Sweet and Nutty Massaged Kale Salad with Quinoa

I was first introduced to massaged kale at dinner last Christmas Eve.  "Massaged" kale?  I know, I was skeptical, too.  After all, I had only known kale as a slightly bitter green that needed to be steamed or sautéed until tender -- not a raw lettuce substitute that needs to be "relaxed" before eating.   

At this point, I've tried raw, massaged kale twice in my life, and it was great both times.  Massaged kale is my 2012 Christmas miracle. 

Kale, post-massage, post-dressing.

A quick note, before I move on to the recipe: I used lacinato kale rather than curly kale for this salad. Why did I do this?  Because the grocery store was out of curly kale.  Apparently, though, this was a serendipitous occurrence.  According to Wikipedia, lacinato kale (AKA Tuscan kale, Tuscan cabbage, Dinosaur kale, among other names) has a sweeter, more delicate taste than curly kale.  So, I'd give it a shot if you can find it!

Curly kale on the left, lacinato kale on the right (Source: Life is Fare)

Recipe:
Sweet and Nutty Massaged Kale Salad with Quinoa

• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
•  1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar)
• 5 cups kale, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 apple, diced
• salt and pepper to taste

First, prepare the quinoa according to package instructions. Let cool while you prepare the rest of the salad components.

Next, prepare the vinaigrette. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, and honey in a small bowl. 

Then, place the kale in a large bowl and pour the vinaigrette over the leaves.  Massage the kale with your hands for about five minutes, or until the kale has reduced significantly in size and feels tender. 

Add in the quinoa, walnuts, cranberries, apples, salt, and pepper to the bowl.  Toss and serve.

Yields 4 dinner-sized servings. 


Comments:

Taste:           

This salad has a great blend of sweetness, nuttiness, and earthiness.  Massaged kale becomes quite tender and soft, so the apples and walnuts add a nice crunch.  Next time I make this, I might add a bit of mustard to the dressing -- I think that would complement the flavor of the kale nicely.

Accessibility:              

I have occasional trouble finding kale at the nearby grocery store (perhaps it's because we go shopping on Sunday evenings!).  That said, Whole Foods is sure to have it.  Additionally, quinoa and walnuts can be two pricey ingredients.

 Ease of Preparation:        

The only reason I didn't give this a four-carrot rating in this category is the time it takes to cook the quinoa (about 15 minutes).  Otherwise, it's an incredibly quick and easy (not to mention fun) recipe.

Non-vegan friendliness:             

This is a hearty, protein- and calcium-packed salad that can stand on its own as a main dish.  Or, serve it alongside a pasta dish for a complete Tuscan experience.

Quinoa and Black Bean Chipotle Chili

Having lived in Minnesota for about ten years, I'm quite conscious of the fact that a high temperature of 39 degrees is nothing to write home about.  And yet, here I am, writing about how the cold, windy mornings and the dark, crisp evenings make me long for a warm bowl of chili.

Here's a recipe for Quinoa and Black Bean Chipotle Chili--a hearty, protein-filled dish that will warm you up in an instant. 

Chili garnished with scallions

Recipe:
Quinoa and Black Bean Chipotle Chili

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1.5 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 - 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1.5 chiles from a small can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 1/4 cup quinoa
• green onions, chopped, for garnish

First, heat the oil and garlic in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the onion and cook until it begins to brown, about 6 or 7 minutes.  Then add the chili powder and coriander, and stir.  Cook for another minute.

Next, stir in the tomatoes, beans, chiles, oregano, salt, sweet potatoes, and quinoa.  Add 2 cups of water, cover, and bring to a boil; then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes and quinoa are cooked through.  (Add more water as needed if the chili becomes too thick.)

Serve hot with green onions as garnish.  Yields 4-5 servings. 

Comments:

Taste:           

We all thoroughly enjoyed this dish.  The addition of the chipotle chiles--with their smoky, spicy flavor--really makes a difference.  The incorporation of the quinoa right into the chili also gives it a nice thickness, while the sweet potatoes help vary the texture.  With all of these components together in one dish, it's a one-pot meal.

Accessibility:            

We had no trouble finding these ingredients.  Fire-roasted tomatoes can be found among the cans of diced, crushed, and other tomatoes.  We found chipotle chiles in the grocery store's hispanic food section.

 Ease of Preparation:       

This straightforward recipe is also pretty quick to make.  Just make sure you have the ingredients chopped in advance, as always.

Non-vegan friendliness:           

Chili-lovers of all kinds would enjoy this filling, flavorful dish (I might even make this again for a chili cook-off later this month.).  As a pretty customizable dish, chili is a crowd-pleaser.  Rachel and Simon both added a dollop of sour cream to their bowls; you could also serve it with chopped cilantro or vegan cheese as added garnishes.

Quinoa and Black Bean Sloppy Joes

I love to make TVP Sloppy Joes.  There's something about eating one that brings me back to my childhood (more like Mary Kate and/or Ashley Olsen's childhood: It Takes Two, anyone?). 

