From the Kitchen of Amy Rothenberg ND

Some of you know I am a bit of an artist & can often be found in my small studio making books or other projects. I am inspired by materials, things from nature, a beautiful pen, and especially by handmade paper, with its color and diversity, its texture and malleability. Recently, while cooking up lunch I felt equally inspired in the kitchen. I had come across orange cauliflower at the market and was wowed by the coral color and distinct shape of the florets. Laying eager on the cutting board next to crisp chopped red cabbage, I felt like an artist with a wok as my canvas.

Stir fried vegetables is a staple of my diet and is an easy, versatile way to get in a variety of vegetables without a lot of work. The key is cook your veggies in the right order, so the the ones that give general flavor to the dish have their chance to simmer up first, the ones that need time on the heat in order to find the right texture and optimal access to their nutrient cache get the time they need and those that just need a flash in the pan do not overcook! Many of my patients claim they do not care for vegetables; for some people it is because they were served either under or more likely over cooked veggies, which easily ruins the flavor, the texture, the whole experience!

Ingredients:

• One good sized onion chopped
• 6 cloves garlic smashed
• Quarter cup olive oil
• One head yellow or white cauliflower
• 6 big leaves of kale, filleted off the stem and cut into 3 inch strips
• One thick carrot sliced into disks
• One can organic black beans, rinsed
• Juice of one orange
• 3 tablespoons wheat free tamari or soy sauce of choice

Heat the olive oil, use a high setting on your stove & saute the garlic & onions until the onions are clear.

First add the carrots, your hardest veggie here and when they start to soften, add the cauliflower. When the cauliflower is almost done, add the kale and the black beans. Drizzle with tamari & orange juice. DO NOT OVER COOK. Nice thing about this dish, make a lot and put the cooled leftovers in a glass container in the fridge. Makes a terrific omelet filling with a bit of grated cheese and a nice piece of toast!