Where to Buy Wild Rice

Authentic organic wild rice, hand-harvested by tribal members using traditional methods, is available for purchase online at Native Harvest.

How to Cook Wild Rice

Wild rice can be difficult at first and takes time to perfect. Here are a few general tips for success, plus instructions for cooking wild rice on the stove, in an Instant Pot, or in a rice cooker. 

General Tips

• Rinse first: For best results, rinse rice in cold water before cooking. This removes surface starch that might cause gumminess. If you don’t have a fine mesh sieve to rinse rice in, you can place rice in a pot, add enough water to cover, gently swish, carefully drain off water, and repeat. 
• Use the right ratio: For stovetop cooking, start with a ratio of one-part rice to three-parts cooking liquid. (You can use water or broth.) One cup dry yields roughly 3 cups cooked.
• Put a lid on it: When cooking wild rice, make sure your pot or rice cooker has a cover. 
• Stir occasionally: While the rice simmers, you may want to stir a few times to make sure your rice isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Check on it: Wild rice can take anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes to cook. To avoid overcooking the rice, you may want to taste it for texture while cooking. When done, the kernels will look tender and may burst open, and in “perfectly” cooked wild rice you will be able to see the cream-colored center of the grains. Darker wild rice requires a longer cooking time. If you like it chewy, reduce the cooking time to closer to 30 minutes. 
• Store it: Cooked, it will keep in the refrigerator for a week and up to six months in the freezer.

Stovetop

Bring 3 cups water (or broth) to boiling. Rinse 1 cup wild rice in a mesh strainer under cold water. Add rinsed rice to pot; return to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 to 45 minutes or longer if needed. If any liquid remains when rice is done, drain it off using a sieve.

Instant Pot

Rinse 1 cup wild rice in a mesh strainer under cold water. Transfer to an Instant Pot and add 1⅓ cups water. (Note different brands of wild rice may need a slightly different or higher ratio of water, so check the package instructions.) Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural release of pressure. Fluff cooked rice with a fork. Serve as a stand-alone side dish or add to other dishes/recipes. 

Rice Cooker

A rice cooker is an easy, convenient way to cook wild rice. Rinse 1 cup rice in a mesh strainer under cold water. Add 2 cups of water with rice and cook 50 minutes or until the rice is fluffy and tender. Let stand for another 10 minutes before serving.

Savory Fennel-Leek-Ginger Wild Rice

Recipe courtesy of Susan Greeley, MS, RDN and chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education
(Makes 4 cups)

• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup wild rice, rinsed
• 1 small leek, chopped (2 cups)
• 1 cup chopped fennel
• 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
• Sea salt, to taste

1. Bring vegetable broth to boiling in a heavy saucepan. Add wild rice. Return to boiling; then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, 35 to 40 minutes. If rice looks tender and has burst open, turn off the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. If not yet done, let cook another 10 minutes. If any liquid remains, drain off using a strainer and let stand.
2. While rice is cooking, in a large skillet or pot combine leek, fennel, ginger, and salt. Add 2 cups water; bring to boiling. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook, covered, 45 minutes. Remove lid; let cook 10 minutes more or until liquid has evaporated.
3. Put cooked rice in a large serving bowl. Add cooked vegetables. Stir well and serve.

More Wild Rice Recipes

Try wild rice in one of these healthy plant-based recipes from Forks Over Knives.

• Creamy Wild Rice Soup
• Caribbean Rice
• Stirred-Not-Fried Rice 
• Wild Rice, Cabbage and Chickpea Pilaf Recipe
• Ethiopian Rice Pilaf Recipe
• Pomegranate–Wild Rice Salad

For more guidance in healthy cooking, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

This article was originally published on Nov. 5, 2021, and has been updated.

The post What Is Wild Rice, and How Do You Cook It? appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Harvesting

Hearts of palm are palm trees’ terminal buds—the youngest leaf shoots, found at the very center of the stem, once the outer husks have been removed. Many hearts of palm sold in the U.S. come from palmettos, which are small palm trees that grow in Florida. They’re also harvested from some palm species found in Brazil and other areas of Central and South America.

In many cases, trees are cut down in order to harvest the hearts, or terminal buds, which makes hearts of palm not a favorite of conservationists. However, some growers use species that have multiple stems so a plant is able to continue growing even after one stem has been cut. Once the edible heart is removed, it’s cut into cylinders, and, if not sold fresh, it is jarred or canned in brine or water for preservation. Due to the labor-intensive harvesting process, hearts of palm are often expensive.

