Chickpea Quinoa Veggie Patties

Happy new year!

May we all have a fantastic 2015, filled with cooking and great food!

I've been meaning to share this recipe. It's an updated version of my Chickpea Quinoa Veggie Burgers. A little easier than the original. I can't stop making these suckers. They can be eaten by themselves, or foisted onto a bun and eaten like a veggie burger. They're chocked full of healthy ingredients, like kale and sweet potato.

They're also kind of "anything but the kitchen sink" recipe. You can substitute in any vegetables you want to play around with. In this recipe, I mention adding flax or hemp seeds, but I've also made them with pumpkin seeds. You can change it up however you like. If you want to make these vegan, leave out the egg. And I make them gluten free, but you can use any sort of all purpose flour.

Seriously, I love this recipe! They can be made ahead of time, and they're great leftover, especially for breakfast with a sunny side up egg. Enjoy!

Chickpea Quinoa Veggie Patties
Makes about 8 patties
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
Vegetarian (with easy vegan conversion); dairy-free

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa, prepared per package instructions
1 14 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 sweet potato, cooked and skin removed (this can be done quickly in the microwave)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup fresh kale
2 tablespoons flax, hemp and/or pumpkin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt and freshly ground pepper
flour for dusting (I use gluten free all purpose flour)
grapeseed oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add the kale, chickpeas, and kale to a food processor and pulse a few times until chopped. Place the veggie mixture in a mixing bowl with the sweet potato, quinoa, flax/hemp/pumpkin seeds, cumin, and egg. Season to with salt and freshly ground pepper. 

3. Mix together well (I use my hands). Shape the mixture into individual patties.

4. In a heavy-bottomed saute pan or cast iron skillet, heat two tablespoons of grapeseed oil over medium high heat. Working in batches and adding more oil as needed, drench the patties in flour and then fry up until nicely browned, turning once. Transfer the patties to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. 

5. Remove from the oven and serve with ketchup and/or hot sauce. Enjoy!

Advance Preparation: The patties can be shaped up to 3 days ahead of time and kept tightly wrapped in the refrigerator until you're ready to brown them. They can also be made in advance and then reheated in a low oven or on the stovetop. 

Tuscan-Style White Bean, Quinoa & Kale Soup

Happy December!

So... I first made this recipe in Iowa with ingredients from my mother-in-law's cupboard. I was craving something warm and toasty to combat the snow piling up outside. It worked.

Now that I'm back in LA, I decided to make it again, this time with my slow-cooker. That worked beautifully. This soup is rich enough and hearty enough to be the centerpiece to a meal. It's also great leftover. Homemade chicken stock is an added bonus if you've got it. I always keep some in my freezer. Here's my easy stock recipe using a slow-cooker.

I used a combo of cannellini and garbanzo beans. I like to make it thick, almost like a stew. But you can add more or less beans depending on your preference. Usually, this sort of soup would have a glutenous pasta component, but I made it with quinoa—gluten free! And still delicious.

I also pop a parmesan rind into the broth for added richness. It's not required, but it sure is amazing tasting. I'll write this recipe up with chicken broth, but it's super easy to make vegan. Just use vegetable stock instead.

This is the perfect mid-winter recipe. Enjoy!

To make in a slow-cooker, just add all the ingredients and simmer on high for 4-6 hours. 

Tuscan-Style White Bean, Quinoa & Kale Soup
Serves 6-8 people
Cooking time: about 40 minutes
Vegetarian; gluten-free

Ingredients
4 cups low sodium chicken stock (preferably homemade)
28 ounce can cannillini beans
14 ounce can garbanzo beans
14 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
pinch of chili flakes
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup quinoa
2 cups kale, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 parmesan rind (optional)
parmesan reggiano, for grating (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and saute until beginning to soften (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and chili flakes and saute for one more minute.

2. Add the tomatoes, stock, beants, quinoa, thyme, bay leaf, parmesan rind. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about twenty minutes. 

3. Add the kale, cover, and cook for ten more minutes, or until the kale is tender. Then pick out the bay leaf and parmesan rind. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

4. To serve, ladle a generous portion of soup into a big bowl. Top with grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, freshly ground pepper, and a healthy drizzle of good olive oil. Enjoy!

Baby Kale with Currants & Pine Nuts

Kale is the biggest food trend right now.

