Avocado Kale Salad

Leafy greens are a staple in my family's diet. I try to cycle through the darker varieties - spinach, Swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, collards, and kale.

This salad was inspired by one I had from a health food store salad bar. I thought that salad had potential, but was a little boring with just kale, onions, and the avocado dressing. I livened up this version with mini heirloom tomatoes, raw pepitas, and cucumber. 

There is a lot of nutritional value to be excited about in this tasty raw salad. Kale is high in Vitamins A, C, and K, and also contains significant amounts of calcium, folate, and potassium. Avocados contain beneficial fats in addition to a high fiber content, Vitamins C and K, and folate. Lemons are full of potassium and Vitamin C.  Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc and other trace minerals. Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants.

Avocado Kale Salad

1 big bunch of kale, washed, chopped, and stems removed (or a 10oz bag of pre-chopped kale)
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
2 lemons, peeled and seeded
1/3 cup water
3 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup raw pepitas (hull-less pumpkin seeds)
1 medium English cucumber, diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup diced cherry tomatoes (I used some mini heirlooms)

In a food processor or blender, puree avocados, lemons, water, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Place kale in a large mixing bowl. Pour avocado dressing over the kale, mix well, and then use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale. This will make the leaves tender.

Stir in the pepitas, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes.

The salad can be served immediately or refrigerated and allowed to marinate for several hours or overnight.

Vampire-Away Kale Chips

One of the local health food stores had a sample of garlicky kale chips out one day so I tried them. They were wonderful, but cost something like $5-6 for a small container. I bought a bunch of kale a couple days ago, so decided I had to replicate those chips. Mine are baked instead of raw because I don't have a dehydrator and raw vegetables are hard on my finicky stomach.

Vampire-Away Kale Chips

1 bunch green kale
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 275F.

Wash kale, then remove the ribs and tear or cut the leaves into bite-sized pieces.

In a large bowl, toss the kale with the olive oil, then with the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt. I found it was easiest to get an even coating by shaking it in a container with a lid, but tossing in a bowl also works.

Place kale on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy, stirring once halfway through.

French Lentil and Kale Soup

This recipe uses French (green) lentils instead of the more common brown variety, but you can use red or brown lentils if you don't have green available. The taste of each is a little different, but all make for good soup. French lentils hold their form much better than other varieties. I keep a bag of frozen sliced leeks on hand for dishes like this, which saves both money and leek cleaning time. I like to add leafy greens to as many dishes as possible, so this one utilizes kale.

French Lentil and Kale Soup

2 cups sliced leeks
2 carrots, sliced into rounds, then quartered
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 cups vegetable broth (or 2 low-sodium bouillon cubes in 6 cups water)
2 cups green lentils
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste.

In a stock pot, saute the leeks, carrots, and garlic in the olive oil until the leeks are translucent. Add the broth, lentils, bay leaves, and Herbes de Provence. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.

Add kale and cook until kale is wilted. Remove bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste.

Fennel and Kale and Tofu, Oh My!

Here I go, starting something new. My main blog is Evergreen and Indigo, but since I'd rather focus that blog on writing than food, I've created this new one as a place to put my recipes. I'll start with tonight's dinner...

Creamy Fennel-Celery Soup, Balsamic Kale, and Breaded and Baked Italian-Herbed Tofu.

Creamy Fennel-Celery Soup

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, sliced
1 fennel bulb (stems trimmed off and bulb thinly sliced. Keep some of the fronds for garnish)
6 celery stalks, sliced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 cups water or vegetable stock
1 cup non-dairy milk (I used soymilk)
2 tsp minced fresh basil

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until it just begins to brown. Add the fennel and celery to the saucepan and saute along with the onion until the vegetables are slightly translucent and tender.

Season with salt and pepper and add the water or stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the non-dairy milk. In batches, place soup in a food processor or blender and puree. Return soup to pot and stir in the minced basil.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with fennel greens and minced basil.

Serves about 6.


Balsamic Kale

1 bunch green kale
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 scallions, sliced thin
1 Tbsp olive or coconut oil
1-2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Rinse the kale, then remove the stems and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Add the scallion and garlic to the pan and saute for 1-2 minutes until the garlic begins to brown. Add the kale and saute with the garlic and scallion. As soon as the kale begins to soften, add the balsamic vinegar. Stir for 1 minute, then remove from heat and serve.


Breaded and Baked Italian-Herbed Tofu

1 lb sprouted tofu
1 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 Tbsp Italian herbs (or a combination of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and sage)
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp hummus
1/2 cup non-dairy milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In one small bowl, mix the panko, herbs, and salt. In a second small bowl, whisk together the non-dairy milk and hummus.

Slice the tofu into 1/4 inch thick squares. One at a time, dip the tofu squares into the hummus mixture and then into the panko mixture. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until browned, flipping once halfway through the cooking time. Serve with condiment of choice (my kids prefer barbecue sauce).