Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad

This has become a mainstay salad for us lately. Keeps well

Total Time: 15 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 4 servings, about 3 cups each

Ingredients:
1 large bunch kale, washed, thoroughly dried, stems removed, finely chopped & massaged
(6 to 8 cups chopped)
8 brussels sprouts, finely shredded
1½ medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ tsp. Himalayan salt
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. raw cider vinegar
24 whole almonds, chopped

Preparation:
1. Combine kale, brussels sprouts, cucumbers, and bell pepper in a large serving bowl.
2. Season with salt.
3. Drizzle with oil, lemon juice, and vinegar; toss gently to blend.
4. Refrigerate, covered, for 15 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with almonds and enjoy!

Kale and Potato Soup with Red Chili

This recipe came from The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison. A wonderful book that all veggie lovers should own. The recipes in this book are from the Greens Restaurant when it was in it's hey-day. We usually make a double recipe.

The Stock
The ingredients of this soup supply plenty of flavor, so use water to prepare a simple stock using the stems of the kale.

The Soup
1 bunch kale
3 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 medium red or yellow onion, diced into ½ inch squares
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 small dried red chili, seeded and chopped, or ½ teaspoon chili flakes
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
4 medium red potatoes (about 1 pound), scrubbed and diced into ½ inch cubes
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast (optional)
7 cups water or stock
Pepper
Creme fraiche or sour cream (optional)

Update: Replaced onion with 2 thinly sliced leeks, sweated down in 2Tbs butter - reduced olive oil to 2 Tbs; replaced kale with collards. added 1/2 cube bouillon. Oh my, this was the BEST!

Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears cut the ruffled kale leaves off their stems, which are very tough and take a long time to cook. Cut the leaves into pieces roughly 2 inches square, wash them well, and set them aside.

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot, add the onion, garlic, chili, bay leaf, and salt, and cook over medium-high heat for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the potatoes and the yeast, if using, plus a cup of the water or stock. Stir together, cover, and cook slowly for 5 minutes.

Add the kale, cover, and steam until it is wilted, stirring occasionally. Pour in the rest of the water or stock, bring to a boil, and then simmer slowly, covered, until the potatoes are quite soft, 30 to 40 minutes.

Use the back of a wooden spoon to break up the potatoes by pressing them against the sides of the pot, or puree a cup or two of the soup in a blender and return it to the pot. This will make a unifying background for the other elements.

Taste the soup for salt and add a generous grinding of black pepper. If possible, let the soup sit for an hour or so before serving to allow the flavors to further develop. If desired add a spoonful of creme fraiche or sour cream. Serves 4 - 6.