FFtVSC: Lentil Soup with Kale Ribbons

This is a good solid work night dinner. It is a delicious, nutritious, and uncomplicated recipe. I give it a thumbs up.

FatFreeVegan: North African Chickpea and Kale Soup

I know I said last time that Paul doesn't like kale, but I had to use up the rest of the bunch that I had bought because it was starting to go wilty. I also had chickpeas and I always have carrots so this soup made a lot of sense. This recipe was our second win for kale!

Veganomicon: Braised Seitan with Brussels, Kale, and Sundried Tomatoes

We love seitan and brussels sprouts. Unfortunately Paul isn't so fond of kale, so I served it over linguini to sweeten the deal. The recipe called for 2 Tbs of oil with a note to add more if necessary and I was pretty much ready to cut way back on the oil because the only sundried tomatoes I could get were the kind packed in oil. But I went with the recipe for the sake of the whole staying-faithful-to-recipes-as-they-are-written experiment, and it didn't turn out oily in the least. The seitan soaked up a lot of the oil, but without seeming greasy. It also left a lot of fond on the bottom of the pan to be deglazed by the broth and wine. Everything was cooked just right, the flavor was spot on. The only problem was that I overcompensated for the saltiness of the seitan and stock based on the the last recipe and didn't add the salt called for in the recipe. I wanted to get this dish plated up before the kale went beyond done, but I should have taken the extra time to really taste and adjust the salt. The result was that the dish wasn't quite seasoned enough.

Kashi Kedgeree

1 c kashi 7 grain pilaf (dry)
2 c broth
1 c french lentils
2 c water
2 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
10 oz mushrooms
1 bunch purple kale, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 T lemon juice
Bragg liquid aminos to taste

Cook the pilaf in the broth acording to package directions. Cook the lentils in water until tender and then drain. Sautee the garlic, onion, and carrot in 2 T olive oil over medium heat until onion is starting to color. Add the mushrooms, cumin, and coriander to the onion, garlic, and carrots, and stir to combine. Add Kale to the other vegetables and cover to steam for a couple of minutes, making sure nothing burns or sticks. Once kale is wilted, add pilaf, lentils, and lemon juice and stir to combine. For an extra kick squeeze a clove of garlic in a garlic press over the pot. Adjust your seasonings with a splash or two of Bragg's.

This recipe was inspired by Devra Gartenstein's Kegeree recipe. I've used the 7 grain pilaf and the french lentils for a little variety. I've also switched the powdered mustard for ground coriander because we were out of mustard and I love the way coriander works with lemon.