It brings a smile to my face when I think about this poor little leafy green that was marginalized in the American diet for so long. Well, no more. It's the viral sensation of produce. The FIFTY SHADES OF GREY of vegetables, only far more substantive. It's spectacularly delicious, if prepared correctly.

I love baby kale, the immature version of this vegetable. I have a farmer at my market that grows the most beautiful baby kales. My favorite is the lacinato variety.

But any type will work, even if it's not babyish.

Also, feel free to experiment with different sorts of dried fruits (cherries, cranberries, etc.) and different typs of nuts and seeds (sesame, walnuts, slivered almonds, etc.).

I eat this dish for breakfast (it's delicious with eggs and toast), for lunch (it's great on its own), or for dinner (it's a wonderful side dish to any meal). My mother actually first cooked a version of this for me, and I loved it. Pair it with a little grilled tofu dusted with curry powder.

Don't miss out on this trend—eat more kale now!

Baby Kale with Currants & Pine Nuts
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: about 10 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients

• 4 cups of baby kale, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons currants
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• juice of half a lemon
• salt & freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet or saute pan over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and saute for one minute.
3. Add the kale and cook until becoming tender, stirring occasionally (about four to five minutes).
4. Add the currants and pine nuts and cook for another minute.
5. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Kale Orzo Chickpea Soup

It's cold and flu season.

Officially.

This is according to my own very scientific polling, which consists of having just gotten sick myself and knowing a number of people who are also sniffling and hacking away. Like I said, very scientific.

I'm recovering from some kind of death flu situation. My husband now appears to be succumbing to my killer germs (though he tends to handle illness better than me—less complaining and feeling sorry for himself/more sucking it up).

On Saturday, I helped to throw a baby shower for a friend who is pregnant with twin girls (what an adventure that's going to be!). Almost everybody, including two of the other hosts, were sick or getting over something. It's going around people—so wash your hands, sanitize yourself, consider hunkering down in a bomb shelter until the season passes. You get the idea—whatever floats your boat.

Whenever I get sick, I go on a soup only diet. It is my own personal penicillin (and thank god, since I'm deathly allergic to real penicillin). Soup is the best medicine for anything sniffly, fevery, coughy. In my book, the saltier and the heartier, the better. It's warm and comforting.

In short, it makes me feel less hellish.

So in honor of cold and flu season (or just if you're feeling chilled by the januaryness), this recipe for Kale Orzo Chickpea Soup is the perfect antidote. It has a nice seasonal vibe with the addition of kale (not to mention vitamins and nutrients). The chickpeas provide protein and a Mediterranen feel, as does the orzo. I use a whole wheat variety that I found at Whole Foods, but regular works, too. Rounding out the soup and imbuing it with more heartiness are a few baby potatoes that I tossed in.

And frankly, doesn't everything taste better with potatoes?

I prefer a chicken stock for this soup, but vegetable would taste great too (and veganize the recipe). If you're not sniffling, then shave a little Parmesan Reggiano on top at the end. It's fabulous.

Kale Orzo Chickpea Soup
Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh kale, chopped
• 1/2 cup orzo (preferably whole wheat)
• 1 can (14 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 2 cups baby potatoes, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 6 cups chicken stock (vegetable stock may be subbed)
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• optional: parmesan reggiano for serving

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and saute until beginning to soften (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute.
2. Add the kale, chickpeas, potatoes, and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
3. Add the orzo and bring to a simmer. Cook until the orzo is tender (about 10 minutes for my whole wheat variety, but check package instructions).
4. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. For serving, ladle into bowls and top with a little grated parmesan reggiano if desired. Serve with warm, crusty bread. Enjoy!

Spicy Peanut Kale

Only one week left until Christmas.

This year has flown by. I feel like I blinked and it was December. While it's tempting to work my way through the end of the year with all the projects clamoring for my attention, it's worthwhile to take a few days off to reflect on the year. And prepare for 2012, which should be a great year.

Just to let you in on my state of mind, I've been listening to "A Long December" by the Counting Crows quite a lot. It especially rings true to me because he talks about living in the canyon (where I live) and how it's getting cold in California. And how he hasn't seen the ocean in a long time.

I'm guilty of that as well.

My hubby and I are off to Floyd, Virginia on Wednesday for a week. While I wish the Adorable Monster could come with us, he's off to Mutt Maniacs. I'm sure he'll have a blast.

