Tag: Winter

Kale Salad with Tahini-Honey Mustard Dressing

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I promise you that this kale salad doesn’t taste like a plate of twigs. It’s got the perfect texture and thanks to chickpeas and hemp seeds, it’s nutty and full of protein, too. And honestly? The roasted spiced chickpeas make a terrific snack on their own too. Make sure to use curly kale here, as Tuscan kale will be too rough for the salad.

Ingredients:

For the salad:

  • 1 bunch curly kale, washed and stemmed
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3-4 radishes, diced
  • 2 Persian cumbers, diced (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

For the roasted chickpeas:

  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas
  • 1 teaspoon avocado oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the tahini honey mustard dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  1. Make the roasted chickpeas: Preheat the oven to 400F degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Rinse and drain the chickpeas, then pat dry. On the baking sheet, toss the chickpeas with the avocado oil, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne. Roast the chickpeas for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Set aside.
  3. Make the tahini honey mustard dressing: In a small bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, mustard, and honey. Whisk the dressing to emulsify. Whisk in up to 1 teaspoon water to thin as needed. Set dressing aside.
  4. Make the salad: Tear kale into bite-sized pieces, then add to a large bowl along with the olive oil, vinegar, and salt and massage for 30 seconds or until the kale appears softened. Add the roasted chickpeas, radish, cucumbers, hemp seeds, and nutritional yeast.
  5. Drizzle the dressing and toss to combine, and serve.

Chili Crisp Charred Beets with Ricotta

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I can’t get enough chili crisp and I know you can’t either. This unlikely pairing of chili crisp, beets, kale, and creamy ricotta has won me over and honestly, I can’t stop making (or eating) it. Adapted from Bon Appetit, you can easily prepare the beets a day ahead of time and assemble the rest of the dish the day of. And this side dish is just as delicious without the ricotta, too.

Ingredients:

  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons chili crisp
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 bunch Tuscan kale, stems and ribs removed
  • 1 pound prepared cooked beets, drained
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • 4 ounces ricotta cheese
  1. Prepare a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Stir garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, chili crisp, and salt in a medium bowl until sugar and salt are dissolved. Set dressing aside.
  2. Toss kale, beets, and oil in a large bowl with your hands until coated. Cook kale and beets, turning occasionally, until kale is crisp and charred and beets are charred, about 4 minutes for kale, 12 minutes for beets. Transfer vegetables to a cutting board and let sit until cool enough to handle. Cut kale into large pieces. Cut beets into quarters. Add beets to reserved dressing and toss to coat. Let sit 20 minutes.
  3. To serve, spread ricotta on a platter. Add kale to bowl with beets, toss to combine. Spoon mixture over ricotta and drizzle remaining dressing all over.

Classic Ragu with Pasta

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Everyone needs a good ragu recipe in their back pocket, and this one is it. Cook a big batch slow and low, freeze it, and warm it up when the weather is chilly and you’re craving something super satisfying. Easy.

Ingredients:
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup dry red wine
  • 1 28-ounce can whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 pound spaghetti, fettuccine, or similar
  • Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
  1. Prepare the meat: place the milk, 2 tablespoons olive oil, fish sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and a pinch of black pepper into a large bowl and stir. Add the beef and gently massage the marinade into the meat with your hands. Let the meat stand at room temperature for up to 1 hour while you prepare the sauce.
  2. Make the sauce: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onions and cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until aromatic. Add 1 teaspoon salt and cook for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften.
  3. Add the meat to the pot, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, and cook, without stirring, for about 5 minutes. Stir and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, until the meat is browned.
  4. Add the wine and cook for another 10 minutes, until the wine is reduced by half. Pour in the tomatoes and juice, breaking up the tomatoes with your hands before the go into the pot. Add a pinch of black pepper and let the sauce simmer, partially covered, over low heat, for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  5. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil. Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Using tongs, transfer the pasta directly from the water to the sauce to finish cooking, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water and gently toss. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Meatballs with Sour Cream Sauce

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I know “sour cream sauce” doesn’t exactly sound appetizing, but hear me out. These tender meatballs are simmered with herbs, cream of mushroom, and sour cream, resulting in a super savory sauce sauce. Serve this atop a pile of egg noodles for the ultimate cold-weather comfort meal.

Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon grated onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1 can (10 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 12 ounces egg noodles, like pappardelle, cooked
  1. Preheat oven to 325F degrees. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and milk. Let soak for 5 minutes.
  2. In another bowl, combine chicken, beef, egg, onion, parsley, salt, paprika, garlic powder and pepper. Add soaked bread crumbs and mix lightly but thoroughly.
  3. With wet hands, shape meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Brown meatballs in batches. Place meatballs on a greased baking pan. Bake until cooked through, 30-35 minutes.
  4. In a small bowl, dissolve bouillon in boiling water. In a large saucepan, combine cream of mushroom soup, bouillon mixture, and soy sauce until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and serve with meatballs and cooked noodles.

Spicy Beef and Kimchi with Noodles

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We’re on what feels like the hundredth straight day of rain here in the Bay Area, but at least it’s noodle soup season. Anthony Bourdain infamously said “Anytime I’m eating spicy noodles in a bowl, I’m happy,” and I’m not sure I’ve ever disagreed with him.

This hearty soup is packed with kimchi and aromatics, and the end result is a brothy bowl of warming, chewy noodles. Try to seek out fresh noodles for this recipe, as it makes a big difference.

Ingredients:
  • 1 pound fresh noodles, preferably Korean-style wheat noodles
  • 2 teaspoons avocado oil
  • 8 ounces ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 1/2 cups drained ripe kimchi, chopped into bite-size pieces
  • 1 tablespoon gochujang
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  1. Heat avocado oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium heat. Add ground beef and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread meat out and cook, undisturbed, until a light crust forms underneath, about 2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon break up meat and continue to cook, stirring and breaking meat up, until brown all of the way through, about 2 minutes more. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in kimchi along with any juices, then add the gochujang. Pour in 6-7 cups cold water (depending on how brothy you want your noodles) and stir well. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot partially with a lid, and simmer, decreasing heat to low if needed, until kimchi is softened, 15–20 minutes. (If soup has reduced too much, add up to another 1 cup water and return to a simmer over medium-low heat.)
  2. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
  3. Unravel and gently add noodles into the simmering soup, and cook according to package instructions, stirring occasionally, until cooked through (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat; drizzle in sesame oil and stir in 3/4 of the green onions.
  4. