Kale and Quinoa Pilaf

I'll admit, I was pretty hesitant about this recipe; kale and quinoa are not the two most flavorful foods.  But, I have to admit, I was wrong.  This dish was really easy and pretty tasty. 

A few suggestions:  Pine nuts are expensive, like REALLY expensive.  Buy them in the bulk section at Whole Foods.  Don't be scared by the $30/lb price, you only need about $2 worth for this dish.  

I used extra virgin olive oil instead of toasted walnut oil like the recipe suggests.  Next time I'll try the walnut, or at least a flavored, oil.  The evoo doesn't do much for the dish.

I also used only half the lemon and it was the perfect amount.  A full lemon would be overpowering.

Last but not least, I would suggest letting the dish cool a few minutes before adding the goat cheese.  Once the warm quinoa and kale hits the goat cheese it immediately melts.  

Enjoy!

Serves 2-4

• 2 cups salted water
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 bunch lacinato kale, washed and chopped into 1" lengths
• 1 meyer lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 scallions, minced
• 1 tablespoon toasted walnut oil
• 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
• salt and pepper

1. Bring the water to a boil in a covered pot. Add the quinoa, cover, and lower the heat until it is just enough to maintain a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes, then top with the kale and re-cover. Simmer another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow to steam for 5 more minutes.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, take a large serving bowl and combine half of the lemon juice (reserving the other half), all of the lemon zest, scallions, walnut oil (you can substitute olive oil if you desire), pine nuts, and goat cheese.
3. Check the quinoa and kale when the cooking time has completed -- the water should have absorbed, and the quinoa will be tender but firm, and the kale tender and bright green. If the quinoa still has a hard white center, you can steam a bit longer (adding more water if needed). When the quinoa and kale are done, fluff the pilaf, and tip it into the waiting bowl with the remaining ingredients. As the hot quinoa hits the scallions and lemon it should smell lovely. Toss to combine, seasoning with salt and pepper, and the remaining lemon juice if needed.

My New Obsession

I know most of you have probably already jumped on the kale bandwagon, but for those of you who haven't, let me introduce you to my new obsession...kale chips! 

Kale chips are so easy to make and equally as tasty.  They are the perfect substitute if you're craving potato chips (well, not perfect, let's be honest). 

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch lacinato or red Russian kale, rinsed and dried
olive oil
sea salt

PREPARATION:

1. Heat oven to 350-375°F, depending on your oven. The kale chips burn quickly, so keep the temperature on the lower end if your oven tends to get hot or have hot spots.

2. Clean kale and remove the thick stem by folding each leaf in half lengthwise and cutting it away. Make sure kale is quite dry.

3. Pour a little olive oil into a dipping bowl. Dip your fingers in the olive oil and rub over each kale leaf, front and back.

4. Arrange kale on several baking sheets making sure not to crowd the leaves. Sprinkle sea salt over the top. You can also spice it up by sprinkling smoked paprika, cumin, or curry on before baking.

5. Bake for 5-7 minutes, keeping an eye on the chips to make sure they don’t burn. Turn the chips over and then bake for another 2-3 minutes more. You may need more or less time depending on your oven. The chips are ready when they are bright green ; discard any brown ones as they are burnt and quite bitter.

A little piece of advice:  a small amount of olive oil goes a LONG way!  Also, they don't store very well, so I suggest only making what you plan on eating at that time.