marinated kale salad

now, this one goes great with the lemony pasta from my last post.

i found this original recipe at http://vegnews.com/web/articles/page.do?pageId=1464&catId=10
and as usual, i changed it some to fit what i had on hand.  the way i made it was great, so i'm gonna post MY modified version.

you start by washing and shaking a bunch of kale.  now, the bunch i had was the curly kale, and i had already used a few stalks in the lemony pasta.  anyway, you chop it up just as i mentioned in the last recipe.  to restate in case you are visiting just this recipe... "you wash them, shake them, lay them on a towel to drip even more, then shake them again and just grab the green part and pull the stem off.  the stem goes up most of the leaf.  don't worry about tearing the leaf because you chop that up anyway.  after i have all the leaves separated, i hold them tight and chop them into about 1/2 inch pieces, and then turn and keep chopping.  then i keep chopping and chopping until they are all small pieces.  it may be personal preference, but i don't like big pieces of kale.  kale is NOT lettuce, like lettuce i mean, lettuce chews easily.  kale is tough, so i try to chop it as much as i can."
ok. put the kale in a bowl.

wash and stem an 8 oz container of mushrooms - then slice them.  or, you can buy them already sliced.  i just used regular white mushrooms.  add them to the kale.

take a red onion, cut off about 1/3 of it, and then THINLY slice it and then dice it coarsly.  add that to the bowl.

take the juice from about a lemon and a half (depending on how big and juicy they are, going for 1/4 to 1/3 cup of lemon juice) and add between 1/8 to 1/4 cup of soy sauce - this you have to taste. i added the soy sauce right into the bottom of my juicer bowl.   it needs to be salty enough.  then add 2 tbs of olive oil.  whisk, and pour over the kale. 

use tongs to mix the dressing on all the leaves - or your hands.  when you are ready to serve (i let it sit overnight in the fridge), dice 2 avocados and add to the salad. 

THIS IS AMAZING!  i know you probably think that kale is gross but the dressing sorts softenes the leaves.  and the dressing is wonderful, the avocado is a must-have in it too.  the avocados didn't turn brown overnight too (my salad wasn't eaten all in one day).  it actually lasted 2 days and they avocadoes were fine.  i ended up mixing some of the pasta in with the juice on the last day/serving of the kale.  it will make some juice towards the end, i had to drain a little of it.  i think my leaves were a little wet.

anyway, try it.  this is delish!  and so simple.  and light - but filling!  you'll be surprised!  my MOM liked it!

Lemon Pasta

I'm renaming this dish to lemon pasta because that is what it itastes like.  My neighbor sent me this recipe from 5 Dinners.  I'm pretty sure it cost me more than $5 to make it, but I also buy organic everything - and I also don't use parmesan cheese from the jar (i think i spent $5 on just cheese).  Either way, it made a lot and it was REALLY good.  I took it to a family reunion (worked out great, nothing in it needed to be cold or hot, and it is still edible after being out for an hour - the reunion was inside not out in the 100 degree heat!)  2 days later, it is still yummy.

this recipe is modified from the original.  the original is HERE:  http://www.5dollardinners.com/2011/07/pasta-with-kale-lemon-and-parmesan-%E2%80%93-friday-night-bite.html

ok, i started by washing a bunch of kale leaves.  if you haven't bought kale before, they usually come bundled in the store, maybe $2 or $3 a bunch  a bunch maybe 15 leaves.  i bought the curly ones, but any ones would do.  i was also making another kale dish, so i only used 6 leaves. the flat ones are good too, maybe not as tough.  the curly ones have to be chopped up a lot so that they are in bite sized pieces.  ANYWAY... you wash them, shake them, lay them on a towel to drip even more, then shake them again and just grab the green part and pull the stem off.  the stem goes up most of the leaf.  don't worry about tearing the leaf because you chop that up anyway.  after i have all the leaves separated, i hold them tight and chop them into about 1/2 inch pieces, and then turn and keep chopping.  then i keep chopping and chopping until they are all small pieces.  it may be personal preference, but i don't like big pieces of kale.  kale is NOT lettuce, like lettuce i mean, lettuce chews easily.  kale is tough, so i try to chop it as much as i can.  i'm encouraging myself to eat it.  :)

next, you boil a pot of water.  the goal is to cook a box of pasta.  i got the multicolored spirals, 1 lb (16 oz).  this makes a lot of pasta.  this recipe could easily be halved.  when the water gets boiling, i add a lot of salt (2 tbs?) and the pasta.  i set my timer for 8 minutes.  when the timer buzzed, i added the kale and stirred.  i reset the timer for 3 minutes.  when it buzzed again, i poured all of it into a strainer and then lightly rinsed with cold water.  

