Sesame Kale Salad

I am happy to see August go. There were so many ups and downs... The sale on our house (& plan to move into a new one) which we lost when our buyer backed out. A week spent at the beach! The baby's christening, in which family and friends came from near and far to celebrate! Starting back to work part-time at home, and having to replace a broken computer on day three. Our 5-year wedding anniversary! My husband being out of town twice on business—the latest, that sent him away just before the hurricane that hit Massachusetts on Sunday...

But a storm like that, makes you count your blessings. I was fortunate enough to "camp out" at my parents house for two days with the baby and dog. We were well taken care of, and returned home to power, no water damage, and only a few small trees that fell away from the house.

All in all, not a dull month. But despite all the drama, I have been cooking quite a bit. I spend a lot of time online, so I tend to cook from blogs, rather than the stacks of cookbooks in my bookcase (that doesn't keep me from buying new ones though!). I have a list of favorites here, but this month's highlights included Eggplant Pizza (with my new favorite pizza crust—perfectly crunchy), Zucchini Strings and a refreshing Watermelon Cucumber Cooler.

And then there is this kale salad... It started out as way to "use up" 5 weeks of uninspired kale from my CSA, and turned into a salad that I would seek kale out for again. I love it when that happens. Glad I can end this month on an up!

Sesame Kale Salad
serves 4 as a side

1 large bunch kale, stems removed, leaves sliced in thin strips (about 4 c, packed)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 t minced fresh ginger
3 T rice vinegar
1 T olive oil
1 T toasted sesame oil
1 T soy sauce
2 T minced red onion
1 carrot, shredded
1 T sesame seeds, toasted
salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, to taste (optional)

In a large bowl, add the kale, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil and soy sauce. With your hands, massage the kale leaves, for 1-2 minutes, until the ingredients are well mixed. Add the red onion, carrot and sesame seeds, tossing well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let sit at least 20 minutes. If desired, garnish with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Mushroom & Swiss Chard Quesadillas

This is so simple, that I hesitated even sharing it here. But then I remembered a recent conversation with my friend Kelly about making quick, healthy meals. Kelly has just started her new career as a stay-at-home mom (congrats Kelly!) to two young boys, and one of her goals is to learn how to cook. I admire her efforts, as I imagine her days will be very busy! I often plan two or three meals each week that are I guess you would say are no-brainers. No recipe, no cookbook—just tired ol’ me, a few simple ingredients, and a goal of eating within a half hour. Let’s call it 30-Minute Meals-a-la Erin. Except I promise not to say yum-o.

Swiss chard is often overlooked for its flashier cousin spinach, but it is full of vitamins and I beg you to give it a try. I really enjoyed the flavors here, they all mellowed together into something quite nice, however the best thing about something like this is that it can be made to order. No mushrooms for picky eater no. 1, omit the habanero for your heat-sensitive other half or sneak a few extra vegis onto your more adventurous eater’s plate. There is something gratifying about spending hours in the kitchen preparing a meal that will be talked about for weeks. But on most days, dinner doesn’t have to take hours to be satisfying and healthy.

Mushroom & Swiss Chard Quesadillas
makes 4

3 c sliced mushrooms
1 large bunch swiss chard, chopped, tough stems discarded
1 habanero or jalapeno, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 small handful cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 t salt
eight 8” tortillas
2 c shredded cheddar, cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large sauté pan, add the mushrooms, swiss chard and habanero, over medium-high heat. Cook 3-5 minutes, until mushrooms begin to give off their juice. Stir in scallions, cilantro and salt. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Arrange tortillas on two baking sheets. Divide cheese among each tortilla. Transfer to oven, and bake 2-3 minutes, until cheese begins to melt. Carefully remove from oven, and divide mushroom mixture among four tortillas. Top with the remaining four tortillas, and return to oven. Bake 4-5 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown. Enjoy topped with salsa and sour cream.

Eggless Spinach Quiche

Without getting too preachy, I will admit I have had a personal struggle with eating eggs the past few years. On one hand, they are a wonderful cooking staple which are hard to replace, but on the other hand, my ethics are tugging. One of the problems with swapping eggs, especially in egg-based dishes like quiche, is the binding issue. However, I have made this eggless variety numerous times over the past months, tweaking the recipe each time, and have come up with a result definitely worth sharing.

By pressing the excess moisture from the tofu and packing the quiche full of vegetables into an 11” tart pan (versus a smaller width pie pan), binding is no longer an issue. Although this is eggless, it is not vegan. Though, I think a similar result can be achieved by omitting the cheese and upping the vegi content. If you try this, please share! I really believe that delicious food is accessible, without sacrificing your beliefs.

Eggless Spinach Quiche
crust adapted from Chocolate & Zucchini . serves 4-6

crust
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c all-purpose flour
1 t salt
1 1/2 t dried rosemary*
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 c, plus 2 t cold water

filling
2 T olive oil
1 med onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
5 oz chopped packed fresh spinach (about 2 1/2 c)
2 c grated cheese (I used Cheddar & Colby Jack)
14 oz extra-firm tofu, pressed for 20 min to remove excess moisture
1/2 c soy milk (or skim milk)
3 t white (cooking) wine
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and rosemary. Add oil, and mix well with a fork. Add 1/2 c water, and mix well with a fork. Lightly knead, until dough comes together into a ball, adding 1-2 t additional water if needed. Place dough on a lightly floured surface, sprinkling a bit of flour on top. Roll into a circle, large enough to fit an 11” tart pan, turning 45 degrees each time you roll the pin and back, sprinkling dough with more flour if it becomes too sticky. Transfer to a non-stick 11” tart pan, pressing dough into sides. Trim excess dough, and prick bottom 3-4 times with a fork. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400F. In a small pan, add olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and sauté 5-7 minutes, until onions begin to brown. Transfer to a large bowl. Add spinach and cheese. In a blender, combine tofu, milk, white wine, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Transfer to bowl with spinach, and mix well. Spoon filling into the refrigerated crust, pressing evenly to all sides. Transfer to oven, and bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven, and let sit 8-10 minutes before cutting, so filling may set.

*If you decide to forgo this crust and use your own favorite recipe, I would recommend adding rosemary or another herb to the filling, as it really adds something special to the end result.