Farro Kale with Fruit and Walnuts

This side dish was delicious!  I hadn't used Farro before - one of those ancient grains. Looks like it can replace rice in dishes. I took the option to soak the farro overnight, drain. And then simmer in enough water to cover it for 10-15 minutes. Drain again and it's ready to be used. 1 cup makes about 2 cups.  I was using Farro from Bob's Red Mill.

Even though this was delicious ... it was a bit high on the calorie count. If I were to make it again, I'd do something to reduce the number!

Saute
1/3 cup onion
1-2 tsp olive oil

Add and continue saute
4 dried apricots, cut up
4 dried, pitted dates, cut up
1 tsp or so, raisins
5 green olives, pitted, halved
3 Tbsp walnuts, chopped up

Add and mix up with the fruit and onion
1/3 tsp Shiba's Hot Curry Chutney 
2 oz orange juice
1/2 cup cooked Farro
a bit of water

Add cover, and wilt kale
1+ cup kale, ripped up to bite size pieces

Serve and enjoy!

Rated a 4.69 on the Kale Scale

Kale Pear Salad with Strawberry Mustard Vinaigrette

Inspired by, and not a replica of, a recipe in Eating Well magazine. The dressing was tasty - very nice!  Next time, I might use an apple in the salad and maybe some walnuts. But, overall, very, very good!

Use electric hand blender to mix the following to make Vinaigrette
- 3 big strawberries, cut up
- 2 green onions, white part diced
- 1/4 clove garlic, diced
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp mustard (Portland Mustard, but use any not dijon)
- 5 sprigs of chives
- 3 tsp orange juice, 100% juice
- up to 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Toss together to make salad
- 1.25 cups kale, ripped to bite size pieces
- 1 pear, cored, diced.
- 6 green olives (castelvetrano), halved
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup angel hair coleslaw (actually finely shredded cabbage)

Mix together and serve
- Veggie mix
- Vinaigrette
- 1 tbsp feta cheese crumbles, sprinkled on top

Rated a 4.53 on the Kale Scale.

Savory Kale Salad with Feta Cheese

Over 90 today according to the thermometer on back porch. Didn't want to heat up the kitchencooking.  I've been wanting to make a black bean taco, but that involved cooking. So, I used the coleslaw and dressing ideas from that recipe for this salad. Worked well. Deelicious!

Steam in microwave 1 and 1/2 minutes
1+ cup kale, ripped to bitesize pieces

Mix together with steamed kale and toss
12 or so grape tomatoes, halved
6 or so green olives, halved (castelvetrano kind)
6 falafel balls from Whole Foods, ready to eat section, quartered
1/2 cup Angel Hair coleslaw (from a package at Safeway)

Make dressing
1 Tbsp non-fat plain yogurt
1 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
9 sprigs of cilantro cut up
2 green onions, diced
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Mix the tossed salad with the dressing.

Serve with 1 Tbsp of feta cheese crumbles on top.

Rated a 4.75 on the Kale Scale.

Cabbage, Sprouts and Kale with Olives and Cheese

Made this to go with a halibut steak. Putting pineapple together with tomato - not sure I'd to that again. This wasn't a favorite.

Saute:
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
2 brussel sprouts, chopped
1/2 cup red Cabbage, chopped
1/4 tsp ras el hanout
1/4 tsp ground coriander

After a bit, add and continue to saute
1/3 cup Pineapple, raw, diced
10 grape tomatoes, halved
8 green, pitted, castelvetrano olices, halved
1/3 cup soy milk

Add and cover
1 cup Kale, ripped to bite size pieces, and wilt in the steam of the soy milk

Top with
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1-2 tsp grated parmesan cheese

Rated a 3.5 on the Kale Scale.

Simple Salad with Pineapple, Green Olives and Kale

Simple and quick. Tasty.

Mix together, how you like for a salad:

1 cup Kale, ripped to bite size pieces
1/2 cup Pineapple, raw, diced up
8 Olives, green castelverano, halved (pitted)
1 tsp Dukkah (minced nuts, Egyptian style)

Top with:

2 Tbsp  Fig Balsamic Dressing (Cindy's Kitchen for Whole Foods)
1-2 tsp shredded Parmesan cheese

Rated a 4.6 on the Kale Scale