We tried out Quinoa and Black Bean Sloppy Joes a few nights ago, and they were just as sloppy as any ground beef-based equivalent.  Actually, I had intended for them to be burgers, not Joes; but, the addition of a bit too much water put us on a new path. 

An extra-sloppy sloppy Joe.

Recipe:     

Quinoa and Black Bean Sloppy Joes

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
• 1 - 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons steak seasoning
• 6 buns

First, place the quinoa, salt, and 1.5 cups water in a small saucepan.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all of the water is absorbed.  

 Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for five or six minutes (the oil left on the tomatoes should be sufficient, but add more oil if they stick to the pan).  Then stir in half of the black beans, plus the garlic, steak seasoning, and 1.5 cups water.  Allow the mixture to simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated. 

Next, using a food processor, blend the cooked bean mixture and half of the cooked quinoa until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining quinoa and black beans.*  Then place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow to cool while preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.    

Once the oven is heated and the mixture is mostly cool, it's time to bake the the Joes.  Generously coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and use a 1/2-cup measuring cup to drop six, evenly spaced Joes on the baking sheet.  Bake 20 minutes, or until patties are crisp on top.

Serve on buns.  Yields 6 sloppy Joes. 

Comments:
Taste:            

Once I came to think of these as Joes rather than burgers, I was satisfied with the results.  They have a sloppy, yet firm consistency and a fairly smooth texture.  The sun-dried tomatoes add a bit of depth to the flavor, while the steak seasoning adds a bit of spiciness.  Simon gives them his seal of approval, saying, "They're good." 

Accessibility:          

As I've mentioned before, quinoa is easier than you might think to find.  If you don't have steak seasoning (as is the case for many vegans, I'm sure), you can always make your own using a recipe like this one.

  Ease of Preparation:      

* I went through the process of baking the sloppy Joes with the original aim of making burgers.  Given that this recipe is now for sloppy Joes, I think you could skip the baking stage and still end up with an equally tasty (although perhaps less firm) sloppy Joe.  It's your call.    

Non-vegan friendliness:           

These aren't your average Joes, so to speak: their taste and mouthfeel are quite different than hamburger-based sloppy Joes.  That said, we all enjoyed them as a veganized version of the dish. 

Chickpea-Squash Stew served over Quinoa

Did you know that 2013 has been declared Year of the Quinoa?  As wonderful as quinoa is, it's a bit underrepresented on this blog.  Here's a recipe to change that. 

So colorful and healthy!

Recipe:     
Chickpea-Squash Stew served over Quinoa

• 4 cups cubed (1/2 inch) and peeled butternut squash 
• 1 1/3 cup quinoa
• 2 2/3 cup water
• Pinch of salt
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup lite coconut milk
• 2 - 14 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes
• 2 - 14 ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 green onions, chopped

First, boil the squash in a medium/large saucepan until just tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain, rinse, and set aside.  

 

Meanwhile, cook the quinoa.  Combine the quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed.  Then remove the quinoa from the heat, fluff with a fork, and cover to keep warm.

 

While the squash and quinoa are cooking, begin to cook the stew.  Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and salt and cook until the onions begin to brown, about seven or eight minutes. Add the ginger and jalapeno and cook for two more minutes, stirring constantly. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Then add the coconut milk, tomatoes, chickpeas, and cooked squash and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is tender, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.

Ladle the stew over the quinoa and garnish with green onions before serving hot.  Yields 8 servings.

Comments:
Taste:            

We all enjoyed this colorful, flavorful dish.  The nuttiness of the quinoa and the heartiness of the squash and chickpeas make this a solid, everyday dish.  Plus, the coconut milk and jalapeno balance each other nicely. 

Accessibility:          

We didn't have trouble finding any of these ingredients at our standard grocery store. 

 Ease of Preparation:          

As long as you're sure to multitask by cooking the quinoa and squash at once, this dish doesn't take too long.  I find that it's easiest to dice the hard squash using a heavy chopping knife. 

Non-vegan friendliness:         

Simon noted that there's nothing missing from this dish; at the same time, he considers it more of a hearty side dish than a main dish.  I really like the aesthetics of this dish, and I'd be confident serving it to non-vegans, especially during fall!       

Curried Quinoa Salad

What better way to celebrate summer than by using fresh fruit in a salad?  We made this Curried Quinoa Salad with nectarines and snap peas the other night when a friend came over for dinner, served alongside Simon's Spicy Corn Pakoras.

There are so many delicious components in this salad.

Recipe:     
Curried Quinoa Salad

• 8 ounces frozen sugar snap peas or snow peas, thawed
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons curry powder, divided
• 2.5 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2.5 tablespoons store-bought mango chutney
• 2.5 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 nectarines or peaches, each cut into 10 wedges
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves

First, prepare the quinoa.  Bring a medium pot of water to boil over medium-high heat.  Stir the quinoa and 1 tablespoon curry powder into the boiling water and cook for about 14 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender, stirring occasionally. 

