Creamed Kale

A simple but remarkably tasty dish.  3 out of 4 kids freaked out just at the sight of the kale.  The other one ate 3 servings.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 bunch of kale, stems removed, chopped (around 4 cups)
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1 1/4 cups cashew cream (more if needed)
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a large pot over med heat.  Saute onion and garlic for a few mins, until translucent, being careful not to burn.
2. Add kale and a bit of salt and sauté for a few mins, until vibrant green and slightly wilted.
3. Add wine and cook, uncovered, for about 5-7 mins, until liquid is reduced and kale is tender.
4. Add cashew cream and mix well.  Cook for 2-3 mins until cream is thickened.  Add more if you want creamier kale.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Indian Kale and Split Peas

This is my final installment of new Indian dishes. For whatever reason, my kids ate this up with no complaints despite the obvious presence of leafy greens. I have found that I have to remove the tough stems from kale because my youngest often chokes and gags as he tries to chew and swallow them. It makes for a rather unpleasant meal. While I usually like my greens lightly cooked and still bright green, cooking the greens together with the split peas and spices for an hour makes for a wonderful flavour and soft texture. I made the dish fairly dry, but you could add more water and some tomato paste at the end to make a sauce so the dish coul dbe served over rice.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 cup yellow split peas, rinsed
- 1 cup water (more if needed)
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 tsp tumeric
- salt to taste
- 1 bunch kale, rinsed and chopped (stems removed, optional)

METHOD
1. Heat margarine in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic for 5-7 mins, until soft and translucent. Add garam masala and chili powder and fry for 1 min.
2. Add split peas, water, tomato, tumeric, and salt and bring to bubbling. Let bubble for 5 mins, then add kale. Stir until wilted, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 60-75 minutes, until split peas are cooked. Check periodically to stir, adding more water if too dry.

Polenta with White Beans, Braised Kale, and Roasted Pears

If you follow this blog at all you know that I usually don't mess around with fussy presentations or preparations. But, you also know that I like to watch Top Chef. The last episode featured Natalie Portman, a vegetarian, but I found the dishes presented to be pretty disappointing so I thought I would take a try at something more fancy. The dish started with wondering about how roasted pears would taste . . . .

INGREDIENTS
Makes 10
Roasted Pears
- 6 Bartlett pears, cored, diced
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Polenta
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup plain soy milk
- 1 cup polenta
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp parsley
- salt and pepper to taste

White Beans
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 leek, white and light green section, thinly sliced
- white wine
- 1 tomato, small dice
- 1 19oz can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- salt and pepper to taste

Braised Kale
- 6 large kale leaves
- white wine
- dash of salt

METHOD
1. Pears: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss diced pears in oil and vinegar and spread out on a baling sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 30 mins, turning pears regularly. Keep warm.
2. Polenta: Grease 10 large muffin tins. Bring water and milk to boiling. Slowly whisk in polenta and reduce heat to med-lo, stirring frequently to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook for 15-20 mins, until soft and thick. Add spices and season to taste, then transfer into the muffin tins. Let cool, remove from tins, then keep warm.
3. Beans: While polenta is cooking, make the beans. Heat oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Fry leeks for 2-3 mins, until staring to go golden, then add a big splash of wine. Let cook dry, then repeat until leeks are softened (about 5 mins). Add tomatoes and another splash of wine and let reduce a bit. Add beans and a last splash of wine, then let cook for 5-7 mins until tomatoes have turned into a thick sauce. Season and keep warm.
4. Kale: Remove tough stalks from kale leaves, stack leaves, then roll up. Thinly slices rolled leaves. Heat a frying pan over med hi heat. Add kale, a generous splash of wine, and a dash of salt. Let cook for a min or two, until kale is soft but still bright green.
5. Place polenta on a plate, then top with beans, then kale, then pears.

