Kale and Quinoa Salad

I first had this at the cafeteria at work and asked the head chef about it. She admitted that she had googled "Kale and Quinoa" recipes and improvised from there. I did the same.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa cooked in 2 cups vegetable broth
1 head Lacinto Kale, stems removed and discarded. Leaves chopped fine
1 red onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 - 1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon red hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

• Cook quinoa as per directions on package. I cooked mine in vegetable broth instead of plain water. When cooked, 
• In a large bowl, combine garlic, tahini, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, hot sauce and honey. Mix well and set aside. 
• Chop onion and red pepper. 
• Add chopped Kale to bowl with tahini mixture. Mix well. 
• Add onion and red pepper. 
• When the quinoa is cool, add to the bowl. Mix well. 

Eat. Then eat more.

Ribbolita

Several days ago, I made this French Onion Soup. It was delicious. It was so yummy I decided to use some of the leftovers as a basis for a hearty Ribbolita. Ribbolita is a thick, hearty Tuscan vegetable soup, rife with vegetables. Perfect with rustic, thick bread. 

There are tons of Ribbolita recipes on the web. Here's a good one to start with: Bon Appetit Ribollita. I barely followed this recipe, since I had slightly different vegetables (celery, kale, carrots, potatoes, butternut squash, tomatoes, canellini beans). I went heavy on the spices (thyme, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano). And I added liberal amounts of red wine. And of course, all that is in addition to the French Onion soup base. 

The verdict? YUM. 

Butternut Squash Quiche

This flavorful quiche makes a light entrée and a great Thanksgiving side dish. We like lots of curry, so we use these amounts as a starting point. Your tastes may vary.

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped sweet onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups chopped spinach leaves or kale

4 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese, room temperature

16 oz butternut squash, roasted and mashed

2 large sweet potatos, baked and mashed

1 1/4 cups fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)

1/2 tsp. each salt and black pepper

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp curry powder

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9" pie pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
• Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove.
• Add onion and garlic and, stirring occasionally, cook until softened and slightly browned, about 6 minutes.
• Add spinach and cook until wilted and excess moisture has evaporated, about 2 more minutes.
• Transfer onion-spinach mixture to the large bowl.
• Add cheese wedges, breaking them into pieces as you add them.
• Mix thoroughly, until cheese has melted and is evenly distributed.
• Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well.
• Evenly transfer mixture to the pie pan.
• Bake in the oven until firm and lightly browned on top, about 1 hour.
• Allow to slightly cool. Cut into 6 slices and enjoy!