Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Miso roast squash and potatoes with almonds and kale

Recipe by Anna Jones


This recipe saves a lot of work, as squash, potatoes and greens can be cooked together in one tray. The chili, miso and lemon combo is a great foil for some of the richer seasonal dishes.

Serves 8

500g small potatoes, scrubbed clean
700g Crown Prince, butternut or other squash
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp white miso
2 tbsp harissa
Juice of 1 lemon
100g kale, de-stemmed and shredded
100g toasted almonds

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters no larger than your thumb.

Cut the squash in half lengthways (no need to peel), use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, then cut into 2cm slices.

In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, miso, harissa and lemon juice.

Put the potatoes and squash on to a baking tray with half the harissa mixture. Toss well, using your hands, to make sure everything is coated. Roast for 40-45 minutes until everything is cooked through and browning at the edges. Turn everything once or twice to make sure it browns evenly, and keep a close eye on it as it can burn in a flash.

Add the shredded kale and roast for a final 10 minutes. It should crisp up a little. Transfer to a serving dish and spoon over the remaining dressing and scatter with the toasted almonds.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Salad · Vegan

Kale and Quinoa Salad With Tofu and Miso

Recipe by Corinne Trang for the New York Times

A hearty base of kale, quinoa and crisp tofu give this easy salad enough bite to serve as a meal. Curly kale provides heft and holds up nicely to the sweet, sour and spicy dressing. Use your hands to massage the vinaigrette into the kale, and let it marinate for at least 10 minutes to tenderize the sturdy greens. Finish the dish with a drizzle of sriracha and honey, but use a light touch: The point is to balance the heat and sweetness levels without overwhelming the delicate miso vinaigrette. If you like, double the dressing and refrigerate it for future use; it makes a fantastic dip for grilled chicken or pork, or a glaze to brush on salmon before broiling.

½ cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
1.5 tbsp white miso
1 tbsp mirin
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
6 tbsp grapeseed oil
½ teaspoon sriracha, plus more for drizzling
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely julienned or grated
1 small bunch curly kale, ribs removed, leaves chopped (about 4 packed cups)
1 (14-oz) package extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Honey or maple syrup, for serving

In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa with 3/4 cup water or stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and cook over medium-low until the water is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff it with a fork.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, miso, mirin, sesame oil, 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and 1/2 teaspoon sriracha. Stir in the ginger.
Add the kale, massage it with the dressing and set aside to marinate. Spoon the cooked quinoa onto the kale and toss to coat.
In a nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil over medium. When the oil shimmers, cook the tofu, turning occasionally, until crisp on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil, then scatter it over the kale salad. Drizzle lightly with sriracha and honey and serve immediately.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Vegan

Baked Tofu with Coconut Kale

Recipe from Alexandra Stafford

This fabulous meal made mainly on a sheet pan is a happy union of flavors and textures.

Serve with coconut rice, which is very simple: 1 cup each jasmine rice (rinsed), coconut milk, and water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, turn to low, cook 15 minutes, let stand 10 before fluffing with a fork and serving.

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SERVES 2 to 3

1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Sriracha
16 oz firm tofu
3 tbsp melted coconut oil
8 oz lacinato kale or other
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Coconut rice for serving, see notes above

Preheat the oven to 400° F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oils, soy sauce, and Sriracha. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes, and place them in the bowl. Gently toss the cubes to coat them in the dressing. Let sit until the oven finishes preheating.

Lightly oil a rimmed sheet pan with about a teaspoon of neutral oil. Arrange cubes of tofu on the sheet pan, leaving excess dressing in bowl.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the 3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil into the reserved dressing.
Coarsely chop the kale, discarding the tough ends. Add the kale to the bowl of dressing along with the coconut and toss to coat.
Remove the sheet pan of tofu from the oven. Gently, push the cubes with a spatula to loosen.
Nestle the kale and coconut around the tofu cubes. Return pan to the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the kale has wilted considerably and is beginning to crisp and the coconut is golden brown.
Remove the pan from the oven.
Use a spatula to gently toss everything together.
Serve over rice.

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Grains · Salad · Vegan

Kale & farro salad with almonds and pomegranate

Recipe from food blog, “Feasting at Home” Sylvia Fountaine.

This Kale and Farro Salad is one of my all-time favorite vegan salads. Think of it like a Winter Tabouli Salad. It’s loaded up with chopped kale and parsley and instead of bulgar, hearty farro is added to the mix. Pomegranate seeds replace out-of-season tomatoes here and toasted almonds give this a nice crunch! The best part? It can be made ahead!

