January Gems

With the new year comes a new bounty of produce! In January, kale, broccoli, and onions are in-season. Check out these delicious recipes utilizing these useful vegetables and greens.

Kale Spinach and Pear Smoothie

Ingredients
1 heaping cup spinach leaves
1 heaping cup chopped kale leaves
1/2 pear
1 frozen banana
1 1/2 cups cold soy or almond milk
1 tablespoon honey

Remove kale leaves from their rough center stalk and coarsely chop. In a blender, combine kale spinach and almond milk. Blend until no big kale bits remain. Stop blender and add banana honey and pear. Blend until smooth, recycle your milk carton, and enjoy!

French Onion Soup

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup red wine
3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 quarts beef broth
1 baguette, sliced

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry for about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium-low so the flour doesn’t burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

When you’re ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Ladle the soup into the bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top. Recycle your broth and wine cartons, and enjoy!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 onion, chopped
White Onion, Large
1 (16 ounces) package frozen chopped broccoli
4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (1 pound) loaf processed cheese food, cubed
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup water

In a stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter until softened. Stir in broccoli, and cover with chicken broth. Simmer until broccoli is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat, and stir in cheese cubes until melted. Mix in milk and garlic powder. In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into water until dissolved. Stir into soup; cook, stirring frequently, until thick. Recycle your milk carton and enjoy!

What are your favorite recipes using this season’s fruits and vegetables? Share with us on Facebook and Twitter, using #RecycleYourCartons!