Friday, March 30, 2012

BBQ Cheddar Chickpea Burgers

Step Aside Tina Fey, There's a New Bossyboots in Town

If you ask my family, they'll tell you that I started bossing people around the day I came out of the womb.

I think that's probably true.

For my fifth birthday (and every other gift giving occasion for the next seven years) I asked to have my ears pierced. I received this book instead.*

                                          


The girl in the book ends up saving her stage coach companions from a bunch of robbers because she has the audacity to boss the thieves around when they're trying to take her things. I'm fairly certain the awesome pint sized  heroine only served to reinforce my behavior.

Good Parenting.

When I was a kid my older brother (who is four years my senior, and double my size) bore the brunt of my commands. How is that possible, you ask? Well, you see, my big bro loooooooooooooves me. This works out well, because I'm pretty much his #1 fan. But when I was little, I completely took advantage of his devotion to me, and he did, well, anything I told him to. This includes trying to take the rap for the many many things I did that ultimately landed me in the corner. My parents rarely fell for this, because A. he never actually did anything wrong and B. he's a TERRIBLE liar.

These days my agreeable husband is stuck with my bossy nature, but I haven't left my brother alone completely (what kind of sister would I be if I just stopped paying attention to him when I met a great man  to boss around...er... I mean.. share my life with...).

In recent years I've focused a lot of my attention on my brother's eating habits. The problem is, we have TOTALLY different tastes in food. Most of the time the things I make don't hold any appeal for. I'm on a constant mission to find recipes that meet my nutritional standards for his diet, and he's on a lifelong mission to learn how to say no to me. 

Only one of us is having any success. 

BBQ Cheddar Chickpea Burgers
(Adapted from this blog)


 Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped red onion + more for topping
1/2 teaspoon olive oil + 1/2 tablespoon
1/2 cup broccoli
1 medium-sized peeled carrot, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup freshly grated low fat extra sharp cheddar cheese (lightly packed) + more for topping
2 heaping tablespoons smokey bbq sauce + more for topping
1 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons whole wheat  flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
4 whole wheat buns

Directions

Heat a small skillet over low heat and add 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Throw in onions with a pinch of salt, stir to coat, then let cook and caramelize for 5-6 minutes. This should happen fairly quickly since they are chopped small. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the bowl of your food processor, add broccoli and carrot, pulsing until chopped very finely. Add chickpeas, sauce, honey, flour, cheese, onions, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Process and pulse until completely combined but not pureed.

Carefully remove from processor bowl and form into 4 burgers. If you feel that your burgers and somewhat delicate, refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add remaining olive oil. Once hot, add burgers to the skillet and cook on each side until golden brown and crispy on the outsides, about 3-4 minutes. Be gentle when flipping and removing burgers so they don’t crack or fall apart. Serve on toasted buns with additional cheddar, red onion and sauce.

Those were not suggestions, they were orders. 

<3 Bossyboots 

* My brother would like me to add, that he was the one who got me both the book and, ultimately, my ear & nose piercings, against our parents' wishes. I have a little tear in my eye...  his email was so bossy.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Cleansed or Crazy Part 2

Welcome to day two of my experiment.


As you know, I started day two feeling pretty cruddy. Here's a little recap. My eyes were burning and bright red, I felt a tad feverish and I was totally, totally lethargic. But here's the part that surprised me: I was REALLY upset that I wasn't going to be spending my afternoon cooking, and that hubby and I wouldn't be sitting down to a special meal together before he had to head back to Pittsburgh. I hadn't ever thought of myself as someone who has an emotional relationship with food, but I couldn't have been more wrong.


Nevertheless I pushed forward and made a Purple Power Juice:






  • 4 Cups Purple Grapes
  • 1/2 Cup Blackberries
  • 1 Apple
  • 1 Inch Ginger
Pretty tasty! But alas, my will to NOT drink the juice proved to be stronger than my hunger. By lunch time the previous night's headache was back, I'd only had about 4oz of the Purple Power Juice, I'd skipped my mid-morning snack juice, and I didn't seem to be getting off the couch to make a lunch juice. It was about this time that we decided I should probably eat something, so I made a small bowl of plain oatmeal (with water) and chopped up a banana to mix in. Half an hour or so later I was feeling a million times better.


Do I think my juice cleanse was a failure? hhMmm. Maybe a little, yes. But ultimately it served as a reminder that I need to only put the best things into my body, because getting the bad things out is HARD. Do I still believe in the idea of a detox? Absolutely. I just don't think the same methods work for all people.