Taste

The smooth, ivory white cylinders have a velvety and layered flesh, similar to white asparagus. Their taste can be compared to that of white asparagus and artichoke hearts, and bamboo shoots are also frequently mentioned for taste comparison. Bamboo shoots have a stronger taste and more fibrous texture, while hearts of palm are milder and softer.

Where to Find Them

The entire palm heart, typically weighing 2 to 3 pounds, is sometimes sold fresh in the United States. However, canned, jarred, or bagged hearts of palm, which have been stripped of their tough husks and cut into smaller pieces, are the most common way to find them sold in supermarkets. Look for them alongside other canned vegetables or in the “International” aisle.

With an upsurge in interest in plant-based and gluten-free foods, hearts of palm are now available finely chopped into rice form or spiralized into pasta, which you’ll typically find in the frozen section.

Nutrition

Hearts of palm make for a great addition to one’s diet for variety and nutritional value. Since they are naturally low in calories and high in water and fiber, hearts of palm are great for weight management. A 100-gram serving of the non-starchy vegetable has just under 40 calories, with 4 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein, as well as small amounts of minerals including iron and manganese.

How to Eat Hearts of Palm

Hearts of palm’s mild flavor and tender-yet-firm texture make it a versatile ingredient for a wide variety of uses. One of the most common ways it’s eaten is sliced into coins and tossed into salads. A plate of cut hearts of palm combined with artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and a few olives makes a great appetizer. Diced hearts of palm can form the base of plant-based “crab” cakes or faux tuna salad, or added to homemade veggie-burger patties.

If using canned or jarred hearts of palm, simply rinse them and cut the cylinders crosswise into small rings. After rinsing, they can be eaten straight on their own as a snack, added to salads, or used in recipes (see below). If using spiralized hearts of palm in place of pasta, simply rinse the “pasta” and combine with desired sauce and other vegetables; then heat in a pan and serve.

Recipes to Try

Not sure where to start? Try one of these delicious hearts of palm recipes from Forks Over Knives.

Potato and Artichoke Heart Pasta Salad

Potato salad or pasta salad? Why choose? This hearty, creamy salad from Chef Darshana Thacker brings together the best of two summery sides, with hearts of palm adding extra texture.

Deviled Potato Sandwiches

This healthy, satisfying sandwich is perfect for your weekday lunch hour.

Rustic Bread Bowl with Sun-Dried Tomato and Asparagus Dip

Hearts of palm help create a thick, creamy texture for this dairy-free dip.

This post was produced in collaboration with the Institute of Culinary Education’s Natural Gourmet Center

The post What Are Hearts of Palm? appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Taste

Biting into raw jicama will give you a great crispness and crunch and not much flavor! Jicama is often described as a cross between a potato and an apple. It is crunchy like an apple but not at all sweet, and despite its potato-like appearance, it’s not starchy. It has a sort of mild, “milky” taste. The crunchy, watery texture makes it reminiscent of water chestnuts. It can be described as light and refreshing, particularly when eaten in the traditional way in Mexico: with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and sprinkle of cayenne. Jicama makes a great crunchy, light snack that gives you something to munch on while keeping you hydrated, too.

Nutrition

Jicama is high in fiber and micronutrients and very low in calories, with roughly 50 calories in 1 cup. That 1-cup serving will provide 6 grams of prebiotic fiber (which helps to fuel healthy gut bacteria), and it is a good source of the minerals calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C.

Where to Buy

Look for jicama alongside other root vegetables, such as rutabaga, potatoes, and turnips. They are available year-round in most grocery stores nationwide. Look for firm tubers without bruises, cracks, or discoloration.

How to Store, Peel, and Eat Jicama

Jicama skin is toxic, so always peel it before eating. Interestingly, jicama does not turn brown when exposed to the air after being cut, so you can peel it in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week until ready to eat.
1. To peel jicama, use a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, to remove all the tough skin.

2. Cut the jicama in half so you have a flat side for stability.
3. For slaws and salads, grate or julienne the peeled jicama. For roasting, broiling, or air-frying, cut it into thicker strips (about a half inch or an inch wide).. For snacking, cut into strips or chunks, drizzle with a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice and, if you like, add a sprinkle of sea salt and/or cayenne pepper.

Alternatively, if you own a mandoline, jicama can be sliced easily in thin rounds for roasting or julienned for use in salads, stir-fries, or other dishes.

How to Cook Jicama

Here are some basic cooking instructions.

Oven-roasted: Preheat oven to 400°F. In a bowl, toss peeled and sliced jicama with desired seasonings, such as a squeeze of lime juice or pinch of paprika and sea salt. Spread pieces out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes.