Over the holiday, we'll be seeing a lot of movies (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and War Horse), cooking up a storm, drinking tons of delicious vino, petting various animals (including, but not limited to dogs, cats, and horses), and enjoying the quiet of the countryside.

But before I fly the proverbial coop, here's a great winter recipe for Spicy Peanut Kale. It was inspired by one of my favorite side dishes at M Cafe on Melrose. We all know that kale is a superfood—and I always try to sneak it into any dish that I can. But kale, like most greens, can be a bit on the bland side if it's not prepared properly. Well, folks, this recipe is anything but bland.

The kale is quickly blanched and then tossed with a spicy peanut sauce made from soy sauce, fresh lemon juice, peanut butter, fresh ginger and garlic, and chili flakes (red pepper).

This dish is also great, if not better, leftover the next day.

Spicy Peanut Kale
Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time: about 10 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 big bunch (about 8 cups) of kale, chopped
• 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons tamari (gluten-free) or soy sauce
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes (red pepper)
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled

Directions

1. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. To blanche the kale, quickly cook it in the water for about two minutes, or until tender. Once it's cooked, plunge the kale into cold water to shock it (this will preserve the color). Squeeze out the excess water and set aside.
2. To make the spicy peanut sauce, place the peanut butter, tamari or soy sauce, lemon juice, chili flakes, garlic, and ginger into a mini food processor. Process until blended together. It should be creamy and not too thick (a little water may be added if needed to thin it out). This step may also be done by hand (just mince the garlic and ginger first and then whisk the mixture together).
3. Toss the kale with the spicy peanut sauce. Enjoy!

Orzo Risotto with Kale and Chicken Sausage

Let's talk dining first!

I had a fabulous meal at ink last night, Top Chef winner Michael Voltaggio's new eatery.

It was certainly the most hotly anticipated new restaurant of the year, and it delivers and then some. I loved every dish that I tasted (it's a small plates menu, and we ordered at least three quarters of it). They were all interesting and well-balanced and unique. The cocktails were excellent, too. If you're looking for a great review and pictures, hop over to Kevin Eats (I love his blog!).

Next, the T-Day recap!

I'm happy to report that we survived a joint Thanksgiving with both sets of parents in Des Moines, Iowa. It was my parents' first trip to the Midwest, and I think they were pleasantly surprised. The cooking went off without a hitch—everybody pitched in. My father even tied on an apron and prepped brussels sprouts for roasting, something I don't think I've ever seen in my entire life!

It was a loud, boisterous household, just how you want to spend the T-Day holiday.

Now onto cooking!

In the post-Thanksgiving, winter months I always begin to crave comfort food. Orzo, in any form, certainly fits the bill. It's a rice-shaped pasta that can be prepared much like risotto. I buy a whole wheat version, which is a great, healthier alternative to white pasta.

For this hearty, winter dish, I cook the orzo like a risotto in chicken broth. Meanwhile, I saute chicken sausage (I prefer a spicy variety), kale (great in the winter months), and cherry tomatoes. To finish the dish, I stir it all together and add a healthy infusion of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

The resulting dish is hearty and creamy, the perfect antidote to the cold winter months.

Orzo Risotto with Kale and Chicken Sausage
Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time: about 30-40 minutes
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb whole wheat orzo (about 2 cups)
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups kale, thinly sliced
• 2 cups chicken sausage, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• pinch of chili flakes (optional)
• 1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano, grated
• salt and freshly ground pepper 

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Quickly parboil the orzo for about 4-5 minutes, until it has softened, but is still hard in the middle. Drain and rinse with cool water.
2. Add the stock to a pan and bring to a simmer. Add the orzo and simmer in the stock, stirring regularly, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the orzo is al dente. More stock may be used if needed. 
3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and the chili flakes and saute for one minute. Add the chicken sausage and cook for another minutes. Then, add the kale and the tomatoes. Continue cooking the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender and the tomatoes have broken down (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Add the sausage-kale mixture and the parmigiano-reggiano to the orzo, stirring to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. 
5. To serve, either plate the orzo or serve family style. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients

• whole wheat orzo, chicken sausage, organic kale, chili flakes, and organic cherry tomatoes from Whole Foods
• garlic from the West Hollywood Farmers Market
• organic low-sodium chicken stock and extra virgin olive oil from Trader Joe's

Meatless Monday: Veggie Frittata with Feta Cheese

What a fun weekend!

