We’ve been getting a lot kale in our CSA shares so I’ve been cooking with it a ton, as have a lot of my friends. This recipe is requested by Amy, and something I made recently that I absolutely loved. I brought in some leftovers to work for lunch the following day and everyone went nuts over the fragrant aroma of this dish. Just as delicious as it smells, it is hearty and really satisfying.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 small white onions, diced (including green parts)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup diced carrots
• 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 large bunch kale, ripped into 1 inch pieces
• 1-2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup unsalted vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Whole wheat pasta, cooked al dente
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

If you don’t have fresh white onions, I totally recommend finding them because they are delish. Otherwise, use your typical yellow onions!

1. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add the diced onions and carrots, and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook a minute more, until fragrant. 

2. Add in red pepper flakes and half of kale, allowing it to wilt. Add in the rest of kale, tomatoes, and vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover, cooking about 15 minutes.

3. Add the green parts of the onions. Add the drained rinsed beans and cook until they are heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Toss cooked pasta with veggies, top with Parmesan cheese, and enjoy!

Hope you had a good Meatless Monday!

Last nights dinner: whole wheat pizza dough topped with garlic, sauteed onions, mushrooms, and kale. Yummy!

Easiest recipe ever? Pesto. Throw about 6 ingredients into a food processor and blend. Meanwhile, make some pasta al dente, and when it’s done toss it with this pesto. This pesto is a little different than your typical variety, because I used some of the bounty of last week’s CSA share. Here’s how you can do it:

Blend together the following:

• 4 scapes, roughly chopped
• 1 cup walnuts
• 2 large kale leaves, ribs removed
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1-2 tsp. lemon juice

Process together and season with salt and pepper to taste. The scapes provide quite a kick, and the kale also adds a nice full flavor. Enjoy!

All measurements above are approximate— make sure to taste as you blend and add your favorite flavors so it is to your liking— more garlicky, more lemony, or more cheesey.

A few weeks ago I got of TON of fragrant and beautiful fresh oregano in my CSA share, so I decided I must make homemade tomato sauce. It was incredibly easy and incredibly delicious. I liked (loved) it so much that I decided to use more of my produce the next day to reinvent the sauce, sauteing some kale and mushrooms to toss in the sauce on top of some rotini. I’ve never used fresh oregano before but if you see if in your produce aisle (or farmers market, even better) I definitely recommend picking some up.

Tomato Sauce with Fresh Oregano

• 1-2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large can whole peeled tomatoes
• 3-4 tbsp. fresh oregano
• 1 tsp. crushed red peppers
• 1-2 tbsp. heavy cream (optional)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add entire can of tomatoes, including the juice, and bring to a simmer. Season with chopped fresh oregano, crushed red peppers, salt and pepper. Allow to simmer 5-10 minutes. Add heavy cream, if desired. Another option to increase creaminess is goat cheese, or grated Parmesan cheese.
3. Remove saucepan from heat and allow to cool slightly. Using an immersion blender, blend sauce until desired consistency (I like to leave some of the tomato chunks in there). If you don’t have an immersion blender, allow sauce to cool and process in a regular blender, or you could try a potato masher. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Serve pasta with fresh sauce and top with fresh ground pepper and Parmesan cheese.

I loved this sauce so much that the next day I used more of my fresh CSA produce— kale and shitake mushrooms— and added them to the sauce.

Thursday is CSA day, and today was a great pick-up. Lots of things that I want to try as well as lots of things that I love. What’s in the box this week? Here’s what we got:

• 1 Head Green Romaine Lettuce
• 1 Bag of Pea Tendrils
• 1 Pint Strawberries
• 1 Bunch Green Kale (yay!)
• 1 Bunch Garlic Scapes
• 1 Bunch White Scallions
• 1 Bunch Collard Greens

I am super excited for the kale, as it is one of my favorite veggies, and have already used some of it in a breakfast scramble with a fresh piece of ciabatta on the side from my pick-up location, Metropolitan Bakery.  I was excited to see scapes in the mix also, as they are something that I’ve never used before and I’ve heard make a great pesto. And pea tendrils, also known as pea shoots, are one of my favorite things to eat but I’ve never cooked them before— all in all, a good half-share this week! Things I’d like to try include:

Pesto made with Garlic Scapes and Walnuts

Paula Deen’s Collard Greens

Sauteed Pea Tendrils with Garlic

Bacon, Kale, and Sweet Potato Breakfast Burritos

Another good use for my new favorite veggie? In a breakfast scramble. Try scrambling some fresh kale up with some onions, red peppers, and feta cheese. A healthy, hearty, yummy way to start your day!

Lately I’ve been trying to eat a little healthier— moving entailed lots of pizza and takeout for the entire week, so as soon as we moved I stocked up on fresh fruits and veggies in our new large and in charge refrigerator (including built-in Brita ). One of my favorite new things is kale, a nutrient packed leafy green that I’ve found is delicious served up a bunch of different ways, including in breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

I tried this dish twice this week— once with ditalini pasta and once with angel hair. I told Slip the angel hair tasted like Italian style ramen noodle soup. I loved it!

No real recipe on this one, but here’s essentially how things went—

1. Cook 1/2 lb. pasta of choice until al dente and set aside. Meanwhile, in a large pan heat 1-2 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

2. Add 1/2 diced onion to the pan, along with 1/2 package sliced mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Using 4-6 large pieces of kale— remove the ribs with a knife and quickly chop into large pieces. Add to the pan— kale will turn bright green and is really beautiful! Add 1/2-1 cup of vegetable broth, depending on if you want this dish to be more soupy or not. Season with flavors of your choice— I used hot pepper paste and basil.

4. Bring the broth to a simmer, then stir in a few tbsp. pecorino or Parmesan cheese. Turn off heat and stir in pasta. Serve in pasta bowls and top with fresh ground pepper and diced fresh mozzarella or Parmesan cheese. Mangia!

Kale Chips!! Light, crispy, crunchy and delish. I don’t think a picture can do them justice— but I highly recommend at least trying them.
I made these last week for a quick snack and was pleasantly surprised. Preheat oven to 375. Completely dry and tear up a head of kale, removing hard ribs. Spread kale pieces on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle 2-4 tbsp. olive oil over kale and toss. Bake for 12-15 minutes until kale is crispy and bright green. Salt (kosher or sea) and pepper to your liking. And enjoy!