Stromboli

If you heard a collective yowl ringing through the sky around supper time, that was my kids accusing me of violating the sanctity of pizza by adding greens. Back in the summertime when I was researching in Philly, someone suggested that I make a vegan stromboli in honour of the city. I am finally getting around to it. Looking around on the internets I found that there seemed to be no one way to make stromboli, and that the ingredients varied from recipe to recipe. Some were rolled, some were more like a big calzone. No matter what way you make it, the great thing about stromboli is that you can pack a ton of ingredients inside and you don't have to worry about the cheeseless top drying out. Here is what I did, but really the ingredients are up to you.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 recipe pizza dough (they are all pretty much the same)

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced

- 1/2 red pepper, diced

- 1/2 green pepper, diced

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 4 cups sliced mushrooms

- 4 kale leaves, stem removed, chopped

- 1 tsp oregano

- 1 tsp basil

- 1 tsp parsley

- salt and pepper to taste

- sliced pepperoni

- 2 cups chopped chicken-style seitan

- spaghetti sauce

- soy milk for brushing

METHOD

1. Make your dough as per whatever recipe you are using.

2. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Saute onion for 5-7 mins, until softened and beginning to brown. Add peppers and garlic and fry for 2 mins.

3. Add mushrooms and cook until they have released their water (about 5 mins). Add kale and seasonings and cook for a few mins until kale softens (it will finish cooking in the oven). Remove pan from stove and place in the fridge to cool down).

4. Heat a pizza stone in the oven set to 400 degrees.

5. I have make this two ways: rolled and braided. If you are going to roll the stromboli, make two smaller ones (I followed the method in this recipe). If you are braiding it (like pictured above), you can make one big one (I followed this video). The basic idea is to put down some sauce, top with pepperoni and setian, then top with veggies. The trick is keeping the sauce away from the edges so you can seal up the dough nicely.

6. When your stromboli is rolled or braided, brush with soymilk and place on a piece of parchment paper on a pizza peel. Transfer to the pizza stone (parchment paper and all). Bake until golden brown. Smaller rolls will bake in about 25-30 mins, larger ones in about 35-40.

Sweet Potatao and Kale Quesedillas

The other night we went to a pasta dinner at the boys' school--a way to meet with other parents and build school spirit. We had a great time, but between chatting and trying to shove pasta into the mouths of kids, Vegan Mom and I really didn't eat a lot. We were both feeling pretty peckish later that evening so I whipped up these fantastic quesedillas (he said, tooting his own horn).

INGREDIENTS

Makes 6-8

- 1 large sweet potato, diced

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1/2 large Vidalia onion, sliced

- 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn

- 1 clove of garlic, chopped

- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

- 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

- few dashes hot sauce

- 1/4 cup salsa

- 1 tsp chili powder

- 1/2 tsp cumin

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- salt and pepper to tatse

- 2 kale leaves, stalks removed, chopped

- 6-8 small wheat tortillas

- margarine

METHOD

1. Place chopped sweet potato in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to bubbling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 mins, until potatoes are tender.

2. While potatoes are cooking, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Saute onions for 5-7 mins, until starting to nicely brown. Add corn and cook for another 5 mins, until corn begins to brown.

3. Add garlic and jalapeno and saute for 2 mins. Add beans and hot sauce and mix well. Add salsa and spices, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Drain potatoes and roughly mash. Add to pan along with the chopped kale. Cook for a few mins, until kale is softened and a a nice brilliant green. Add more salsa if mixture is too dry. Adjust seasonings to taste. Remove from heat. Heat a different fryin pan over medium heat.

5. Spread a thin layer of margarine on one side of a tortilla (not necessary if you are using a cast iron pan). Spread a layer on half of the un-margarined side of the tortilla. Fold tortilla in half, then fry for a few mins per side, until golden brown. Remove from heat and slice in 3 triangles.

Channa Saag

This is something I put together in my quest to get more kale into my diet. As far as I remember, channa is the hindi word for chickpeas, and saag means spinach. This dish is packed with all sorts of nutritional goodness, and even though they protested at first, the boys ate all their greens.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced

- 1 large garlic clove, minced

- 1" piece of ginger, minced

- 4 large tomatoes, chopped

- 1 tsp garam masala

- 1 tsp coriander

- 1/2 tsp cumin

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 1 tbsp chili powder

- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

- 3 cups chopped kale (though stems removed)

- 3 cups chopped spinach

- juice of 1 lemon

- 1/4 cup plain soy yogurt

- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Heat oil on a large pot over medium heat. Saute onions for 12-15 mins, until nicely browned. Add garlic and ginger and saute for 2 mins.

2. Add tomatoes and spices and bring to bubbling. Cook for 5-7 mins, stirring regularly, until tomatoes have reduced to a paste.

3. Add chickpeas and kale and cook for about 5 mins, until kale is tender. Add spinach and cook 2-3 mins, until tender. Stir in lemon juice and yogurt.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, adjust spices to your liking, and serve.