Not only did we have amazing weather (lower '80's and gloriously sunny—sorry East Coasters!), but my in-laws came into town for a nice visit. We had indulgent meals at Lou on Vine, Bouchon, Ray's (at LACMA—my new favorite place), and finally Pace. I think we'll all need a detox this week!

I did make us a lovely brunch at my house in the canyon, cooking up a simple feast of Raisin Walnut Spiced Muffins (recipe coming shortly) and a Veggie Frittata with Feta Cheese, using ingredients purchased at my local farmers market. Usually, I just stock up on everything that looks fabulous, and then figure out what to with it once I get home (I'm on my way there shortly...).

This fritatta combined some of my favorite vegetables—lacinato kale (I try to sneak this into any recipe that I can); jumbo asparagus (just materialized last week at the market); sweet cherry tomatoes (still coming in strong in California). The finishing touch was some fresh goat's milk feta cheese, also from one of my vendors at the market. Likewise, the eggs were procured from one of my local farmers.

I cooked the frittata in my cast iron skillet (which was only $20, and is one of my favorite pans). I started it stove top, and then moved it into the oven, before finishing it under the broiler.

I served the frittata with some homemade Raisin Walnut Spiced Muffins (made with whole grains and raisins also from one of my farmers). The resulting feast was simple, yet delicious and satisfying. I served the frittata directly out of my cast iron skillet, which looked lovely and rustic on the table.

Veggie Frittata with Feta Cheese
Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time: about 20 minutes
Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• 2 cups kale, thinly chopped
• 2 cups or 1 bunch asparagus, thinly sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. 
2. Add the garlic, and saute for one minute.
3. Add the asparagus and kale, stirring to combine. Continue to cook until the vegetables are beginning to soften. 
4. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a bowl and beat until the yolks and whites are mixed together and the entire mixture is slightly frothy. Season with a little salt and pepper.
5. Pour the mixture into the cast iron skillet over the vegetables. Place the halved cherry tomatoes cut side up on top of the egg mixture, gently pressing them down.
6. Top with the crumbled feta, a little salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.
7. Continue cooking stove top until the frittata begins to set. 
8. Finish the frittata under the broiler. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients

• lacinato kale, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, garlic, thyme, eggs, and goat's milk feta cheese from the West Hollywood Farmers Market

Curried Lentils with Sweet Potatoes & Kale

Curried Lentils with Sweet Potatoes & Kale

My husband is in Las Vegas for his fantasy football draft (but given how seriously he takes it, I don't think it's much of a fantasy for him).

Consequently, I have a very quiet Saturday planned. I woke and drank a pot of green tea. Then, I prepared and ate my simple, yet perfect breakfast (one egg, one slice of Ezekial toast, sauteed baby bok choy with low sodium tamari and sesame seeds, raspberries). I also did yoga on my porch while the sky thundered and rained a little bit (the first rain we've had in as long as I can remember).

I'll spend the rest of the day doing a little work, writing my recipe column for Patch, and organizing my office. And perhaps I'll come closer to finishing A Dance with Dragons (I've been reading this series for the better part of the last five months, but it's drawing to a close soon). And I'm addicted to Salon's Life Stories, and am reading through the entire archive (I love personal essays).

I also decided to make one of my favorite recipes for dinner tonight: Curried Lentils with Sweet Potatoes & Kale. I threw all of the ingredients into my slow-cooker instead of cooking them conventionally.

I'll let them simmer and stew away all day, and then eat them over brown rice. And perhaps with a side of garlic naan as a special treat (from the freezer section at Trader Joe's). This will be a comforting, healthy dinner.

I love the hearty, earthy combination of lentils, sweet potatoes, and kale.

I also love using my slow-cooker because at the end of the day, it feels like somebody has cooked dinner for me, something that never ever happens in my house...

To a lovely weekend for us all, filled with joy, comfort, and most of all, good food!

Update: I ended up meeting friends last minute at Son of a Gun for delicious cocktails and dinner. But this dish made a fabulous lunch the next day!