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Serves 6-8
1 cup cooked farro (or sub wheat berries, bulgar wheat, quinoa, or other grain)
1 bunch lacinato kale ( 8-10 ounces) finely chopped, about 4–5 cups.
4 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, very finely chopped ( tender stems, OK) about 1-2 cups
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 cup pomegrante seeds
1/2 cup – 1 cup toasted almonds, chopped, slivered, or sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice, and more to taste
1/2 tsp allspice, more to taste
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
Optional Garnish: Avocado slices for extra richness

Start farro to cook on the stove ( 1/2 cup dry). Place in a pot of salted water, bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, simmer gently until tender, 30-40 minutes. Drain.
Chop kale finely and place in a large bowl. Add oil, salt, garlic and lemon zest. Massage the kale with clean hands until kale becomes tenderized, 4-5 minutes.
Add parsley, onion, pomegranate, almonds and farro. Toss to combine and add lemon juice and allspice and cinnamon.
Mix and taste, adding more salt, allspice and lemon to your taste. If making ahead, make sure to re-taste right before serving- the farro will soak up much of the salt and lemon, so usually I’ll add more.
For extra richness, right before serving, add slices of avocado if you like.
notes

Gluten Free · Salad

Kale, carrot & date salad with tahini/yoghurt dressing

Why is it so hard to get an interesting and tasty salad in a restaurant? With such a wealth of fresh ingredient choices and interesting dressings out there, they’re usually so boring and bland.
This recipe is c/o Bite, the New Zealand food magazine and I was drawn to the combination of flavors. I’m constantly on the lookout for interesting salad recipes.

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For the dressing
½ cup Plain unsweetened yoghurt
2 Tbsp Tahini
1 tsp Liquid honey
2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp Smoked paprika
2 Lemons, juice of

For the salad
3 Carrots, small, peeled and shredded or coarsely grated
2 cups Kale leaves, finely shredded
6 pitted Medjool dates, chopped
3 Tbsp Sesame seeds, toasted
⅔ cup Roasted cashew nuts, salted
½ cup Pumpkin seeds
½ cup Roasted almonds, chopped
⅔ cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
⅔ cup Fresh mint, chopped

Combine all dressing ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Combine the carrot, kale, dates, sesame seeds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and almonds, coriander and mint and divide between plates.

Drizzle over dressing just before serving.

Asian flavors · Vegetable-related

Indian-style kale with chick peas and coconut

This is the best way to eat kale (other than deep-fried!) that is full of intense flavors, is luxuriously creamy and absolutely divine!

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1 tbsp butter
1 onion, finely chopped
thumb-sized piece ginger, grated
2 heaped tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp tomato purée
7 oz kale, large stalks removed, leaves finely shredded
14 oz can chickpeas, drained
1 cup vegetable (or chicken) stock
2 oz unsweetened grated coconut (or fresh coconut, grated)
4 heaped tbsp Greek-style yogurt
1 tbsp mango chutney

To serve
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tbsp freeze-dried curry leaves (optional)

Heat the butter in a deep frying pan, add the onion, then soften gently for 5 mins. Turn up the heat and add the ginger and spices; fry for 2 mins until fragrant. Stir in the tomato purée.
Add the kale, chickpeas, stock and two-thirds of the coconut, stir well, then cover the pan. Bring to a simmer and let the kale steam for 10 mins until very well wilted. Mix in the yogurt and chutney, then season to taste – don’t boil once the yogurt has gone in. Remove the pan from the heat, and leave it covered to stay warm.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan. When it’s hot, add the garlic (and curry leaves, if using) and sizzle for 30 secs-1 min until the garlic begins to turn golden. Spoon the oil, garlic and curry leaves over the chickpeas and kale, then finish with the remaining coconut.

Meat · Pasta

Sweet Italian sausage and kale pasta with lemon cream sauce

This is a wonderful recipe for those cold winter nights. It’s full of strong, earthy flavors, offset by the unctious,bright lemon cream sauce. This is a recipe from the wonderful Saveur magazine.
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SERVES 6

¼ cup good quality olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3/4 tsp crushed red chile flakes ( or more if you can take it!)
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
1 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped
2½ cups half and half
⅓ cup grated Parmesan
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound dried penne pasta
3 tbsp finely chopped parsley, for garnish

Heat oil in a 6-qt saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion and red chile flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Add the sausage and cook, using a wooden spoon to break it up into small pieces until browned, 16 to 18 minutes.
Add the chopped kale, season with salt and pepper and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes.
Add the half and half and bring to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally until reduced by a third, 7 to 8 minutes.
Stir in Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and zest, nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper; set aside and keep warm.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne and cook, stirring occasionally until al dente, 8 to 9 minutes.
Drain, reserving ¼ cup cooking water; add both pasta and water to the reserved sauce and cook about 5 minutes more. Serve garnished with parsley.

