Looking for a healthy meal? Chef Jerome Grant of Sweet Home Cafe will teach you two delicious recipes to spice up your dining at the NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo!
The Expo will be held Jan. 7 and 8 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Go here for complete schedules and hours.
Grant will take to the Healthy Cooking 4 You stage on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. with News4's Pat Lawson Muse. Here are his recipes:
Smoked Turkey and Black Eyed Pea Soup, Pickled Okra
Ingredients for soup:
- 1 lb. black-eyed peas (soaked)
- 1 cup carrots (small diced)
- 2 cups onion (small diced)
- 1 cup celery (small diced)
- 2 cups Roma tomatoes (med diced)
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 bunch thyme (tied)
- 2 smoked turkey legs (low-sodium and nitrate-free)
- 4 quarts water
- 3 tbs. avocado oil
- Cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup parsley (finely chopped)
Ingredients for pickled okra:
- 1 lb. okras
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbsp. turbinado sugar
- 2 tbsp. kosher salt
- 2 tbsp. mustard seed
- 1 tbsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp. peppercorns
- 1 tsp. fennel seed
- 1 sprig dill
Directions for pickled okra:
In sauce pot, add water, vinegar, sugar and salt, and bring to a boil. In separate container, add hard spices, dill and okra. Gently pour hot vinegar mixture over okra. Let cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate overnight.
(Note: Jarring the okra is much preferred, but this method is just a quick pickle; feel free to do the traditional method or buy pickled okra from your supermarket.)
Directions for soup:
In a large stock pot, heat the avocado oil and add onions, celery, carrots, garlic and sauté until onion becomes translucent. Add the turkey legs, water, bay leaf and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook until turkey becomes tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours, skimming any fat or foam that rises to the surface. (Add water as necessary to keep the legs covered.)
Add black eyed peas, cayenne pepper and continue to a simmer. Continue to skim any foam that rises to the surface, and cook until the peas are tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the turkey legs from the pot and, when cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and add back into soup. Discard bones.
Garnish soup with pickled okra.
Roasted Sweet Potato, Dried Cranberries and Collard Salad, Pecan and Raw Honey Vinagrette
Ingredients for salad:
- 2 lbs. sweet potatoes (peeled and diced large)
- 1 red onions (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 lb. collard greens (thinly sliced)
- ½ cup pecans (toasted)
- 1 tbsp. thyme (fresh leaves only)
- 1 tsp. ginger
- ¼ cup raw honey
- 1 ½ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
Directions for vinaigrette:
In a blender, add vinegar, ginger, pecans, coconut oil and gently pulse until mixture is combined. Lightly season vinaigrette with salt and hold until needed.
Directions for salad:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In medium mixing bowl, add sweet potato, 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, thyme and cumin, and lightly toss together. Using some of the coconut oil, lightly grease sheet pan then lay potatoes out on pan. Lightly season with salt; then roast the sweet potatoes in oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a rack and let cool.
In a large bowl, add shredded collard greens and mix with ¼ cup of dressing and let sit for 5-8 minutes. Then add sweet potatoes, red onions and ½ of the dried cranberries. Gently toss together and season with salt as needed. Transfer salad to serving bowl then garnish with remaining pecans and cranberries.
