Shredded Kale Avocado Salad Have you had enough kale yet

I know inwardly youre groaning.  AGAIN Joanne?  MORE KALE AGAIN?  Whats with the kale?

Every week, the farmers in my neighborhood comes by and I go and buy armloads of fresh Tuscan kale.  I bring it home and spend about an hour washing, drying and shredding the kale so that I can always have a kale salad, at the ready.  I love kale salad because they are hearty, hold up well, and taste great in a number of different permutations, and this avocado kale version is one inspired by a friend of mine who told me that Whole Foods makes a version that always gets picked over because people take all the avocados.

In your home version, however, you can just add so many avocados (or as many as youd like) so that NO ONE can pick out all of your avocados.  I love this version of kale salad for its brightness combined with the richness of the avocados.  You are satisfied after consuming it and probably your insides are happy to be so green with all of those great antioxidants.  Dont knock it until you try it (I know you there are kale haters out there) and a little bit of kale goes a long way in making you feel pretty darn great.

If you’ve never dealt with dinosaur/lacinato kale, you’ll need to remove the stem before trying to eat it.  I’ve found the fastest way is to simply grab the stem with one hand, and with the other, start at the base of the leaf, and it a quick motion, strip the leaf upwards until the stem is left stripped.  I save the stem and chop it finely and put it in my vegetable soups.   I find it much easier to wash the kale after the stem has been removed.  Wash, dry very well in a salad spinner, and then shred.  The smaller the shred, the better the texture in the salad.

Shredded Kale Avocado Salad
Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients
3 medium bunches Lacinato/dinosaur kale, washed and rinsed well, finely chopped (8 cups chopped)
2 or 3 large ripe avocados, cut into large chunks
3 large garlic cloves
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼  cup extra virgin olive oil
¼  teaspoon fine grain sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Method
In a food processor, or with a garlic press, create finely chopped garlic. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and whisk together.  (If you are using food processor for garlic, add lemon juice to the garlic in the processor and process.  Add olive oil, salt and pepper to processor and give a quick pulse.)

In a large salad bowl add shredded kale, and dress lightly with dressing.  Depending on the actual volume of kale you may need less dressing that what you’ve made.  Carefully coat all kale with the dressing then toss avocado chunks so that they are also coated with dressing.

Serve.  Because of the sturdy nature of kale, you can actually dress this salad and serve even 30 minutes later and it’s still delicious, although my preference is to eat it immediately.

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Keep all the avocados for yourself.

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Spicy Kale Salad with Tofu and Avocado Getting Away

For HYK- for the inspiration

For the first time in many many years, Husband and I have been actually discussing a real "getaway" vacation.  I say discussing because we arent anywhere near coming to an agreement about where to go and what we will do, but weve been throwing ideas back and forth at each other for the past few weeks or so.

Upon further discussion and examination, it became very clear that Husband and I definitely have two different ideas of what a vacation is.

Husbands idea is to stay at home, not wake up, not go anywhere, sit in his sweatpants and just be at home, eating home cooked food, playing catch with the kids, and overall not moving from where he is.

My idea of a vacation is not cooking, not cleaning, not teaching, not telling the kids to do their homework, piano practice, or extra work, and being able to experience something different from the repetitive nature of motherhood.  A few days of a completely different life is my idea.

Husband, as a way of challenging his own notion of a vacation, suggested that we rent a house somewhere and just spend time in the house.  I explained that recreating my daily life, just with a change of locale isnt a vacation.

For now, we still havent agreed on what we will do, where we will go, or when we will do it, but Im moderately hopeful that there is some sort of getaway in my immediate future.  Im looking for a change of pace, a change of scenery, and a change of lifestyle, even if it is for a brief, limited period of time.

In the meanwhile, I decided to try something entirely different with kale.  A good friend, HYK sent me a text of kale kimchi at a farmers market back east, and it immediately got me to thinking that kale would probably taste great with a spicy dressing on time - hence the birth of spicy kale salad!  With the crispy warm tofu, and the rich avocado, its a meal that leaves you completely satisfied, no joke.  Its not the same sort of satisfaction Ill get from being on a island somewhere (hint hint husband), but a satisfaction just the same.

As a note, anti-fish sauce man (Husband) ate the salad dutifully but informed me afterwards that he didnt really like it.  Children and I, however, devoured it.  Even the spice didnt turn them off to it.

Spicy Kale Salad with Tofu and Avocado
Serves 4

Ingredients
3 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seed
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
2 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes (gochugahloo-???? )

1 bunch of kale, thicker part of the stem removed, washed and chopped into bite sized pieces
1 block of tofu, cut into one inch pieces, drained on paper towel
1 avocado, sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 sprigs of cilantro (optional), finely chopped
2 scallions, finely chopped

Method
In a jar, (or in a bowl) mix together fish sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seed, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes.  Mix together well.  Set aside to allow flavors to meld.

