KID-FRIENDLY KALE SIDE DISH

KID-FRIENDLY KALE SIDE DISH






Ingredients:
(Makes one kid-sized bowl full)

3 large kale leaves, ribs removed and leaves torn into bite size pieces
Garlic powder
Black pepper
1/2 Meyer lemon
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese
2 small fresh sage leaves, torn into small bits

Directions:

1. Heat some olive oil in a wok over high heat.

2. Add kale and toss with tongs. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, stirring to prevent burning or sticking.

3. Squeeze lemon juice over kale and stir.

4. Sprinkle with garlic powder and black pepper to taste.

5. Drizzle more olive oil and add sage leaves.

6. Continue cooking until completely soft and wilted (if your kid is a bit neurotic, like mine, and won't eat anything the least bit raw-like).

7. Serve in kid-sized bowl, sprinkle liberally with Parmesan cheese, and cut into even smaller bites (see number 6 above re: neuroses).

Notes:

*Kids can help by sprinkling on the Parmesan (and then licking it off their palms).

*For bigger kids (i.e., spouse, etc.), add more sage and cook slightly less to retain more of the crunch.

*If necessary, you can disguise the entire dish with pasta sauce.

DECEPTIVELY-YUMMY CABBAGE STIR FRY

DECEPTIVELY-YUMMY CABBAGE STIR FRY

Ingredients:
(Makes 2-3 entree portions)

1 Meyer lemon, sliced in half and de-seeded
1/4 head Napa cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, thinly sliced
6 green onions, sliced
Handful cilantro
Brown rice vinegar
2 heaping spoonfuls crushed garlic
1 heaping spoonful minced ginger
Black pepper, to taste
1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1 bag Trader Joe's Organic Frozen Brown Rice, cooked according to package
3 free range, organically raised chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces OR 1/2 brick firm tofu, cut into bite size pieces

Directions:

1. Heat some vinegar (enough to cover bottom of non-stick wok and then some) over high heat, until it is just starting to brown and evaporate.

2. Add juice from half of lemon, then chicken or tofu and cook 3 minutes.

3. Add 1 spoonful of garlic, carrots and bell pepper and cook 2-4 minutes.

4. Add other spoonful of garlic, juice from other half of lemon, black pepper, ginger and cabbage.

5. Stir well and cook few more minutes, then add cilantro and onions.

6. Stir well, and continue cooking (covered if you want to retain liquid), until chicken or tofu is done to your liking.

7. Serve over brown rice.

Notes:

*Kids can help by cutting tofu with a butter or toddler knife.

*If you're not as concerned about sodium, use seasoned rice vinegar or a splash of soy sauce to add more flavor.

*If you can find them, use different colored carrots (purple and white) for a beautiful bounty of color.

*Be careful not to burn the vinegar in step 1 or else your spouse is liable to walk in the door from work and say, "Ugh! What is that god-awful smell?!" (Thanks, honey!)

OPEN FACE SOUTHWEST SANDWICH

OPEN FACE SOUTHWEST SANDWICH





Ingredients:
(Makes 1 serving)

1/4 baguette, sliced in half lengthwise
Handful Trader Joe's Shredded Pepper Jack cheese
Olive oil
Garlic powder
6 cherry or plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 avocado, sliced into pieces


Directions:

1. Preheat toaster oven for 5 minutes on broil/toast setting.

2. Drizzle each half of sandwich with olive oil; sprinkle with garlic powder.

3. Layer slices of avocado on each slice of bread.

4. Layer with tomato slices.

5. Sprinkle liberally with cheese.

6. Place on foil in toaster oven on broil/toast setting for 5 minutes.

Notes:

*This seems really gourmet when you're eating it and is a nice change of pace, but it couldn't be any easier or faster to make...can't beat cheesy, toasty & yummy in under 10 minutes!

*Nice way to use up pieces of bread that you steal, uh, I mean, rescue from being thrown out at restaurants. Not that that's what I did. But thank you, Cheesecake Factory, for your endless baskets of tasty bread. :)

*If you have the time and patience, tomatoes would be even better if more thinly sliced.