Kale Salad with Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts ~vegan~

A while back my sister-in-law sent me an email with the title Insane Salad Recipe, and boy she wasn’t kidding!  This salad really is insanely good!

Kale Salad with Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts ~vegan~

Typically I don’t make many recipes from Food & Wine magazine, but when I read who the contributing chef was, it all made sense!  The original recipe was created by Heidi Swanson…from one of my favorite blogs 101 cookbooks.  Her genius recipes always impress!

Kale Salad with Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts ~vegan~

 I didn’t do much to alter the original recipe except for replacing the honey with agave syrup, increasing the amounts of golden raisins and fresh squeezed lemon juice and adding chopped kale.  Leave it to me to add chopped kale to everything!  For a gluten-free version, substitute quinoa for farro.  Want a lower-carb version?  Omit the farro and add more kale!

Kale Salad with Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts ~vegan~

Kale salad with Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
  • 1¼ cups farro (uncooked)
  • sea salt
  • 4 large leaves kale, de-stemmed and finely chopped
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 2½ cups pitted green olives, preferably Castelvetrano, chopped
  • 4 scallions, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup chives, chopped
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tablespoon agave or maple syrup
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the farro with 4 cups of water and ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer, partially covered, until the farro is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the farro and spread it on a baking sheet to cool.
  3. Massage chopped kale with a drizzle of olive oil and set aside.
  4. Meanwhile, place the walnuts in a pie plate and toast for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
  5. In a large bowl, combine the cooled farro, kale, walnuts, olives, scallions, chives, raisins, crushed red pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, agave syrup and season with sea salt as needed.
  6. Toss until well combined, serve at room temperature and enjoy!

 Kale Salad with Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts ~vegan~

Here’s a fun fact… 

Did you know that foods naturally rich in nitrates such as green leafy vegetables and beets reduce inflammation in the body?  When we chew green leafy vegetables, the bacteria in our mouths converts the nitrates into nitrites, which then are swallowed and combined with gastric juices in our stomaches.  From there, the nitrites turn to nitric oxide, which reduces total body inflammation.  The healing ability of food will forever amaze me!  Just another reason to eat your greens…and beets :)  (Digestive Wellness By Elizabeth Lipski, PH.D, CCN, CHN)

Kale Salad with Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts ~vegan~

Hold off on the red pepper flakes for a kid-friendly version!

Rebecca…If you’re reading, this recipe has you written all over it!  Hope you love it as much as I do :)

lemony cabbage and pasta ~vegan, gf~

Quite possibly one of the easiest dinners I’ve made in a while!

lemony cabbage and pasta ~vegan, gf~

I had a head of cabbage kicking around that needed to be used ASAP, so I sautéed it and mixed it with quinoa pasta for a quick and easy meal!  I love the way cabbage sweetens when sautéed.  Adding fresh lemon juice, garlic and parsley makes for a light and savory dish.    For a little bit of crunch, I added roasted and salted sunflower seeds, but I’m sure walnuts or pine nuts would taste great too!

Cabbage is often overlooked, but it is super healthy!  The American Cancer Society recommends eating cruciferous vegetables on a regular basis to reduce risk of cancer.  Along with broccoli, brussels sprouts and cauliflower, cabbage is of the cruciferous vegetable family.  They contain more phytochemicals and anticancer properties than any other group of vegetables.  That’s huge!  The active compound in cruciferous vegetables called glucosinolates are responsible for helping rid the body of harmful toxins, hormones and free-radicals.  Specifically, the glucosinolate named indole-3-carbinole (I3C) which, “increases the rate at which estrogen is broken down through the liver’s detoxification pathway by nearly 50 percent.”  The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods

lemony cabbage and pasta ~vegan, gluten free~

This cabbage dish honestly will be ready before the pasta water is even boiling!  It’s a quick, healthy and satisfying meal to whip together on those busy nights when you don’t feel like cooking.  We ate ours with a side of roasted asparagus, Noah’s favorite vegetable!  He doesn’t always eat the foods I wish he would, but the fact that I can get him to eat asparagus on any given night makes me happy!

lemony cabbage and pasta ~vegan, gluten free~

lemony cabbage and pasta ~vegan, gf~
 
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Author:
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ head cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pound pasta (I used gluten free pasta)
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • ¼-1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds, walnuts or pine nuts
Instructions
  1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, around 2 minutes.
  2. Add cabbage and sauté until wilted, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add lemon juice, sea salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat down to low, continue to cook until cabbage is lightly golden.
  4. Meanwhile, cook pasta of your choice according to package.
  5. When pasta is ready, reserve ¼ cup of pasta water. Drain and add pasta to a large dish, mix with cooked cabbage. Add ⅛-1/4 cup pasta water if needed for moisture.
  6. Top with chopped parsley, roasted nuts or seeds of your choice and sea salt and pepper as needed.
  7. Enjoy!

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Hope you enjoy this Meatless Monday meal idea :)

black bean and beet burgers

The temperature got into the balmy 50’s this past week and spring is in the air…kind of, until tomorrow when the next snow storm hits!  After a polar vortex winter I will take 50 degree weather any day!  We may need to wait a few weeks before firing up the BBQ, but until then…enjoy these black bean and beet burgers made in the warmth of your kitchen!  Although these are baked and not fried in a skillet, they still have crispy edges and a chewy center.

Black Bean and Beet Burgers ~vegan, gluten free~

I’ve seen dozens of black bean burger recipes floating around on blogs, Facebook and Pinterest.  I took a few of my favorite ingredients from different recipes and came up with this mix.  Quick, easy and delicious!

Here are the original recipes I was inspired by:  Healthy. Happy. Life., Clean Wellness, Holy Cow Vegan

Every week I cook a batch of my crock pot Korean style black beans and used these for the burgers.  However, you can use canned black beans, but I would recommend adding a little extra seasoning for flavor.  I also made my own oat flour by pulsing old-fashioned oats in the vitamix until fluffy, but feel free to use store-bought oat flour.

You can shred the beets using a hand-held grater or pulse them in a food processor, which is much easier!

Black Bean and Beet Burgers ~vegan, gluten free~

black bean and beet burgers
 
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makes 8 patties
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked black beans
  • 2 beets, peeled and cut into small chunks
  • ½ cup oat flour
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Add cooked black beans into a food processor, pulse a few times until beans are chopped and a paste is formed (you can also mash with a fork). Remove from food processor and add to a large bowl.
  3. Next, add beets to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Remove from food processor and add to bowl with bean mixture.
  4. Add oat flour, minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, paprika, cumin, sea salt and pepper to mixture. Stir until well combined.
  5. You should be able to handle mixture and form into patties. If mixture is too runny, add a tablespoon at a time of oat flour until desired texture is reached.
  6. Using a ¼ cup scoop, use hands to form into patties.
  7. Place on parchment paper and cook for 25-30 minutes or until edges are crispy.

Sandwiched between a gluten free bun and topped the burgers with a simple cilantro aioli.  Just mix together a dollop of vegan mayonnaise, chopped fresh cilantro, squirt of lemon juice and pinch of sea salt.

Black Bean and Beet Burgers ~vegan, gluten free~

A tasty reminder that the warm days of summer will be here shortly!!!