Once I had my energy back I realized that if I was giving up on my juice cleanse, I was going to have to figure out something to do with all those veggies!!!! I didn't want to abandon the idea of the detox completely, so I vowed that for the next week or so I am going to stay away from caffeine and all things processed or artificial (my affections for Diet Coke and York Peppermint Patties go against everything else I believe in).

 
So, are you curious to know what the heck I turned my fridge full of veggies into?


Kale Chips

Ingredients:
1 bunch  kale
Olive oil
Sea salt, to taste

Fresh ground black pepper

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Mist with Olive Oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Place baking sheet on a rack to cool.

Sweet Potato Hummus and Veggie Snacks


(Adapted from this recipe at Blissful Blog)

Ingredients:
1 pound sweet potatoes,peeled (roughly 2 medium)

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon chopped chipotle chili, canned in adobo sauce
1 garlic clove chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons tahini
course sea salt 

Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Pierce potatoes several times with a fork; place on a foil lined baking sheet.  Bake for 1 hour or until tender.  Cool slightly, then peel and add to the bowl of a food processor.  Add chickpeas, lime juice, tahini, olive oil, chipotle and garlic.  Puree until smooth and thin with up to 2 tablespoons of water if necessary. Season with salt.  Refrigerate for up to 1 week in an airtight container. 

Fennel & Swiss Chard Soup With  Red Pepper Yogurt Sauce


(Adapted from this recipe in Cooking Light Magazine)

Ingredients

  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 4 large fennel bulbs with stalks
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped leek (about 2 medium)
  • 1 cup chopped shallots (about 2 large)
  • 3/4 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 swiss chard leaves, stems removed
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • Dash of red pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a paper bag; fold to close tightly. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and chop; set aside.
2. Trim tough outer leaves from fennel. Mince feathery fronds to measure 2 tablespoons; set aside. Remove and discard end of stalks. Chop bulbs and remaining stalks, discard core of bulb. 
3. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add fennel, leek, and next 3 ingredients (through salt); cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth, water, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Stir in swiss chard and black pepper. Cook until fennel is soft.
4. Using a blender (in batches) or an imerssion blender, puree the soup.
5. Combine roasted bell peppers, yogurt, lemon rind, lemon juice, and ground red pepper in a food processor; process until smooth.
6. Top each serving of soup with 2 tablespoons of red pepper sauce and a sprinkling of fennel fronds.

Quinoa With Sweet Potatoes, Cranberries and Nuts

And a side of Israeli Salad

(Adapted from this recipe at Gluten-Free Goddess)

Ingredients:
1 cup  quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
1 large sweet potato, skin on, cubed
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 of a medium red onion, diced fine
1 clove of garlic, crushed
Olive oil
Pure maple syrup, to taste
Sea salt
A sprinkle of ginger and curry, to taste
1/4 cup  pecans
1/4 cup cashews
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Preparation:

 
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Combine vegetable broth and quinoa in a large pot. Cook until broth is absorbed.

 
In a large bowl combine sweet potato, cranberries, onion and garlic. Drizzle with a dash of olive oil, and a teaspoon or two of pure maple syrup- not too much. Sprinkle with sea salt, ginger and a dash of curry. Toss everything together.  Spread on a baking sheet, lined with parchement paper. Roast in the top half of the oven until the potato is tender- about 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet and lightly toast the nuts.

Combine the sweet potato mixture into the quinoa pot. Add in the toasted nuts and chopped parsley. Taste test and adjust seasoning.  Serve warm.
Apple Crisp

(Adapted from this recipe in Cooking Light Magazine)

  • 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (not packed)
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
  • 5 Tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
  • 6 cups chopped peeled Granny Smith apple (about 4 apples)
  • 1/2 cup raisins

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Toss apples and raisins in a large bowl.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats,  sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Mix half of the oat mixture into the apple and raisin mix.

Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a medium baking dish, spread apples into the dish.

Cover the top of the apples with the remaining oatmeal mixture.

Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until apples are tender.


These dishes were all FANTASTIC. I also made a tuna salad with celery and apples for crunch and flavor (a trick I learned from my mom).

Not bad right?? I used up 90% of the vegetables that I couldn't freeze or store. But I still have a TON of left over celery...thoughts? A girl can only eat so many ants on a log!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Cleansed or Crazy?

My freshman year of college I had this gorgeous hippie professor. I don't remember what the course was or even if she was a good teacher, but I remember that for a good portion of the semester she was on a juice cleanse. I also remember thinking that she was hard-core-hippe-cool. And I wanted to be her.

That was the first time I thought about doing a juice detox. Over the years the thought has crossed my mind many many times.  The most recent occasion was upon the return from our cheese & processed carb laden honeymoon. I was pretty stoked (and pretty bloated) so I went so far as to starting an order form for the  Blue Print Cleanse but was ultimately deterred by the absurd daily cost.