Pan-Cooked Summer Squash with Tomatoes & Kale

Pan-Cooked Summer Squash with Tomatoes & Kale

It's Monday again, and I'm off to the West Hollywood Farmers Market. That means that's it's been a week since my last visit to the market.

As many of you know, I love eating greens and savory vegetables for breakfast. I do it almost every single day--cooking up baby bok choy with sesame seeds and low sodium tamari one morning, then sauteing baby spinach with garlic and lemon the next morning.

So this morning, I was confronted with the remains of my last market visit--two lovely white summer squash, a bowl full of sweet yellow cherry tomatoes, and a few dark green fronds of kale. Inspired by this recipe for Pan-Cooked Summer Squash with Tomatoes and Basil from Martha Rose Shulman that appeared in her wonderful New York Times column, I decided to saute thinly sliced squash and kale with garlic in my cast iron skillet, and finish them off by adding the cherry tomatoes and cooking them down to a wonderful sweet tomato sauce.

The cherry tomatoes (rather than their larger counterparts) worked beautifully in this recipe. And the kale? Well, it was delicious! I love adding kale to almost anything, and perhaps it was penance for my late night vanilla shake and fries at the 101 Cafe last night, following a great show at the Hollywood Bowl of Disney's Fantasia.

I happily scarfed down this dish with eggs and toast for breakfast, and plan to finish the rest off with my farmers market purchased lunch.

Pan-Cooked Summer Squash with Tomatoes & Kale
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: about 20 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cups summer squash, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup kale, thinly sliced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, julienned (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for one minute. Then, add the squash, cooking until tender and slightly translucent.
2. Add the kale and cherry tomatoes, and continue to saute until the tomatoes cook down and the kale becomes tender (about 5 minutes).
3. Stir in the basil (optional). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients

• summer squash, cherry tomatoes, and kale from Studio City Farmers Market
• organic garlic and extra virgin olive oil from Trader Joe's 

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Saag's Basil Cracked Pepper Sausage, Kale, and Shitake Mushrooms

A big day in the culinary world--James Beard has announced their 2011 Semifinalists!

There are a lot of heavy hitters are on this list. However, I'd like to extend a special shout out to Baru 66 in Windsor Heights, IA and Chef David Baruthio for their nomination for Best New Restaurant. I had a fabulous meal there in November, and was very impressed with their food.

Now, on to more important business--what recipe do I have for you today?

Meatless Monday: Kale & Navy Bean Pasta with Smoked Paprika

Kale & Navy Bean Pasta with Smoked Paprika

On the cheerful note that Sodexo, the giant food service provider, had adopted Meatless Monday (click here for article), here's my weekly Meatless Monday recipe for Kale & Navy Bean Pasta with Smoked Paprika.

For this healthy dish, I used fresh organic kale from my farmer's market -- not only is it a budget friendly veggie, but it's also pretty much one of the healthiest things on the Planet Earth. Canned navy beans from Eden Organics provide great fiber, protein, and nutrients. I love Eden Organics because their can liners are BPA free!

Meatless Monday: Lentil and Sweet Potato Dal with Forbidden Rice

Lentil and Sweet Potato Dal

Divas, the holiday rush is upon us!

Kuzak and I are off to Floyd, Virginia this week to visit my parents, The Wine Lover and The Original Diva. I'm looking forward to being back on home turf, cooking and feasting with my family.

Before I sneak off, I wanted to share a great Meatless Monday recipe for Lentil and Sweet Potato Dal with Forbidden Rice. This healthy, tasty recipe is the perfect winter comfort food -- sweet and spicy, full of protein and fiber, in short, delicious! I also sneaked some kale in for a healthy treat.

Kale With Currants And Pine Nuts (Also Music On Tap Featuring The National)

Kale.

This one little four-letter word has the power to strike fear into the heart's of even adventurous veggie eaters.  Of all the cooking related questions I get asked, "How do I cook kale?" has to be in the top five.  Maybe even the top two.  It's fear-induction may be related to its bitterness and toughness, or maybe to the fact that few people liked it as kids, or that the Southern preparation involves cooking the hell out of it with bacon, thus transforming this vegetable into a heart attack on a plate.

That said, it's also one of my very favorite single ingredients to cook, especially deep in the heart of winter.  Alright, I live in LA, so the heart of winter most likely only involves a paltry amount of rainfall, but you get the point.  It's a hearty winter green, after all.  I love serving kale as a side dish, or adding to pastas, or serving it under fish and meat.  It's great raw in salads, too.  It cooks up quickly and has unsurpassed health benefits.  Rarely a week goes by that I don't have kale in my fridge. 