Heat a skillet over high heat.  Add oil and drained tofu cubes and fry on all sides until golden, about 8 minutes.  On a paper towel lined plate, remove golden tofu and drain.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, add kale, scallions, and cilantro and add two or three heaping spoonfuls of dressing and using tongs or your hands (with a glove on it) toss until kale is well coated with the desired amount of dressing.  The dressing is spicy so adjust accordingly.  Add more if you like more spice.  (You will have some dressing leftover.  Use it on top of some sliced cucumbers.)

Arrange salad with dressed kale, chunks of tofu and slices of avocado.  Enjoy.

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Avocado and Tomato Pasta Salad This is summer

Right about now, when the heat begins creeping in, and the long sleeves and long pants and jackets make way for short sleeves, shorts, and flip-flops, advertising everywhere turns our thoughts to summer.

And suddenly everyone begins thinking about what the summer "it" thing is going to be.

Already the LA Times wrote about this summers song, Beautiful by Mariah Carey.  (By the way, I had no idea that Mariah Carey was still around.) I listened to it a few times, and found the tune a bit catchy and fun (although the lyrics EXTREMELY worrisome with motorcycles and no helmets and boys doing things) but maybe it is the summer song.  I can see people enjoying it on the beach, in the car, or at a bbq.

There are also summer fashion themes.  Bold graphics, boho chic, shiny metallic looks and peekaboo cutouts.  Yeah, whom am I kidding?  Summer fashion to me means shorts and a tshirt, and maybe a new swim suit.    But you know that summer will bring out new and fun outfits for the rest of the world and youll see me in my khaki shorts and black tshirt uniform.

There are the summer "it" vacation spots - Hawaii, Mexico, Europe, Thailand.  These are the places to which people travel in order to enjoy some rest and relaxation.

I know not enough about music, fashion, vacations - but I DO have this summers PERFECT "IT" pasta salad.  Its this one.  Bright, citrusy, cilantro, avocado tomato - and with pasta.  It is so perfect to bring to any picnic you have and it goes with literally everything.  Ive had it with chicken, beef, and fish, and each combination is too yummy to pass up.  You could also shred some rotisserie chicken into it and call it a meal salad, but Ill let you decide to do that on your own.  Its simple to put together and it will taste great at your next gathering.  The best thing about this "it" summer pasta salad is that its easy to put together and easy to eat.

Avocado and Tomato Pasta Salad
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
1 pound rotini or another curly pasta

¼  cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½  cup olive oil

2 cups red and/or yellow teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup chopped green onions
2 avocados, peeled, and diced

Method
Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain, rinse well and set aside to drain and cool.

Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, pepper, in small bowl or measuring cup. Gradually whisk in oil. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

Mix tomatoes, cilantro, green onions with pasta.   Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Add avocado.  Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

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Avocado Tomato Quinoa Salad The C Word

To my warriors - I love you all so much.

In my life, right now, I have four friends who are battling cancer.  There are various types, various stages, various treatments, but at the end of the day, I have four friends who have found out something is happening to their bodies that they cannot control.

As my friends shared their situation with their loved ones, immediately my head began reeling as I thought of these women.  Mothers.  Wives.  Daughters.  Sisters.  Friends.  Teachers.  Mentors.  Caretakers.  The roles that these women fill are myriad and they are AMAZING at what they do.

The C word makes me SO mad.  I started getting angry, and because I am always a little bit obsessed with words, I began thinking of all the C words that I could that could fight Cancer.

Crush.  I want to crush cancer out of these womens bodies.

Cure.  I want them to be cured.

Cut.  I want to cut off any cancer from taking over anymore of their bodies.

Care. I care what happens.

Conviction.  I have conviction that I can make a difference.

Christ.  In Christ, all things are possible.

This same day, a Vacation Bible School song came on and the words struck me as right.  "Dont worry, about anything, but just pray, about everything."

I have been been praying fiercely that God will crush, cut out, cure this cancer, and that these women get the right care.  I know that God will answer my cries, and the cries of so many other people who love these women.  I wrote to one of these women, that in times of great adversity, God has a chance to do something amazing.  Im going to sit right here, praying hard, waiting for Gods amazing, because I KNOW it will happen.

This quinoa salad - its something I want to make for all of these women.   When Gods miracle happens, Ill be cooking for and eating with them.

Avocado, Tomato, Quinoa Salad
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

1 ripe, yet firm avocado, diced (you want it ripe, but not so mushy that it will fall apart.)
1 ½ cups cherry or grape tomatoes
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup chopped scallions

Method
In a large heavy saucepan add quinoa, water, and salt.  Bring to a boil uncovered, and once boiling, cover, and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until all water is absorbed.  Check to see that quinoa is translucent and the germ is visible (the fine line).  Remove from heat and remove quinoa from pot to cool.

While quinoa cools, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, and salt and pepper.  Pour over warm quinoa and toss.  Add avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, and scallions.  Season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Can be served at room temperature or chilled (which I think tastes even better!)  Allow to cool and then refrigerate if you want to have it cold.

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