- Page 51 of 75 - Wholesome Recipes Made for Sharing

December 18, 2014

Kale Quinoa Salad with Pickled Onions, Raisins, and Pine Nuts

Kale salad time again because I love eating kale salads more than anything else in this world. Goodness, how times have changed. When I was in high school, I could proudly eat an entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s in one sitting because ice cream was my favorite thing to eat. Now, however, if someone were to present me with the choice between pints of ice cream, a platter of cookies, or a giant kale salad, I would in all honesty choose the kale salad. The rest of the family thinks I’m strange, but I like to just think of myself as healthy.

This Kale Quinoa Salad with Pickled Onions, Raisins, and Pine Nuts is inspired from a salad I had at Social Kitchen and Bar a couple years ago. (Yes, the salad was so good that I am still thinking about it two years later.) Since I don’t live close enough to frequently dine at the restaurant, I did my best to recreate the salad at home. Hello to my new favorite.

I listed general amounts of ingredients in the recipe below, but really there is so much liberty that can used when assembling salads. Increase the quinoa if you’d like a heartier grain salad or add some extra cheese for a stronger parmesan or romano flavor. The pickled onions add a lot to this salad though so don’t skip those. (Note that it’s important to find raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar for pickling the onions because pasteurized apple cider vinegar does not have the same health benefits.) This salad is a bit salty, a bit tart, and a bit sweet. With all of those holiday cookies around during this season, now is the perfect time balance it all out with this marvelous kale salad.

Kale Quinoa Salad with Pickled Onions, Raisins, and Pine Nuts

Ingredients

8-10 cups chopped kale, from 1 large bunch, tough stalks removed
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup romano or parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup pickled red onion (see recipe below)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Toast pine nuts in a single layer in a 350 oven for 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully because the pine nuts burn easily.
In a large bowl, mix together the kale with the raisins, pine nuts, quinoa, cheese and pickled onion.
Whisk together the vinegar and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over salad, tossing until salad is evenly coated.

Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients

1 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup boiling water
½ cup cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds

Instructions

In a small mixing bowl, combine the water, cider vinegar, honey, and salt. Stir until salt and honey are dissolved. Pour mixture over the onions and sprinkle in the mustard seeds. Allow onions to sit in the vinegar solution for at least an hour before serving. Keeps in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.

Notes

adapted from Bon Appetit

December 15, 2014

Peppermint Cacao Nib Shortbread Cookies

A few weeks ago, I was able to travel for a quick weekend trip to celebrate the wedding of a good friend. While I was gone, my sweet children convinced Ryan to take them to the kitchen store so they could welcome me home with surprise presents. According to Ryan, they went a little nuts shopping and apparently wanted to buy me everything, but they finally settled on some new dish towels and this fluted biscuit cutter set. I admit the biscuit cutter set is probably not something I would have picked out for myself, but now that I have them, I love them. In addition to making beautiful edges on biscuits, they are also such fun cookie cutters.

These Peppermint Cacao Nib Shortbread Cookies are a delightful spin on a traditional shortbread. Crushed peppermint and cacao nibs add a hint of crunch and the peppermint adds a festive complement to the darker flavor of the cacao nibs. These minty chocolatey cookies are a wonderful accompaniment to some after-dinner coffee. They would also make a beautiful addition to any holiday cookie platter as well as make a lovely homemade gift.

Peppermint Cacao Nib Cookies

Ingredients

1/4 cup coarsely broken peppermint pieces (I used natural peppermint candy from Hammond’s)
1/4 cup cacao nibs
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
powdered sugar for dusting, optional

Instructions

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the peppermint candy pieces until fairly uniform. Add the cocao nibs and pulse several times. Add the flours, cocoa powder, and salt and pulse again to combine. Sprinkle butter cubes evenly over mixture and process for 30-45 seconds. Scrape down the sides and continue to process just until dough starts to clump together. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead together to form a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 15-20 minutes.
Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough until it becomes 3/8-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes and transfer to lined baking sheets. Chill cookies in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
While cookies are chilling, preheat oven to 300. Bake cookies, rotating the sheet halfway through baking time, for 18-20 minutes, until cookies appear dry on top. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Lightly dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Notes

adapted from Sur La Table

December 11, 2014

Black Bean Soup

Depending on the day, I find myself either wanting to invest all of my energy into being as festively creative as possible or wanting to escape the holiday busyness to instead seek quietness and simplicity. I struggle with finding balance. I’ve been baking up lots of Christmas goodness in the kitchen this past week, but I need a little break so today I’m going to tell you about this Black Bean soup. It has nothing to do with holidays or Christmas, but it is still a very wonderful recipe. My kids told me to write a post about this soup because they adore it so much. It starts off with a simple yet flavorful black bean soup, and then it can be dressed up and customized with a variety of toppings. The beans are first cooked and seasoned with a small portion of ham and then they are partially blended together to form a creamy, hearty, and satisfying soup. Perfect for gatherings since the soup can be made ahead of time and then everyone can add toppings to their own liking. Add a green salad, some salsa and chips, and dinner is complete!

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

For the beans:

1 pound dried black beans
4 ounces nitrate-free ham steak
2 bay leaves
5 cups water
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

For the soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, choppped (about 3 cups)
1 large carrot, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
3 celery ribs, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lime juice

For garnishing:

lime wedges
diced jalapeño
chopped cilantro
minced red onion
avocado
sour cream
grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Instructions

For the beans:

In a large pot, add the beans, ham, bay leaves, water, and baking soda. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, stir in salt, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Do not drain. Discard bay leaves. Remove ham and dice into 1/4-inch cubes. Set aside.

For the soup:

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, carrots, celery, and salt until lightly browned, about 12-15 minutes. Lower the heat and add the garlic, red pepper, and cumin and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Stir in the beans, cooking liquid, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes.
Transfer 1 1/2 cups beans and 2 cups liquid into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Stir mixture back into the soup. Alternatively, an immersion blender can be used to achieve desired consistency.
Mix cornstarch and water and gradually stir into the soup. Bring back to a boil to thicken. Turn off heat. Stir in lime juice and reserved ham. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve with garnishes.

Notes

adapted from Cook’s Illustrated