So it should come as no surprise that when my monthly book club rolled around last week and I perused my fridge for what to bring, my eyes fell on a big bag of organic baby kale I'd bought at the Hollywood Farmers Market earlier that week.

"Hmm... I wonder if people will eat kale," I pondered to myself.

I pictured the book club girls eying it nervously, before gingerly placing a single leaf on their plates.  Even worse, I wondered if it might actually be considered insulting to show up to my friend's house with a big bowl of cooked leaves, when everyone else was toting bottles of wine and big bags of cookies. I even worried that I'd be thought of as the weird kale girl from then on.

I took a deep breath to shore up my nerves, grabbed the bag of kale from my fridge and vowed to make a batch of the stuff so delectable, so mouthwateringly amazeballs (without cheating by adding bacon or guanciale), that even the most greens-a-phobic eater would discover their deep-rooted love for kale. As I've often stated, I believe that a lot of people's food aversions (not allergies) exist because they've never had the product prepared properly.  And kale is one of those things that can go really wrong, or really right.

So what happened at my book club?

It went really right!  To prepare the kale, I'd sauteed it first with garlic and chili flakes, and then finished it with lemon juice.  For crunch and richness, I added toasted pine nuts, and for little bursts of sweetness, currants.  I'd theorized that the texture and slightly bitter, caramelized flavor of the sauteed kale would contrast beautifully with the currants.  Yup, it did. 

And then something happened that night that had never happened in the history of kale.  People were fighting over the last leaves left in the bowl!  I even forked some of my portion to another kale-hungry girl (I'd taken a lot, but only because I figured I'd be the only one chowing down).  One of my book club girls who is self-admittedly not a veggie fan even got seconds!  It was like the whole world had turned upside down.  Kale was suddenly the star of the evening, like the ugly duckling who turned into a swan.

By the end of the night, my heart felt all warm and fuzzy.  You see, it's easy to make macaroni and cheese, or steak, or anything cooked in butter taste delicious.  What's really challenging is working with a difficult product and transforming it into a dish people love.  I figure that's why the French prize their offal (organ meats) so highly!

Not that I'll be serving calf brains at my next book club, though I do have this fabulous Mario Batali recipe...

A few additional notes on kale:

I can't finish this column without extolling on its health benefits, so here it goes. Kale contains powerful antioxidants, and thus has anti-inflammatory properties.  It's also a rich source of beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin, lutein, zeaxanthin and calcium, which is especially important for women. Kale, like broccoli and other members of the brassica family, contains sulforaphane, a chemical believed to have potent anti-cancer abilities, which is strongest when the leaves are eaten raw.

When cooking kale, or anything for that matter, make sure to season it properly!  Just properly salting and peppering a dish can take it from lackluster to revelatory.  Taste everything before you serve, and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Kale with Currants and Pine Nuts
Serves 6 people
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
1 big bunch of kale (about 6 cups raw), washed and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2 heaping tablespoons pine nuts, toasted and salted
2 heaping tablespoons currants
salt and pepper

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and chili flakes and saute for one minute.

Add the kale and reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for about three more minutes.  Next, add the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of water and continue cooking until the kale is tender, but not overcooked (about five minutes).  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, remove the kale to a serving bowl.  Top with the currants and pine nuts.  Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients
organic baby kale, organic lemons and organic garlic from the Hollywood Farmers Market

currants and pine nuts from Whole Foods

Music on Tap

The National - Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers

An indie-rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio, this is the album that first put them on the map.  It was released back in 2003, but I just picked up a copy this week and absolutely love it! I also adore 20005's Alligator and 2007's The Boxer, which many music publications picked as one of the best albums of the year.

Click here to check out this album!

Pan-Seared Wahoo with Clams, Cranberry Beans, and Kale

Happy Friday Divas!

So far, I've had a great start to my day! 

I managed to drag my sorry ass out of bed for my 7AM cardio class at my gym, no small feat.  While getting up is freaking hard - even the busting with crazy puppy energy at all times Adorable Monster isn't ready to wake up at the dark hour of six o'clock - I always feel fantastic after an hour of climbing up and down steps with weights.  It's such an ass-kicking class, that I only have to go a few times a week to stay in excellent shape.