Accompaniments · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related · Whole30 compliant

Crispy roasted kale

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This is the only way I really like kale, as it’s so crispy and crackly. It’s actually quite addictive, with the fleur de sel sprinkled over it while it’s hot.  This is an Ina Garten recipe.

2 bunches curly kale (about 2 1/2 lbs)
1/4 cup good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fleur de sel

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Arrange 3 oven racks evenly spaced in the oven.
Lay each kale leaf on a board and with a small sharp knife, cut out the hard stem. Tear the large leaves in half. Place the kale in a large bowl of water and wash it well.
Drain the kale and dry it in a salad spinner. Dry the bowl and put the kale back in the bowl.

Toss the kale with the olive oil,1 tsp Kosher salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Divide the kale among 3 sheet pans or roast them in batches.
If you put too much kale on one pan, it will steam rather than roast and will never get crisp.
Roast for 15 minutes, until crisp then sprinkle with fleur de sel and serve hot.

Breakfast · Egg based · Gluten Free · Vegetable-related

Eggs poached in kale and tomato sauce

Such a tasty, healthy dish for brunch or Sunday supper.
Serves 4 to 6
 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, peeled and minced
1 small carrot, scrubbed and minced
1 celery stalk, minced
3 tbsp Italian parsley, minced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 small sprig fresh rosemary
1 to 2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bunch kale, washed and finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 x 28 oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes
Salt and pepper
4 to 6 large eggs (depending on how many each person wants to eat)
3 oz crumbled goat cheese, for serving (optional)
In a large, deep frying pan, heat your olive oil over medium heat until shimmering, then add the onion, carrot, celery and parsley.
Cook, stirring frequently, until deeply browned, about 10 mins.
Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme and cook for 1 minutes, then add the kale.
Cook, stirring, until the kale has softened somewhat, about 5 mins.
Add the tomato paste and canned tomatoes, plus their juice.
Smash up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon and add a few pinches of salt and pepper, cover the sauce and simmer for 8 to 10 mins . taste and add more salt and pepper to taste.
 Use your wooden spoon to make wells in the sauce for your eggs.
Crack each of the eggs into it’s well and sprinkle them with a little more salt and pepper.
Cover the pan and cook over low heat until the egg whites have set but the yolks  are still runny, about 5 mins.
Crumble the goat cheese over the eggs, if using, and serve warm.
Crusty bread for mopping up the sauce is a great idea too.

Do-ahead · Fish · Pasta

Grown-up tuna noodle bake

I can hear you thinking “Oh no, no way” but try it, it’s really tasty and is definitely a “grown-up ” version of that dreadfully dated American staple. It also freezes beautifully.

Serves 8

Butter, to grease the dish
12 oz fusilli pasta (or shells or wide noodles or whatever pasta you like)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups cremini mushrooms
1/3 cup minced shallots (about 2 large shallots)
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
3&1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 to 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (NOT pre grated!)
3 tbsp capers, drained
2 x 5oz cans chunk light tuna, drained of oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup thinly sliced kale or spinach
1&1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 375F

Butter a 2 1/2 to 3 qt casserole dish and set aside.
Cook the pasta until al dente in a large pot of salted, boiling water. Drain and set aside

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms and shallots, cook for about 5 minutes or until the shallots are translucent and the mushrooms are beginning to soften.
Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 additional minute. Slowly pour in the wine, lower the heat to medium-low and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the flour to the pan and stir well to ensure all the mushrooms are coated.
Increase the heat to high and slowly pour in the milk, bringing the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring to avoid sticking or clumping, until the milk begins to thicken and starts to look more like a sauce, about 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, parmesan cheese, capers, tuna, flaked, sour cream, chopped kale or spinach, thyme, salt and pepper.
Pour the creamy mushroom sauce into the bowl and stir to coat all the ingredients.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle in the breadcrumbs and cook until fragrant and slightly toasty, 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle the crispy breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is lightly brown.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle chopped parsley on top.
Serve hot.

Cover and refrigerate the leftovers for up to 3 days or freeze immediately.