Sauteed or stir-fried: In a sauté pan, cook peeled and matchstick-cut jicama sticks over medium 3 to 4 minutes. (Or add to a stir-fry in the last few minutes of cooking.)

Air-fried: Preheat air fryer to 375°F. In a bowl, toss peeled and sliced jicama with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a sprinkling of desired seasonings. Spread out in a single layer in air-fryer basket. Air-fry 20 to 25 minutes or until browned and crispy, removing the air-fryer basket and tossing the pieces twice during cooking.

Jicama Recipes

Because of its mild, milky taste and ability to absorb the flavor of foods that it is prepared alongside, jicama can be incorporated into many different types of dishes. To get you started, here are a few jicama recipes from Forks Over Knives.

• Summer Celebration Fruit Bowls
• Veggie Wraps with Herbed Hummus
• Ginger-Lime Watermelon Salad
• Watermelon Gazpacho
• Tucson Spicy Lentil Tacos

For more guidance in healthy cooking, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post What Is Jicama? How to Enjoy the Refreshing, Juicy Root Vegetable appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

How Do They Compare to Other Leafy Greens? 

Collards are smooth and hearty in texture with broad, dark green leaves, and light-colored veins and stems. Taste-wise, collard greens have a flavor that can be described as a cross between kale and cabbage.

Seasonality

Collard greens are available year-round, but the peak time to buy is January through April. As a cool-season crop, they are one of the hardiest of all vegetables. They tolerate frosts and freezes better than many other plants in the leafy greens category.

Nutrition

Nutritionally speaking, collards are a powerhouse! They are rich in antioxidant vitamins A and C, as well as being high in vitamin K, calcium, iron, fiber, and phytonutrients from the carotenoid group, including lutein and zeaxanthin. 

Selection

When shopping look for bunches with deep-green leaves that feel crisp but not dry, slightly moist but not wilted, with no signs of yellowing.

Storage

Put fresh collard greens in the refrigerator quickly after buying them, and do not wash them first. Store in a vegetable crisper in a clean plastic bag for up to five days. Clean the greens when ready to use.

Prepping

Even if you buy collard greens pre-washed or “ready-to-eat,” it is still recommended to wash the greens before eating. Clean and prep whole greens using the following steps.

1. Discard any outer leaves that may be torn or bruised. Separate the leaves.
2. Put leaves in a large bowl of cold water and stir them around. Using your hands or a slotted spoon, gently lift the greens from water. Rinse out the bowl and refill with clean water. 
3. Repeat Step 2 until no dirt appears in the water.
4. Pat clean leaves dry using a dishcloth or paper towels, or spin them in a salad spinner. Remove as much water as possible.
5. Place each leaf on a cutting board and slice along the large center rib; discard rib. 
6. Roughly chop leaves, or stack leaves and roll them into a cigar shape; then slice them into ribbons.

How to Cook and Use Collards

With their mild flavor and hearty texture, collard greens lend themselves to a variety of uses both cooked and raw. 

Sauté: In a medium sauté pan, heat 1–2 tablespoons of vegetable broth over medium heat. Add chopped collards. Cook until they reach your preferred softness, stirring frequently. 

Boil: Submerge in a large pot of boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Steam: Add about an inch of water to a covered pot. Bring to boiling. Insert a steamer basket and add collard greens. Steam for about 10 minutes or until tender.

Slow-Cook: Add collards to soups, stews, and sauces and let simmer for hours in a Crockpot or other slow-cooker. 

Instant Pot: Pour ½–1 cup water or vegetable broth into Instant Pot. Add chopped and washed greens. Close the lid, with the valve in sealing position. Select Manual. Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.

Salads: You can enjoy collards raw in salads like you would other greens or lettuce. Simply add chopped collards to a large bowl; sprinkle in a variety of nuts, chopped fruits (fresh and/or dried), or beans; and toss with your favorite dressing.

Blend: Add chopped raw collard greens to smoothies. 

Substitute: Collards generally make a great alternative in any recipes that call for kale or Swiss chard. 

Vegan Collard Greens Recipes

Despite their affiliation with ham hocks and bacon, collards don’t need meat to be flavorful. Try one of these vegan collard green recipes from Forks Over Knives. 

• Spicy Collard Slaw 
• New Year’s Day Soup
• Super Greens Soup with Chickpeas
• Veggie Wraps with Herbed Hummus 

For more guidance in healthy cooking, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post What Are Collard Greens, and How Do You Cook Them? appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

The Benefits of Beets

Beets have been around for many centuries and are well known for their health benefits. Both the beetroot bulb and beet greens are rich in antioxidant vitamins (especially vitamin C and beta carotene) and phytonutrients, as well as other micronutrients including folate, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron. 