On a lazy night last week, I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed, when I noticed that a friend of mine from high school was preparing to start her first cleanse. When I asked what her plan was, she directed me to the documentary that inspired her, Fat Sick & Nearly Dead.  I didn't have any plans that night, so I pulled the film up on Hulu and watched while I ate my dinner. The movie is fantastic, light-hearted and humorous but filled with truly inspiring stories and completely sobering statistics. ( I highly recommend watching the movie, but I do not so much recommend an accompanying meal.... )

I decided, once and for all, I was going to give a juice cleanse a go. As to not lose my momentum, I used the film's companion website, jointhereboot.com , as a guide and I ordered 3 days worth of juice worthy organic fruits and veggies from a grocery delivery service in NYC.

That was on Wednesday. On Thursday night my groceries arrived at the exact same time my confused husband returned from Pittsburgh. (I hadn't explained my plan to him yet, but once I did he was 100% excited and 100% supportive.)

This is what my fridge looked like stocked for a 3 day juice detox:



I kicked off my juice cleanse on Saturday morning (yesterday). I started my day with a water bottle with just water and lemon slices, and we headed to the gym for our weekly workout date.  I normally have a banana and some nuts before I work out, so you can image how hungry I was by the time I got home.

I started the day with an Orange Carrot & Ginger Juice:


  • 5 Small Carrots
  • 3 Apples
  • 1 ince of fresh ginger
This was DELICIOUS. It was filling and energizing, and I felt great! (I was just as surprised as you are.)

A few hours later I started to get hungry for lunch, so I moved on to a glass of Mean Green Juice:





  • 1 Cucumber
  • 4 Celery Stalks
  • 6 Kale Leaves
  • 2 Apples
  • 1/2 Peeled Lemon
  • 1/2 Inch  Fresh Ginger
Mean Green was FAR better than expected, but it would be a stretch to call it good. However, it was relatively satisfying and I did drink the entire glass.

Late afternoon I was preparing a sweet potato hummus to bring with us to a St. Patty's day party later on, and I started to get a bit peckish. I decided to give the Gazpacho Juice a try:



  • 2 Celery Stalks
  • 1 Cucumber
  • 4 Plum Tomatoes
  • 1 Lime
  • 1/4 Small Red Onion
  • 2 Cups of Parsley
I did not like this juice. The onion was a nice flavor change, but it mostly just tasted like mushy veggies.  I only drank about 3/4 of the glass..which left me pretty hungry.

As I mentioned, it was St. Patty's Day, and we were heading to a party. Fortunately, the lovely hostess ( a very good friend) has a juicer and told me to just bring my veggies with me. But when everyone else was drinking frothy green beer and the entire apartment was redolent of corned beef and cabbage (a meal I used to ADORE) my Citrus Inspired Green Juice was NOT exciting:


Green Juice vs Green Beer
  • 4 Kale Leaves
  • 4 Swiss Chard Leaves
  • 1 Cucumber
  • 1 Orange
Not. Good. I drank about half. By 10 o'clock (right around the time they brought out the Green Velvet Cake) I had the worst headache I've ever had in my entire life. I was still having a great time with my friends, but I was hungry and nauseated and questioning the whole cleanse.

My friends were split 50/50. One half thought my cleanse was awesome (but didn't totally understand why I'd chosen such a great food day to start it) and the other half just thought I was plain batty. Overall they were supportive, but when I started to look visibly ill they lost their patience and started passing food in my direction (I have the world's most wonderful friends). I ended up eating a few raw carrots and a couple pieces of broccoli. 

So, today is day 2.  My headache was gone when I woke up, but my eyes are burning and they are bright red. I'm feeling lethargic, even a bit feverish and I didn't have the energy to go to the gym. (I love weekend workouts, so this is a major bummer.)

I'm going to try to stick with the cleanse for the rest of the day, but I don't really have any desire to drink anymore juice. In fact, I'm writing this blog post to avoid my first juice of the day. The process is messy, the clean up is insanely time consuming, and all I really want is a cup of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal. If I can't make myself drink the full 5 glasses of juice, I'm going to have to jump ship. This was supposed to be an effort to step up my healthy eating, but pure fasting is NOT part of that plan.

Have you ever juiced? Do you have favorite recipes to share? Thoughts on getting me through the detox?


Monday, March 12, 2012

Pinterest. It's a Problem.

In the early stages of Pinterest I was largely able to ignore it's allure because I had JUST finished planning my wedding and I needed a break from all things organizing.

That lasted about 5 minutes.