while the pasta water was getting hot, i prepared the remaining ingredients, which are few!  take 2 lemons and juice them.  add 3 Tbs of olive oil and whisk it together.  also grate and/or measure out 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. 

when the pasta and kale are ready and not steaming hot, you just mix everything together.  i put them in a gallon size ziploc bag to make the portable to the reunion, then just poured it into a serving bowl when i got there.  it was SO easy to make.

seriously, though, if you were making this for your family at home, i would highly recommend making just half.  it is delish, but it is a lot!  it goes great with the kale salad that i took to the reunion too (i'll post that one next).

let me know if you make it!  i hope you love it too!

mushroom stroganoff

i found this recipe online and modified it to match the ingredients i had on hand.  it was perfect!

http://chezus.com/2011/02/28/meatless-monday-mushroom-stroganoff/

1  to 1-1/2 pound mixture of white, baby portabella, and crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 tsp minced garlic from the jar
2 medium shallots, minced
1 tsp dried thyme

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons vegan worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup vegetable stock 

/2 cup chardonnay
1 cup sour cream
wide egg noodles

In a large pot over medium, heat the olive oil.  Add the shallots and garlic and cook about 4 minutes.  Add the thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, and worcestershire sauce and stir.  Add the mushrooms and stir.  Cook over low heat until slightly soft, about 6 minutes.  Add the stock and wine, stir, and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes or until the broth reduces. 

In the mean time, cook the noodles in another pot.  Add noodles into the mushroom pot until it is the right amount together - you won't use all the noodles. Serve and eat!  It is good as leftovers too.

Holly's Birthday-Christmas list

updated 1/1/12!
I'm still doing the brooke bedroom but i'm waiting for a sale....  http://www.potterybarnkids.com/room/rom/romgir/romgirwod/
I plan to get her the quilted bedding (both quilt and the euro sham, the sham i will monogram somewhere NOT at pottery barn).
Eventually i'll get her a canopy http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/daisy-petal-canopy/?pkey=dcanopies

DVDs: barbie charm school, any of the disney princess DVDs (we have most on VHS, and they aren't available in stores, they'd have to be bought through amazon or Ebay)
a kid-style CD player for her room (the girl LOVES music!)

accessories for her loving family grand dollhouse (fisher price).  she only has what came with the house (the kitchen table, mom dad and twin babies).  http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=5852&e=lfaccessories-thumb
she loves playmobil.  she's probably love the vet, zoo, etc. 

oversized melissa and doug puzzles (girlish ones)

a watch

Kendal's Christmas List

This is a list of ideas for Kendal's Christmas, updated 12/5/11 after talking to momT -

melissa and doug architectural blocks http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-60-Piece-Standard-Blocks/dp/B00008W72D/ref=pd_sim_t_30

DVDs:  Dinosaur Dan, Dinosaur Train, Fresh Beat Band,Happy Feet, Mr. Poppers Penguins, Looney Toons episode Collection, etc.

Playmobil collections:  has and loves the pirates, farm, dragon, firetruck:  would love the anything rescue related (firestation, ambulance, etc.), school, gym, etc.

LOVES music.  has a drum set, keyboard, and a guitar (will have it one day anyway). 

loves pirate stuff.

newly fascinated with toy story - buzz lightyear is favorite.

Analee's Christmas List

Well, I don't usually post a gift list for myself but this Christmas, I actually want some interesting things.  I posted a link to this on the left-hand side of my blog. Kendal and Holly's are there too.

photoshop actions:  http://www.florabellacollection.com/florabella-color--haze-photoshop-actions.html


Cash - i actually have an envelope that i'll put it in.  i have a camera fund, i'm saving for a full frame!

DVD:  Forks Over Knives(ok, so actually I just want to borrow this, but, if you know where I can do that - tell me!)

BOOK:  1000 VeganRecipes by Robin Robertson 


SHOES:  Dansko Volley Blue Patchwork Coated Canvas size 40

Clothes or Gift certificates to Chicos or Coldwater Creek!