Beets may also help to lower blood pressure, as they are rich in nitrates, natural chemicals that are converted in the body to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps blood vessels to expand and ensures a sufficient flow of blood from the heart to all body organs. 

Types  

Red beets are the most commonly available beet, but there are many different types. Candy cane beets (Chioggia) and golden beets are both beautiful and slightly less sweet than their red counterparts. Sugar beets are not eaten; instead they are grown and processed for sugar. 

When Are Beets in Season? 

Beets are readily available nearly year-round, as they are grown in more than 30 states throughout the year. The peak season, however, is June through October, making them commonly available at local farmers markets throughout the summer and early fall.

Selection

Look for brightly colored, firm beets that still have the taproot and greens attached. The greens should look fresh. The skin of the bulb should be free of blemishes and cuts.

Storage

When storing beets, the goal is to prevent the loss of moisture and flavor. Remove the leaves, leaving about ½ inch of the stem attached and keep the tail of the root intact. Store beet bulbs, unwashed, in a zip-top plastic bag and keep them in the crisper of the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Store greens, unwashed, in a zip-top plastic bag in the crisper drawer for 2–3 days maximum. (It’s ideal to eat the greens as soon as possible, as they are highly perishable and only keep for a short time.)

Can You Eat Them Raw?

Both the beetroot and greens can be eaten raw. Trimmed, washed, and peeled raw beets are often used in salads, slaws, and Russian borscht (a traditional cold beet soup). Washed and chopped beet greens can be used in salads or pureed for smoothies. 

Avoiding Beet Stains

If staining is a concern, opt for golden or striped Chioggia beets. Red beet juice, raw or cooked, will stain surfaces, hands, and textiles. Peeling raw red beets will result in less staining from the juice, although if planning to cook the beets, it is better to keep the skin on to minimize the color release. You may want to avoid using a wooden cutting board when cutting red beets. 

How to Prep and Cook Beets 

When cooking the beetroot (bulb), be sure the leaves have been cut off first. Trim off the “tail” of the root and wash beets well. Keep the peel on and remove it after cooking to retain its color and to help lessen or prevent stains from beet juice. Once cooked, run them under cold water and then remove the peel. Cooked beets can be cut in large chunks, quartered, sliced, diced, cut in long strips, or, if they are very small, used whole.

Experiment with different cooking methods:

1. Boiling

This is the most common cooking method for beets. Place beets (with peel on) in a pot of water, bring to boiling, reduce heat, and let simmer for about 40 minutes or until tender.

2. Steamed

Place beets (with peel on) in a steamer basket in a saucepan. Add water to saucepan to just below basket. Cover pan and steam until tender, about 30 minutes. 

3. Oven-Roasted/Baked 

Dry roasting beets in the oven with peels on locks in their natural sweetness. Bake whole beet bulbs on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 375°F for about 50–60 minutes, testing for tenderness with a knife.

How to Cook the Greens

Beets are in the same botanical family as Swiss chard, and beet greens are very similar to and can be cooked in the same ways as Swiss chard. You can also serve them as a simple side dish, on their own or mixed in with a cooked grain. Blanched or steamed greens can be turned into a pesto or other sauce. Beet greens also make a wonderful addition to soups and stews. 

Be sure to wash them well before cooking to remove residual soil, which can make their texture gritty. 

To blanch greens: Submerge in boiling water 2 minutes; then dunk in an ice bath. 

To sauté greens: Heat a few tablespoons of vegetable broth in a pan over medium. Add beet greens and saute until wilted and tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, adding more broth, 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. 

To steam greens: Steam 2 minutes in a vegetable steamer until just tender. For stovetop steaming: Place greens in a steamer basket in a saucepan. Add 1–2 inches of water to saucepan below basket. Cover and cook over medium-low heat about 5 minutes or until just tender. 

Recipes

Recipes courtesy of Susan Greeley, MS, RDN, and chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education.