I was just starting to get a little bit curious when  I found out that you had to be invited to join. Which meant, of course, I had an immediate need to be a part of the ultra-exclusive community. (I'm a museum guard's worst nightmare and  a marketer's dream.)

So, I impatiently awaited an invite and snapped up my membership. Two months later, I am in LOVE with Pinterest. Unfortunately, it's the bad kind of the love. It's a "your friends and family are likely going to have to stage an intervention" kind of love.

They say the first step towards recovery is acknowledging the problem.

Hi, my name is Nora, and I'm a...

Wait. Would admitting I have a problem mean that I have to stop?

New plan.

Here are the fabulous things I cooked this weekend that I learned about from my very bestest friend Pinterest:


(This one needed quite a few changes, you can find those HERE.)





(Just use whole wheat bread and completely omit the butter step, it's 100% unnecessary)


(I used whole wheat flour.They are GREAT with yogurt and fruit, but I would not give them to a child (or to me) as a substitute for Oreos.)


(My picture was not worthy of being posted, but it was worthy of seconds..and maybe thirds...)



In conclusion, Pinterest; You are a time suck and a total distraction, but I do love you so.

Vegan Curried Carrot (& Coconut!) Soup

As promised in "Pinterest. It's a problem":


We ate this soup with the spiced pumpkin biscuits I also mentioned in that post. It was a GREAT combination.



Ingredients:
  • 6 large carrots, chopped small
  • 1 onion, chopped small
  • 1 tsp powdered ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup lite coconut milk

Preparation:

  • Simmer the carrots, onions, ginger and curry powder in vegetable broth for 20-25 minutes, until carrots are soft.
  • Allow to cool slightly, and then puree in blender, working in batches if eneded. (The immersion blender did not work well with this recipe.)
  • Return to heat and stir in coconut milk until well combined.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Farro and Pureed Butternut Squash with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Goat Cheese

Making Itineraries & Other Things On My Resume

Yes. Making itineraries is actually on my resume. If I learned anything in college about landing a job, it was the following 3 things:
  1. Networking & relationships are more important than what you learn in class.
  2. Interview suits should be simple, but your shoes should be spectacular.
  3. Under "Interests" on your resume, make every effort to actually sound interesting.
Networking and relationships? Done and done. That shiz is totally my bailiwick.

Spectacular shoes? Why thank you clearance section at DSW, I think I WILL buy 3 pairs of designer shoes for $100.

Being interesting on paper proved to be the biggest challenge. I love my hobbies, but every girl in New York lists "cooking, travel and working out" among her interests. Also, and this upset me, it turns out that "watching copious amounts of television"... is not considered a skill. Lame.

So, I had to get creative. If I get a female interviewer, "make-up artistry", usually goes over pretty well, but men neither notice nor care. That's where "making itineraries" comes in. It's weird, but not so weird that it's creepy. Also, I get to talk about my craaaaazy organizational skillz.

This week is my Mom's birthday. Did you call her yet? Go ahead, I'll wait.

Isn't she fun to talk to?

So anyway, this week is my mom's birthday and she chose to celebrate it with me in NYC this year! As soon as she told me this was what she wanted to do, I started making an itinerary.

Here is the actual itinerary:
  • Monday Night:
    • 5:45pm Manicures so you'll be EXTRA purdy for your big day :)
    • 7 pm Dinner and movie/tv at home (I'll cook you something yummy)
  •   Tuesday Night:
  •  Wednesday Night
    • 5pm dentist appointment in Brooklyn
    • 6pm gym
    • 8pm Take out from 'sNice and girly movies at my apartment

Give me three days and I'll give you exhaustion.

My goal for Monday night's dinner was to prove to my mom that she could enjoy an entire meal made from whole grains and seasonable vegetables.

Farro and Pureed Butternut Squash with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Goat Cheese
(Loosely adapted from the "Stuffed Acorn Squash" recipe in the Canyon Ranch Cook Book)

Ingredients:
3 cups Vegetable or Chicken Stock (low-sodium)
2 cups dry farro
1 teaspoon Salt, divided
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh Thyme

2 lbs peeled, seeded, and chopped butternut squash
1/2 medium Onion, finely diced
3 Garlic cloves, minced or crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground Allspice
1 Tablespoon white wine

1/4 cup low fat milk
1 Tablespoon almond oil
Black pepper to taste
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Preparation:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil.

Once the oven is pre-heated, place the squash on the baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until the squash are tender when pierced with a fork. I like to let them get just slightly caramelized.

