustard Greens & Rice

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch mustard greens, rougly chopped and rinsed
As much garlic as you like, chopped (we like a lot!)
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
Brown rice for as many people you're feeding -- for 2 people and leftovers, I use 4 cups (you could also totally substitute quinoa!)
Salt & pepper to taste

(Optional items: garbanzo beans or black beans or protein of your choice)

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil. When it's shimmery, add garlic and onion and let them get fragrant and the onion slightly translucent. I actually like to wait until the garlic is just this side of toasty.

Then add your washed greens and toss to coat and get them wilty. If you're using mustard greens, which are a particularly hardy green, cover and let it steam to soften the greens. If you're using something more tender, like spinach or chard, you likely won't even need to do that.

When your greens are a rich dark green color and as wilted as you like them (usually pretty darn wilted), add brown rice and remaining tbsp olive oil and toss to combine. Add any optional items. Then salt and pepper to taste and serve and enjoy!

A variation: at the last minute, when you've added the last tbsp of olive oil, also add a tbsp of your favorite vinegar or lemon juice. Adds a nice acidic counterpoint if you're in the mood for a different flavor.

Hubby's Favorite Dinner

My husband's most favorite dinner in the whole world is homemade cornbread, black-eyed peas, and sauteed greens of any sort. This is what we had for dinner on Thursday, as planned. Don't be scared off by what seems like many steps -- it's actually a super simple supper to put together, as you do the peas and the greens in the 20 minutes that the cornbread is baking.

Also, if you're not a baker, don't be afraid! I'm not a baker either. Cornbread is unbelievably easy to make, and very very forgiving. It does not require the precision of regular baking. I promise.

Dena's Cornbread, Black-eyed Peas, & Greens

First, the cornbread:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.

Combine 1 cup corn meal, 1 cup whole wheat flour (you can of course substitute all-purpose if you prefer), 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt in medium mixing bowl.

Combine 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, and 1 large egg in a small bowl; mix well until egg is distributed throughout.

Add milk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until blended. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

While bread is baking:

Mince 6-8 cloves garlic and throw half into 2 tbsp olive oil in 2-3 quart pot set on medium-high. Let it get fragrant and yellow, then add 3 cans organic black-eyed peas. Stir and let simmer for about 3 minutes. Then add salt to taste, a dash of cumin, and 1 tsp of garlic powder. Set it to medium-low to simmer.

Roughly chop greens of your choice -- I used dino kale -- and rinse. Add remaining 3-4 cloves of garlic to 2 tbsp olive oil in large saute pan set on medium-high. When garlic is fragrant, about 1-2 minutes later, add greens and toss with tongs. Let them sit for about a minute and toss again. Repeat until greens are vibrant green color and slightly wilted. Move off heat and serve immediately alongside cornbread topped with black-eyed peas.

Garnish with plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper and enjoy extremely comforting food.