Steamed Veggies With Pine Nuts & Raisins

From Amanda.  Simple and delicious.  Beautiful to look at.  And don’t you find when you eat this way that you feel full, but not too full, and you don’t feel thirsty afterward either!  Amazing how changing what one eats and including more vegetables in one’s diet really does change the way you feel.  It’s as if one’s insides are hydrated and pampered.  Broccoli, green beans or zucchini aren’t spinach or kale or collards, but you will make Popeye proud.  Can you use leafy greens in this recipe?  Sure.  Remember you’re in charge in the kitchen and you can make whatever floats your boat!

Of course use organic if you can.  Every ingredient below is available organically grown, which means higher nutrient levels for your bod and better for the planet.

Serves 2-4 as a nice side dish

Cook your veggies so they’re bright green and still crisp.  There are several ways to do this.  “I like blanching in boiling salted water, but steaming is fantastic too,” says Amanda.

Heat a large skillet and toast pine nuts for a couple minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent burnt bottoms.  Add olive oil and toast to a medium brown, another couple minutes.  Add the raisins, cider vinegar, and garlic.  Stir with a wooden spoon while cooking yet another couple of minutes. Turn off the heat, taste, and season with salt and pepper (less or more than suggested above).  Spoon onto your cooked veggies and toss with gay abandon.  Serve immediately.  Yum! Fresh and green, sweet and savory, this dish is sure to please any palate!

Yes, you can use frozen organic vegetables too.  It’s much more fun to use fresh, and that’s our first choice.  We can’t get over the fact that we have organic produce every day, it’s still a thrill, even after a year.

Does anyone miss the old Tuesday produce days when we all elbowed our way throughout the store around all those temporary tables of produce that came in and went out in one day?