• 12 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch diced
• 1 1/2 pound (3 medium) sweet potato, cubed in bite size pieces
• 1 rib celery, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 large carrot, scrubbed, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch coins
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Leaves from 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more as needed
• 14 1/2 ounces canned, no-salt-added diced tomatoes, and their juices
• 2 bunches collard greens, stemmed and torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups; may substitute kale or mustard greens)
• 30 ounces canned, no-salt-added black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or more as needed

Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, celery and carrot to coat; cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables just begin to soften, 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, fresh and dried thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes, then pour in the broth, along with the tomatoes and their juices and cubed sweet potatoes. Increase the heat to medium-high; once the mixture comes to a boil, stir in the collard greens. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low so the liquid is barely bubbling around the edges. Cover and cook until the greens are tender and sweet potatoes are soft, 40 to 45 minutes.

 Add the black-eyed peas; cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, so the flavors meld.

Season with the salt, taste and adjust with more salt or crushed red pepper flakes as needed. Serve hot.

Low sodium or no-salt added canned lentils or chickpeas as well as canned kidney, navy, pinto or black beans can be substituted for black eyed peas.

 Adjust cooking time if using dried lentils.

• 6 cups 1/2-inch-diced sweet potatoes (4 to 6 large sweet potatoes; leave the skin on it adds more beneficial fiber but peeling is an option)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups loosely packed baby arugula
• 4 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• Add nuts or seeds of choice (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread cooking oil over baking sheets Toss the sweet potatoes in a large bowl with the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Stir the potatoes and continue to bake until fork-tender, an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely. In a large bowl, combine the cooled sweet potatoes, arugula and scallions. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the lemon juice and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, toss the dressing with the sweet potato and arugula mixture to coat.

INGREDIENTS

• Salad
• 1 bunch of rainbow chard, sliced into strips
• 1 large carrot grated
• 1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans
• ¼ cup peanuts chopped
• 1 sweet potato cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 avocado (optional)
• Olive oil and salt as needed
• Dressing
• ¼ cup peanut butter
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 to 2 tb. Soy sauce
• 1 Tb.Honey, maple syrup or agave
• 2 Tb. Parsley or cilantro
• 2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic minced

INSTRUCTIONS 

Prepare the rainbow chard by removing the stems and then cutting the leaves into thin strips, like a chiffonade. Save the stems and chop into small pieces. Massage the greens with your hands in a large bowl with a sprinkle of olive oil and a dash of salt. Add grated carrot to bowl.

Preheat oven to 425F. Drain and dry the garbanzo beans, add the chopped rainbow chard stems then toss them and the garbanzo beans with a tablespoon of olive oil and a dash of salt. Cut sweet potatoes with their skins on into 1 inch cubes and toss with olive to coat and a dash of salt. Spread both garbanzo beans and sweet potatoes on baking sheets with enough space for both and roast in preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Add maybe 5-10 minutes more for the sweet potatoes Remove from oven. Once they have cooled, add them to the greens.

For the dressing finely chop or optionally use a mini-food processor or blender to combine the dressing ingredients. The mixture will be thick, so thin it with water one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency is reached. Pour desired amount over the salad and toss until coated. Add sliced or cubed avocado. Top with chopped peanuts. Extra dressing is good on meat or other vegetables.