Kale and Chickpeas

Here is one my favorite non-recipes. It's quick, simple and vegetarian. You can dress it up in many ways but I usually keep it simple.

Wash a bunch of kale and chop it. I usually chop the kale fairly small (cooks faster) and include a bit of the stem for crunch. Take a can of chickpeas drain, rinse and set aside. There is no comparison for home cooked chickpeas versus canned but the cans are sooooo convenient. I always keep a fewcans in my pantry. Melt some butter or ghee or olive oil and toss in the chickpeas. I saute the chickpeas until they start to crisp up a bit and turn golden. Then add the kale, mix in and continue to saute until kale is cooked. Try not to cook the kale until soft so that there is some contrast of textures. Season with salt, ground coriander and finish with a small pat of butter (or not.) I often eat this in a corn tortilla or a besan (chickpea flour)pancake. You can make it spicy with cayenne if you want.

Note: I usually by dinosaur/Tuscan/black kale or Russian kale or any other flat leafed kale.

Seasoning note: When butter is melted, you could add a pinch hing (asefeotida) and 1/2 tsp cumin seeds.

:O)

Warning: A kind of whiny rant

What is this on your screen you say? It is Mr.Tinea pellionella! The dreaded clothing moth! I loathe him. He is my true enemy. He is innocent, you say?! Bite your forked tongue! No! No! No! We have been in a war with Mr. T.P. since April. Today was a 3-moth day. Two empty cases; three moths. I'm starting to mark my days by moths and what places we tore up to find them. Today, this meant more hours emptying and turning over bookcases, scraping out cracks between floor moldings and floors with pen knives, and emptying drawers. In some of these areas this was the third visit. My family and I were too tired to complete Audrey's room after unscrewing her book case from the wall and making sure to "squeeze" the spine on each cloth bound book (do you really want to know?). The positive thing is, is Audrey's room is much more dust free and I threw away medicines from 1997...but what I want to know is... WILL IT EVER END?! I'm trying to trust the process, but meanwhile my garden sits, my homeschooling stalls, I'm not having nearly as much fun as I'd like to, and frankly I am a wee bit crabby. I have to believe, I must believe, I REFUSE NOT to believe anything other than we are WELL ahead of the little monsters. I wanted to post the picture from the first day we found the moths. It was of the electrical outlet stuffed full of caterpillars and cases...but I couldn't find it. It's probably better that way, since it would just freak you out and piss me off.
Don't get me wrong, I love my life and my family and am deeply grateful for how incredibly blessed I am--but am just tired of the little buggers. Sorry for the whining, but I did warn you!

Kathy's Pic of the Week

Market Saute

Or emptying the vegetable bin to make room for more.

I have been going to a local farmer's market every Saturday for about a year and have embraced the locavore diet as much as my palate allows. There are some imported foods that I just don't want to do without.

Eating seasonally and locally (and organic) is a very enjoyable and easy way of taking care of myself and my family. I even buy my meat from the market. Although it costs substantially more money, we simply eat less. I love going to the market and seeing what is available for the week's meals. In the winter it was a fun challenge.

I still go to the grocery store but less often. After all, I need my rice and John his ketchup! (Oh, I could make my own ketchup...hmm. No.) :O)

This is a quick easy method for cooking up the contents of your vegetable bin. Something I do every Saturday after I bring home the next week's veggies.

Market Saute

Bacon or guanciale

1 clove garlic

Approx. 3-6 cups Veggies (This month it was mainly kale, bok choy, cauliflower, etc)

White pepper

Slice the bacon in to 1/8 in x 1-1/2 in pieces. Put in skillet on medium heat. Leave it undisturbed as the pan heats up and once one side begins to brown flip. Continue to cook to your taste. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Pour out most but not all the fat.

Meanwhile, thinly slice the garlic and chop the veggies in to bite sized pieces. Return the skillet to the heat and add the garlic cook to just soften, don't let it brown. Add the kale and stir fry for a minute then add the other veggies. Note: add veggies to the pan in order of cooking time. The ones that take the longest should go in first get cooked for a minute or two then the next added.

At this point, everything is sizzling along nicely. Add a couple tablespoons of water or broth and stir. Do this a couple of times until the veggies are cooked to your taste. Turn off the heat and add the bacon back in to the pan and stir to distribute. Season to taste.

Vegetarian Option:

Use olive oil and cook the garlic until just starting to turn golden then quickly add the veggies. Continue cooking as above. For an added protein you could use fried tofu. Reheating or recrisping in the oil then set aside until the veggies are cooked.

Note: Depending on the veggie combo you can add sliced ginger at the time of cooking the garlic or add herbs such as thyme or Vignalta salt at the end.

Kathy's Pic of the Week

Kathy's Pic of the Week

Tofu Salad w/chilies and ginger

Tofu Salad w/chilies and ginger
Adapted from Beyond the Great Wall, by Alford & Duguid

Ingredients

1/2 block extra firm tofu, tofu noodles, pressed tofu your choice

1/2 - 1 tsp dried red chilies (use different varieties for flavor*)

2 tbs chinese soy sauce

1 tbs water

2 green onions sliced very thinly

1 tbs ginger minced

½ red bell pepper, minced

Mix dried chilies* with soysauce and water and set aside.

Prep the tofu, depending on what kind you are using.

· If using fresh extra firm, rinse and drain for a few minutes, pat dry and then cut into small 1/4 inch or less cubes.

· If using pressed tofu, open package and slice into small cubes 1/4-inch or less. Pressed tofu is very firm, compressed tofu. It comes plain or preseasoned, either works.

· If using tofu noodle, rinse to separate strands, drain.

Slice green onions, and mince ginger and bell pepper. Mix all ingredients together.

Let sit for a few minutes for flavors to incorporate. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with rice or roll the salad up in lettuce leaves.

Serves 1 or 2 for a snack

*dried chilies. I use mild dried chilies which have little heat but lots of flavor. Grocery stores often have a variety of dried red peppers. You can also try the local farmer's markets.