Slow-Cooker Lentil Soup with Quinoa, Kale & Fresh Ginger

Everyone hates getting sick, and I'm no different, having come down with a sore throat that has progressed to a cough. Just lovely! But often, I think we get sick precisely so we can appreciate what it's like to be healthy. Like anything in life, it all depends on how you look at it, and usually, I think of sick days, the ones where you sit around in your PJ's all day watching daytime television you would usually never subject yourself to, give us a chance to take a time out from our hectic lives. Of course, it's better if we can do that without needing to be sick to take a day off work or have a night with no social commitments, but few of us would ever slow down otherwise.

So even though my boyfriend, Kuzak, and I are both on injured reserve today, much to my puppy, the Adorable Monster's, chagrin, that's no excuse to eat bad food! We all know how great a bowl of hearty soup tastes when you're under the weather. When I know I'm not feeling great, I often throw a big crock pot full of soup on first thing in the morning. That way, with minimal effort, there's something healthy to eat all day long that will help me get better faster! (At least I think it will!) This morning, I settled on making a classic lentil soup. It's fast cooking, hearty, and full of protein when paired with a grain. I also decided to add quinoa, an ancient high protein grain. To juice up the health factor, I chopped up some kale. Finally, to season the broth, I used fresh ginger, tumeric and cumin.

The resulting soup was positively divalicious, even by my standards. The flavors blended beautifully, making this a great winter soup, full of protein, fiber and vitamins. The fresh ginger infused the broth with a ton of spicy flavor, and the cumin and tumeric gave it even more character. Not to mention, using my crock pot, it was a cinch to make. I highly recommend trying this recipe. It's great for lunch, or filling enough to be eaten for dinner. So hopefully you won't have to get sick to have an excuse to try this recipe out!!

Note: If you don't own a crock pot, this could be made traditionally on the stovetop. Just begin by sauteing onions, carrots and celery in olive oil before adding the other ingredients.

"Hey Diva, if you're not gonna give me a big walk,
can I at least try some of your soup?"
-The Adorable Monster

Domestic Diva's Slow-Cooker Lentil Soup with Quinoa, Kale & Fresh Ginger

1 1/2 cups lentils
1/2 cup quinoa
2 carrots peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1 garlic clove chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
2 cups kale chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp tumeric
4 cups vegetable stock
4 cups water
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Throw all the ingredients together in the crock pot. Turn it on and allow it to cook, covered, for several hours until the lentils and vegetables are cooked through.


Salt and pepper to taste. Told you it was a cinch! Enjoy.

Breakfast of Champions: Greens & Eggs!

Did you know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Those who eat breakfast actually lose weight and have more energy throughout the day. Experts agree that having a balanced early morning meal, including a protein source, will cause you to eat less the rest of the day. Tired of the same old thing, here's what I had for breakfast this morning! An organic, omega-3 egg fried over Domestic Diva's Sauteed Kale (click here for recipe). I added a piece of sprouted whole grain Ezekiel toast for a complete breakfast. Try it out - it's positively divalicious!

Why We Should All Eat Green Eggs and Ham!

We all know that Dr. Seuss was a visionary when it comes to children's books, but it turns out that he may have also been a culinary genius! If you ask the Diva, every breakfast should have some green pigment coloring the dish. In fact, I think what Dr. Seuss really meant to write instead of Green Eggs and Ham was Greens, Eggs and Ham! Almost every morning, without fail, I have greens with my breakfast. I could make something as simple as a piece of Ezekiel Bread, an egg and some sauteed spinach (see DD's Sauteed Kale Recipe). The egg and the greens taste amazing together. Don't believe me? Have you ever tried Eggs Florentine? My Top Chef Brother of the esteemed restaurant Picco's in the Bay Area taught me that salad isn't just for lunch. Try it for bfast! Often, I make a simple salad of mixed greens sprinkled with good olive oil and a little sea salt topped with a poached egg. Another delicious option is an omelet or frittata filled with chopped kale or chard. You can scramble an egg with spinach in under two minutes. Prefer to gulp your bfast? Try making a juice drink with greens, or grab a shot of wheatgrass. Either way, you'll be improving your health and your palate in no time! Thank you Dr. Seuss...