Place a medium sized pot with lid over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable stock to the pot and bring it to a boil. Add farro, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and thyme to the pot. Stir, and then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with the lid, and gently simmer for 30 minutes, or until the rice has farro has absorbed the broth. If all of the liquid has been absorbed and the farro is not cooked to your desired consistency, add a bit of water. Once the farro is cooked, remove the pot from the heat, and fluff the contents with a fork.

While the squash and farro are cooking, place a small heavy pan with lid over low heat. Add onion and garlic into the pan, cover and stir occasionally until the onion is soft and almost translucent. If the mixture starts to stick to the pan, add a little bit of water. Once the onion is cooked, remove the cover and add the allspice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and vermouth. Stir and continue to cook the mixture for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, and set the pan aside.

Once the squash is cooked, remove it from the oven. Transfer the squash into a food processor, or use an immersion blender if you have one. Add in the onion mixture and milk and process until smooth. While the processor is still running, slowly pour in the almond oil. Add pepper to taste. Once everything is smooth and blended together, transfer the mixture to a large bowl and mix in the cooked farro.

Sprinkle each serving with goat cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds.

We also enjoyed a lovely baby spinach salad with pears, red onions, dried cranberries, toasted cashews and a whole grain mustard vinaigrette.



My mom was pleasantly surprised by how much she enjoyed the meal, and immediately called my dad to tell him how many vegetables she'd willingly (mostly willingly) ingested.

He did not believe her.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Penne with Beets and Their Greens & a Goat Cheese Sauce

The Countertop Massacre AKA Cooking With Beets

A couple of years into my 20s and shortly after the discovery of veggies other than carrot sticks, I ordered my first beet salad. It was INcredible. Roasted beets with crumbled goat cheese and a warm honey drizzle, the perfect mix of sweet and savory. I fell asleep fantasizing about the new ways in which my world had just opened up.

But first thing the next morning, something TRULY alarming happened. The details are a little graphic for a food blog, but let's just say that a typical part of my morning routine had been drastically altered.

I was 99.9% sure I was dying.

A lengthy phone call with Doctor Dad and several hours of googling later, I was feeling much better. In fact, I decided that the resulting erm..ehem..side effect.. of consuming beets , was kind of cool. I wrote it down in my notebook of things I will someday tell my children to convince them to eat their vegetables.

I thought I had overcome anything about beets that could possibly be scary. And then, I cooked with them.

Let me make a quick list of all of the things in my kitchen that were stained pink:
  • My hands
  • My nails
  • My forehead (note to self: it doesn't matter how itchy it is, if you're cooking with beets, it's not worth scratching)
  • My paring knife
  • My chopping knife
  • My cutting board
  • My sponge
  • 85% of my counter top
  • 3 different walls
When my roommate came home, it took me the better portion of an hour to convince him that no small animals had been harmed in the making of my dinner. (My roommate at the time was my brother... the most carnivorous human being you'll ever meet... so he was actually hoping I'd suddenly changed my vegetarian ways.)

Not even the messy and time consuming prep work can keep me away from what has become one of my favorite vegetables, but I sure do love when someone else does the dishes.

Penne with Beets and Their Greens & a Goat Cheese Sauce
(Adapted from a recipe in the Simply Organic Cookbook)

Ingredients:
2 bunches of beets (about 8)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
Salt
Black Pepper
6oz soft goat cheese
1/4 cup grated asiago or parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Cut the greens off the beets, remove the stems, wash thoroughly, and chop coarsely. Set aside.
Trim the tops and bottoms of the beets and put them into a large pot, cover with water.
Bring water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover.
Cook for 20-60 minutes; until soft (size of the beets is the determinant).
When the beets are cooked, run them under cold water using your hands to slip off the skins.
Cut the beets into bite size pieces. Set aside.

Bring another large pot of water to boil, cook the pasta as directed (omitting salt if called for).
One minute before the pasta is finished cooking, add the greens to the boiling water.
Strain pasta and greens, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water to be used for the sauce.
Toss the pasta & greens 1.5 tablespoons olive oil.

While the beets and pasta are cooking, warm 1.5 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan
Add the onion & garlic, cook (stirring occasionally) until onions are soft - about 5 minutes.
Add the vinegar, oregano, and rosemary and cook for one minute.

With the pasta in the strainer, use the still warm pot from the pasta to mix both cheeses, and salt and pepper. Add the reserved pasta water tablespoon by tablespoon until the cheeses have become the consistency of a cream sauce.

Add the beets, pasta and greens to the cheese sauce. Toss until coated.
Add the onions and herbs, tossing to disperse thoroughly.

Clean everything IMMEDIATELY, unless you're really into the idea of a kitchen that looks like the car of a successful Mary Kay saleswoman.