So far 2012 has been beautiful here in the Bay Area! Very little rain, gorgeous sunshine and mild daytime temperatures! The chilly nights worry some farmers, but those that are growing Kale and other dark, leafy greens welcome it! The frost actually changes the vegetables sugar content, making it sweeter!
There have been several posts on various blogs and websites about the trends for this year… and I have to say I am right on top of it! Late last year I heard about a Kale juice drink from a client of mine. I started making this in a borrowed Vitamix halfway through December. It was by far the busiest I have been in years and I thought “why not just try this out”. It was fantastic. Well, it needed some adjustments and the texture wasn’t awesome, but the effects it had on my energy, skin and waistline were enough for me to push through it. Santa eventually brought me an actual juicer and What A Difference! The smooth, silky texture of the juice is amazing! And now I’m experimenting with lots of other fruits and veggies. I can’t wait until our CSA box starts up again. Last year I had no idea what to do with the carrot tops, beet greens and random other “stalks”… this year they’re all going into the juicer!! Not only does my body feel better about this, but so does my conscience, as I’m not going to be wasting any part of the gorgeous plants.
Kale has amazing nutrients in it. It is loaded with beta carotene, vitamin K and C and calcium. It also has amazing anti cancer properties, especially when chopped. It is all over the farmer’s markets right now. On Thursday, I purchased 3 large bunches of organic kale for $5! There are several varieties of Kale: Curly, Dinosaur (Tuscan), Red, and many more! It is considered a super food which is why you can find it in cultures from China to Italy!
Raw kale salads are extremely popular in Bay Area restaurants right now! In the past few weeks I’ve had a delicious one with Bacon and Parmesan at a cute place called Darwin Cafe in Soma and one with Fried Almonds and Ricotta Salata at Berkeley’s Rivival.
Along with my resolution to Juice everything, I am also trying to eat more whole grains this year. Each week I’m planning to make a large batch of a whole grain on Monday and add that to the week’s lunch salads. This week it was Red Quinoa. I simply add a scoop to my salad each day and it is truly filling!
So here is my recipe combining both fun whole grains with raw kale for a delicious salad:
Red Quinoa with Raw Kale and Mahon Cheese 
2/3 cup Red Quinoa
3 cups Kale of your choice, leaves sliced into ribbons, ribs finely diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
¼ cup grated Mahon, Parmigiano, or Pecorino Cheese
juice of 1 large lemon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the quinoa. Cook for 20 – 30 minutes or until tender. Quinoa will still have a good “snap” to it. Drain well. While warm, add the lemon juice and olive oil. Toss to coat. Allow to cool to room temperature (or not). Add the kale, carrots, walnuts and cheese.
Toss well. Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight.
Serves 2 generously for lunch with next day leftovers!
Speak Your Mind