Vegetable Stew with Savory Biscuit Topping

The cool fall weather has triggered something in my brain so I can only think about soups, stews, and chowders. I love this time of year with the crisp, cool air, the beautiful colours of the leaves, and fall produce like pumpkins and squash. Although I know it means that many months of cold and snow are coming, I still love autumn. This dish marries together a modification of my biscuit recipe with a modification of my Creamy Kale and Potato Stew. Result: maximum deliciousness.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6-8

Stew

- 2 tbsp oil

- 2 leeks, chopped (not dark green tops)

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 6 kale leaves, tough stems removed, chopped

- 2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes, cubed

- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

- 2 cup frozen mixed vegetables

- 5 cups of water

- 1/2 cup chicken-style broth powder

- salt and pepper to taste

- 1/4 cup flour

- 1/2 cup plain soy milk

Biscuit Topping

- 2 cups flour

- 1 tbsp baking powder

- 1 tsp sugar

- 1/4 tsp baking soda

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

- 1 tsp rubbed sage

- 1 tsp marjoram

- 1/3 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening

- 3/4 cup soy milk

- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

METHOD

1. Make the Stew: heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic and saute for 5 mins, until leeks are soft. Add chopped kale and potatoes and cook for 2-3 mins, until it softens a little and turns bright green.

2. Add chickpeas, mixed vegetables, water, broth powder, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to bubbling, lower heat, and simmer uncovered for 15-20 mins, until potatoes are cooked.

3. While stew is cooking, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

4. Make the biscuit topping: mix soy milk and vinegar and set aside to thicken. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Stir in nutritional yeast and spices. Mix in shortening with your fingers until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add in soy milk mixture with a fork, then gently knead into a dough. Set aside.

5. Finish stew: mix flour into soy milk (I put them both in a container with a snug fitting lid and shake to blend) and add to pot. Bring to a bubbling so stew will thicken. Adjust seasonings to taste.

6. Pour stew into a large oven-safe dish (I use a 10" x 15" Corning ware dish). On a lightly floured surface, roll out biscuit dough into a shape that will fit your dish. Keep in mind it will double in size when baked, so don't worry if it looks too thin. Place dough on top of stew.

7. Bake for 15 mins, until biscuit topping is cooked and golden.

Easy Tofu Saag

Your kids probably aren't going to sing your praises when they see this on their plate, but it really is tasty and a great way for them to get kale into their diet. This is also a relatively quick and easy recipe with few steps and easily available ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 bunch kale

- 1 onion, cut into chunks

- 2 cloves garlic, chopped

- 1 chunk ginger, chopped

- 3/4 to 1 cup water

- 1 can diced tomatoes

- 1 tbsp mild curry paste (or powder), or to taste

- 1 tsp chili powder

- salt to taste

- 1 pkg extra firm tofu, diced

- 3 tbsp soy yogurt (optional)

METHOD

1. Remove the tough stalks from the kale, and cook for 10 mins with a splash of water over medium heat in a large pot with the lid on. Kale should cook down and be tender, but still be a nice bright green.

2. Put kale, onion, garlic, and ginger in a food processor. Add water and blend until smooth. Add more water if too thick.

3. Put kale mixture in a large pot and bring to bubbling over medium heat, stirring regularly. Cook for a few mins. Add tomatoes (juice and all) and spices. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add tofu and cook, uncovered, for 15 mins, reducing heat if it begins to stick. Stir regularly and let thicken. Stir in yogurt, if using, and serve over rice.

Creamy Kale and Potato Stew

I guess I don't need to extol the virtues of kale to a bunch of vegans. But in case you didn't know, kale is very good for you. I have had a bunch sitting in the crisper for a few days and have been wondering how to serve it in a way the kids would like (or at least not hate too much). This was the answer.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium bunch of kale
- 1 lb yukon gold potatoes, cubed (skins on)
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 5 cups water
- 1/2 cup chicken-style broth powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup plain soy milk

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a large pot over med-hi heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 5 mins, until onions are soft and translucent.
2. While onions are cooking, rinse kale, remove leaves from stems, and roughly chop. Add to pot with potatoes and cook for 1-2 mins, until it softens a little.
3. Add chickpeas, water, broth powder, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to bubbling, lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 mins, until potatoes are cooked.
4. Mix flour into soy milk (I put them both in a container with a snug fitting lid and shake to blend) and add to pot. Bring to a bubbling so stew will thicken. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.