Mushroom-Crusted Sole with Creamed Kale

This recipe included a yummy mushroom "crust," which is actually more like a topping, and kale simmered in coconut milk. Get the kale started first since it needs a bit of time to become tender. If you are short on time, or already have spinach on hand, you can use it instead of the kale and cut your time in half. Enjoy!

Adapted from www.foodandwine.com.


Serves 4.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp grassfed unsalted butter (or coconut oil)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
2-3 bunches of kale, stems removed, leaves chopped, or 10-oz baby spinach
1 cup full-fat coconut milk (if using spinach, reduce to 1/2 cup)
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced
2 Tbsp almond meal/flour (Try grinding raw almonds in food processor to a fine meal; it works great!)
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
four lemon sole fillets (You can substitute flounder or another whitefish, but try to stay with a wild-caught, sustainable option.)

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler and position rack approximately 8 inches from heat.
2. In a large skillet, melt 1 Tbsp coconut oil. Saute 1 clove garlic and half of the chopped shallot over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add kale a little at a time, in handfuls, and toss until wilted. Add a little more coconut oil, if needed.
4. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 20 minutes or until kale reaches the consistency you desire.
5. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper.
6. While kale cooks, Melt 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a medium skillet. Add the remaining garlic clove and minced shallot and saute over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. 
7. Add the shiitake, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add butter and almond meal and saute for an additional 1 minute. Remove from heat.
8. Line a large baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with coconut oil. Set the fish on the foil and season with salt and pepper. Spoon mushroom topping evenly among the fish and pat into the fillets.
9. Broil fish 4-5 minutes or until cooked through. 
10. To serve, transfer the fish to plates and spoon creamed kale on the side.

Rainbow Kale with Crispy Shallots

We have a lot of kale coming our way from our CSA share so I'll be testing out several recipes in the coming weeks. This recipe uses honey for just a touch of sweetness. If you prefer not to use honey, just skip it and the sherry vinegar and toss it with a good-quality balsamic vinegar, then top with the shallots for a delicious side dish. The shallots remind me of the fried onions my mom used to use on green bean casserole when I was a kid. It's actually the only part of the casserole I liked! (Sorry, Mom!)


Serves 4.


Adapted from The Bitten Word.

Ingredients
2 tsp raw organic honey (optional)
1 tsp sherry vinegar
sea salt
14 oz Rainbow kale (any kind will do, really)
1/4 cup + 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large shallots, sliced into thin rings
1 Tbsp unsalted, softened grass-fed butter or olive oil

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and vinegar. Set aside.
2. Fill a large pot about 3/4 full with water. Add 1 Tbsp salt and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. To trim kale, hold the stem with one hand and then, one at a time, rip the two leafy sides away from it with the other hand. Discard (or compost) the stems. Rip the leaves into 3 or 4 pieces. 
4. Add the kale to the boiling water and cook until just tender, 4-7 minutes. Pour into a colander and rinse with cool water to stop the leaves from cooking. Spread kale out on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a clean dishtowel to drain and dry for about 10 minutes. Pat the top with a paper towel before returning kale to the pan.
5. In a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add one shallot ring and watch for it to sizzle. When it does, add the remaining shallot rings and let them cook until they are just light brown. Remove them from the oil and let them drain on paper towels.
6. Add 2 tsp olive oil and butter to the large pot or a large skillet. Add the kale to the pot and toss to coat and reheat, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and toss with the honey vinaigrette.
7. Serve topped with crispy shallots.

Marinated Flank Steak with Sauteed Kale, Squash, and Pancetta

There's nothing better than a grilled steak on a sunny evening. This recipe includes a simple balsamic marinade for the steak, but the highlight is the kale dish. A little multitasking is involved with this dish, so be prepared. I like to roast my squash earlier in the day, if possible, so that it's ready to throw in with the kale. If you ever have a squash that you need to use up, just cube it and roast it with a little coconut oil. You can then toss it in with eggs, spinach, kale, or just snack on it plain. Enjoy!


Serves 3 - 4.


Ingredients
1 1 lb flank steak
1 1/2 lb or 2 bunches kale
1 Tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 pieces prosciutto, chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup chicken stock or broth
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper


Preparation

Cut butternut squash in 1/2-inch cubes.

1. With a whisk, combine 1/2 cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar in a glass baking dish.
2. Season flank steak with sea salt and pepper. Put steak in the baking dish and turn to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Steak can be marinated in refrigerator up to a day ahead.)
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large shallow pan, melt coconut oil. Carefully remove hot pan from oven, add cubed butternut squash, and toss to coat. Roast squash until just soft, about 20 minutes. (This can be done ahead of time.)
4. While squash is roasting, preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil.
5. Add 2 pieces chopped prosciutto and saute 2 - 3 minutes or until crisp. Remove prosciuto from pan and set aside.
6. To the same pan, add thinly sliced onion. Add a little more olive oil, if needed. Saute until onion begins to soften and brown, about 10 minutes.
7. Add 1/2 tsp olive oil to pan with onions. In batches, add kale and saute until wilted, about 10 minutes.
8. Add 1 cup chicken stock, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, and squash cubes. Toss gently to combine. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
9. While kale is finishing, grill flank steak and let rest until ready to serve.
10. Serve kale topped with crispy pancetta.

Kale Chopped Salad with Red Hot Dressing

I had some kale on hand, just had my knives sharpened, and was in the mood for something Mexican. I played around with a dressing we frequently use on our salads to come up with this recipe. The key ingredient? You guessed it: Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce. The salad comes together quickly if you've got the right tools. The professional multi-chopper from Williams Sonoma is indispensable when you've got lots of chopping to do. The ingredients are simple but feel free to use up what's in your fridge. You really can't go wrong. I usually like my kale cooked but by chopping it really small, it works great raw in this salad. Note that the kale cannot be chopped in the multi-chopper. To make it a complete meal, just add in some rotisserie chicken or leftover steak.

I served this with blackened cod. You can serve it with the fish of your choice, seasoned with salt and pepper or your favorite spices.

Serves 6 - 8 for a side dish.

Ingredients
Salad
1 bunch kale, cleaned and patted dry with tough ends removed
1 mango, peeled and pitted
1 cucumber, ends removed
1 sweet red pepper, cored
1 yellow pepper, cored
1 red onion, peeled and ends removed
1 avocado, peeled and pitted

Dressing
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp hot sauce
juice of 1 lemon
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. For salad, finely chop each ingredient, separately. Combine, stirring gently, in a large bowl.
2. For dressing, combine all ingredients, stirring with a whisk to combine.
3. Toss salad dressing with salad about 5 minutes before serving.
4. If you will not be using all of the salad, just remove and dress the portion you will serve immediately. Save the undressed salad and add dressing just before eating. It will keep the salad ingredients fresh and crisp.

Kale with Coconut Milk and Bacon

Adapted from Paleo4Health

I was first introduced to kale last year when I joined a local CSA. I did a lot of experimenting last summer, but when I tried this recipe, it beat all the others hands‐down. I did not use low‐sodium beef broth, so I skipped the added salt.

Ingredients (4 servings)   

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 slices bacon, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup diced Vidalia onion
• 1 1½-pound bunch kale, washed and chopped (I used 3 small bunches)
•  ½ cup organic coconut milk
•  1 cup low-sodium beef broth
•  salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a large sauté pan, add olive oil and bacon and cook over medium heat until bacon begins to crisp and renders its fat.
2. Add onions and cook until softened, 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Add kale and sauté until it wilts and combines with the onion and bacon.
4. Add coconut milk and broth and continue to cook until kale softens, another 10 minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.