Hotsy Totsy Steamed Kale

Quick and easy this was. The hotsy totsy part is adding 1/8 to 1/4 tsp of chili powder to this concoction. But that paired nicely with the pineapple and Ras El Hanout.

Steam 1.5 minutes in microwave:

2 brussel sprouts, cut up
1/2 cup pineapple chunks, cut up
1 clementine, peeled and segmented, those cut in half
4 green onions, white part sliced thin
1 oz white wine
1/2 tsp Ras El Hanout
1/8 to 1/4 tsp chili powder
2 tsp dukkah (the Egyptian nut crumbles)

Add, and steam 2 minutes more in microwave:

1+ cup kale, purple and green, ripped to bite size pieces.

Serve and dust with a bit more dukkah.

Rated a 4.65 on Kale Scale

Purple Kale Saute

For holidays, I spiced some mixed nuts and this involved warming the spices in fying pan in olive oil (cumin, ginger, cinnamon, curry, chili powder, cayenne).  This left a nice spicy residue in the saute pan into which I put the ingredients for this dish. Yummy!  I did not account for the bits of left over spice in the nutirion count.

Saute
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup onion
2 brussel sprouts, chopped up
1/2 cup pineapple, fresh and chopped up
1 fingerling potato, chopped up

Add and cover, lower temp and cook 5 minutes or so
1.5 Tbsp of pomegranate juice
 
Uncover, and let the water that condenses on the lid, go into the pan.

Add, cover, and steam until wilted to your desire
1 cup purple kale, ripped to bite size pieces
 
Serve!

 Rated a 4.67 on the Kale Scale.

Purple Kale Citrus Salad

Wanted a quick side salad to go with salmon.  I used organic purple kale. Deep purple.

Toss, layer or mix up, then serve:

1 cup Kale, ripped to bite size pieces
2/3 cup pineapple chunks, cut up
1 clementine, peeled, halve the segments

Serve with 2 Tbsp Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette

Rated a 4.45 on the Kale Scale.

Dukkah Dusted Kale

Dukkah, pronouced do-ah, is an Egyptian/Middle Eastern dipping spice - often used when dipping bread in olive oil, and then dipping in the dukkah.  Often made with hazelnuts, it can be made with a variety of nuts and spices. It's more that the final result is a jar full of a crumbly spiced nut topping.

Someone asked me if I had ever tried any, and no, so I got to researching. This is the best explanation I've found to far.  I pulled out the Egyptian cookbook I bought in Egypt (which is written in Spanish as it was the only version left at the airport souvenir shop), and found its recipe for Dukkah, which I chose to follow, more or less.

I used walnuts, as I thought that was what nueces meant in spanish, and I would use hazelnuts next time. I mixed sesame, coriander seeds, walnuts, cumin seeds. Toasted in oven for about an hour at 175-200f. And then put 1/3 at a time in the blender and ground it up, but not pulverize.

I made the dukkah yesterday, and used it today for this recipe.

Steam, 2 minutes in microwave
1 cup kale, ripped to bit size pieces
2 tsp cooking sherry

Mix steamed kale with
5 cherry tomatoes, halved
6 green olives (castelverano)
3 black olives

Serve mixed up kale and veggies on plate and
Dust with 2 tablespoons of kale.

Rated a 4.7 on the Kale Scale.

Fast Food!

Friend made big pot of soup and gave a frozen portion to me. I saved it for this week. Made two servings. No calorie count.  Dinner was served within 5 minutes.

After soup thaws, put portion in glass bowl. Top with 1 cup kale, ripped to bite size pieces.

Microwave for 2.5 minutes. Stir kale into the soup.

Microwave again 1 minute.

Serve with a few Ak-Mak crackers. Yum!


Rated a 4.8 on the Kale Scale.

Warm Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

I was on the hunt for a "mexican salad" for a potluck, and found this. Turns out this warm salad works perfectly paired with a bed of kale.

This recipe is cut in 1/2 from the original. I get about two 1. 3 cup servings - it took that much to provide the proper kale coverage for my liking.

Make quinoa
1/4 cup quinoa
3/4 cup water
Bring to a boil, then simmer til water is absorbed.

Cook sweet potato
1 big sweet potato (about 1/2 to 2/3 lbs. I used one weighing 300 grams).
Peel sweet potato, dice into 1/2 inch pieces. Cover with water, bring to boil; cook til tender about 15 minutes.  Drain well.

Toss the quinoa, and sweet potato with
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1.5 tbsp green onion, chopped fine
2 oz can of sliced olives
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup mined fresh cilantro
6 cherry tomatoes, halved

Whisk together and mix into the vegetables
4 tbsp lime juice (the juice from 2 fresh limes)
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp chipolte chili powder

Serve on a bed of 1 cup steamed kale.

Rated a 4.7 on the Kale Scale.