While the quinoa cooks, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon curry powder, vinegar, chutney (try to avoid the chunks in the chutney, using the saucy part only), and oil in a small bowl.  Set aside.  Then toss the peas, nectarines, onion, and spinach in a separate large bowl and set aside. 


Once the quinoa is done cooking, drain it, rinse it under cold water until cool, and drain again.  Add the quinoa and dressing to the salad bowl and toss until everything is well coated. 

Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and enjoy.  Serves 4. 

Comments:

Taste:       

I would gladly eat this unique salad on a regular basis.  The sweet and slightly spicy dressing is a great bridge between the quinoa and the rest of the ingredients.  The inclusion of nectarines really brightens up the dish, and the subtle mango flavor is like icing on the cake. 

Accessibility:    

We couldn't find fresh snap peas in our grocery store, so we used (thawed) frozen snap peas instead.  It worked quite well: just pop the bag of peas in the fridge when you get home from the store so they can thaw without cooking.  We've had trouble finding quinoa at non-specialty grocery stores in the past, though for the first time this week we actually found it at Giant!

 Ease of Preparation:        

While this dish certainly takes longer to prepare than other salads, it's still quite simple to make.  Prepare, toss, eat!

Non-vegan friendliness:       

As far as salads go, this dish is substantial, interesting, and visually pleasing.  We served this as side dish rather than as a one-pot meal. 

Quinoa and Corn Salad

Last night's dinner, part two!  This one's for you, Dad. 

Recipe:
Quinoa and Corn Salad

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups quinoa 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small bell pepper (any color), diced finely
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup green onions, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• black pepper to taste
• olive oil for drizzling

First prepare the quinoa.  Add the vegetable broth and quinoa to a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat.  Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 12 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.  Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the bell pepper and cook for 3 minutes, or until it begins to soften.  Add the corn and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes.  Then add the green onions and continue cooking for 2 more minutes.

Finally, add the sautéed vegetables, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the quinoa and toss to combine.  Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste. 

Serve warm or at room temperature.  Serves 6-8 people.

Comments:

Taste:     

While this quinoa wasn't the star of the meal, it was still a good salad/side dish.  Unfortunately the flavor wasn't very bold.  We probably could have salted ours a bit more to bring out the flavors, so don't hold back! 

Accessibility:     

Quinoa might be difficult to find at your grocery store (or it might be expensive), but the rest of the ingredients shouldn't pose any problems.  You can always use water instead of vegetable broth to cut costs.  

Ease of Preparation:   

This recipe works best if you multitask (cook the quinoa while you cook the vegetable mixture), but that shouldn't be too difficult to manage.  As I always say, everything is easier if you chop the ingredients in advance.     

Non-vegan friendliness:  

This isn't a very traditional recipe and quinoa isn't an everyday food for many people, but I urge everyone to eat quinoa at least once!  Quinoa--the "mother of all grains" according to our friends the Incas--is an amazing food substance.  It's one of the only complete proteins that comes from a vegetable (non-animal) source.  

Sweet and Savory Pineapple Cashew Stir-Fry

Tonight Rachel and I made a delicious meal of Sweet and Savory Pineapple Cashew Stir-Fry.  This one-pot meal is one of the tastiest recipes I've posted so far, in my opinion.

The stir fry is made up of so many components.  While it may look like a jumbled mess in the picture, all of the ingredients come together into a delightful medley. 

Recipe:
Sweet and Savory Pineapple Cashew Stir-Fry

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil (or another vegetable oil if you don't have peanut oil)
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 4 ounces raw cashews, toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden (or use pre-roasted cashews)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons vegetable stock

First, prepare the quinoa.  Combine the first four ingredients in a medium-sized pot, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat.  Once boiling, stir, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 14 minutes (or until the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa has become plump).  Remove from heat, uncover, fluff the quinoa with a fork, and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Next, prepare the stir-fry.  You'll need a large skillet or wok for this since there's a lot to stir-fry!  Add the peanut oil, scallion, and garlic to the skillet and heat over medium heat.  Once you hear sizzling, add the jalapeno and ginger and continue cooking for about 2 minutes.  Then add the bell pepper and peas.  Stir-fry for another 4 or so minutes.  Once the peas look bright green, stir in the basil and mint, cook for another minute, and add the pineapple chunks, prepared quinoa, and cashews.  Combine the mixture--it will be pretty thick at this point.  Then, drizzle the remaining soy sauce and vegetable stock over the mixture and stir well.  Stir-fry for another 8-10 minutes and serve hot. 

Comments:
This stir-fry is excellent.  As Simon said, the combination of the sweet and savory is delicious.  He also commented that the pineapple adds a distinctive texture that you can't find in many other dishes.  While Simon and I both enjoyed the crunchy cashews, they were Rachel's least favorite part of the dish.  Nonetheless, she really liked the combinations of flavors and the overall dish.

This recipe looks a little overwhelming due to the long ingredient list, but it's very manageable to make if you prepare all of the ingredients before you start cooking.  To save time you can also make the quinoa in advance and store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.     

I highly recommend that you try this recipe!