Can’t Beet This Pasta

• ½ cup raw cashews
• 3-4 whole beets with greens
• 8 ounces whole grain penne or rotini pasta
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Chopped fresh parsley or basil, for garnish
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Place cashews in a small bowl and cover with 1 cup water. Let soak uncovered 12 hours. Drain and transfer cashews to a blender; add another ¼ cup fresh water. Set aside.
2. Heat a large pot of water over medium-high.
3. Cut tail and leaves off beets. Thoroughly wash leaves and stems, and chop into 1-inch pieces. Peel beetroots. Cut into large chunks. 
4. Add stems and leaves to water, lightly salt, and bring to boiling. Reduce heat; add beets. Simmer about 15 minutes or until stems and beetroots are tender.
5. Using a ladle or large slotted spoon, transfer stems, leaves, and beetroot pieces to a colander to drain. (Leave cooking water in pot.) Transfer drained beets, greens, and stems to large serving bowl. 
6. Return cooking water to boiling and add the penne. Cook 8 minutes or until al dente.
7. Meanwhile, add garlic and salt to cashews and water in blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. 
8. Drain pasta; add to bowl with beets. Toss with garlic-cashew sauce and stir well to combine. For serving, garnish with fresh herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

More Beet Recipes

Try one of these plant-based beet recipes from Forks Over Knives! 

• Easy Beet Wonderdip
• French Tartines with Beet and Avocado
• Chickpea and Baby Beet Salad with Pickled Red Onions
• Roasted Beets and Baby Leeks Platter
• Wheat Berry and Roasted Vegetable Salad with Kale
• Farro and Spinach Salad with Air-Fryer Beets

The post What Are Beets, and How Do You Cook Them? appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

When Is Chard Available?

Chard is a biennial crop that grows from April to November and is available year-round. It is unique in that it does well in both cool and hot temperatures. Typically, the best time to get chard is in summer, when it is often readily available at farmers markets. Because the leaves are highly perishable, buying locally grown chard is recommended for peak freshness, taste, and nutrient density. 

Nutrition

Like other leafy greens, Swiss chard is a nutrient-dense, low-calorie vegetable. Chard contains fiber and an array of phytonutrients. Interestingly, chard has a higher sodium content than other vegetables of its kind. One cup of raw chard contains 103 milligrams sodium, about 4 percent of the American Heart Association’s daily recommended allotment—so you may want to add less salt to chard dishes than you would to dishes that star other leafy greens. 

Types

While the leaves of chard are always a dark green, the stems can be red, pink, yellow, and even orange and white. Rainbow chard is a blend of the different-color chard plants grown separately; then the stalks are bundled into a beautiful, colorful bunch. Different colors of chard can be used interchangeably, as there’s no significant difference in flavor.

Selection Tips

When shopping for chard, look for leaves that are fresh and green and show no signs of yellowing or wilting. Bigger is not necessarily better: Extra-large leaves and ribs may be overly mature and tougher in texture.

Substitutes for Chard

When chard is not available, spinach, kale, and beet greens make good substitutes. Spinach and beet greens resemble chard closely in texture and all are  members of the same plant family, Amaranthaceae. Kale has a tougher texture than chard but a similarly earthy flavor.   

Can the Stems Be Eaten?

Yes! Chard stems are intended to be eaten. In Europe, chard is often grown specifically for the stems. Stems can be eaten raw like celery, such as a whole stem (stalk) dipped into hummus, or simply chopped into a salad. They can also be cooked. It’s a good idea to separate the stems from the leaves before cooking, as the stems require more time to cook. 

How to Store Chard

Chard can be stored for one week, refrigerated at 40°F or below. Wrap unwashed chard in a damp paper towel, then place in a plastic bag, seal, and store in the refrigerator crisper.

Freezing is not recommended for fresh chard. However, blanched stems and leaves can be frozen, separately, in an air-tight, freezer-safe container for up to a year.

Swiss Chard Recipes

Chard is delightful in a variety of dishes, from soups to salads to enchiladas to tacos. These vegan Swiss chard recipes from Forks Over Knives showcase the leafy green’s versatility. Make one today!

• Split Pea and Chard Soup
• 4-Layer Enchilada Cakes
• Green Beans and Summer Squash Salad
• Lentil, Chard, and Sweet Potato Curry
• Barbecue Bean and Cornbread Bake
• Millet-Stuffed Chard Rolls
• Penne with Swiss Chard, Olives, and Currants
• Vegan Lasagna Verde
• Vegan Broccoli Soup Recipe
• Sweet Potato Lasagna Recipe
• Spicy Stir-Fry Tacos
• Autumn Minestrone
• Caribbean Rice
• Sweet Potato Soup With Cannellini Beans and Rainbow Chard
• Southwestern Enchilada Casserole 

This post was produced in collaboration with the Natural Gourmet Center, a plant-centric culinary arts program from the Institute of Culinary Education.

The post Get to Know Swiss Chard: Top Tips and Recipes appeared first on Forks Over Knives.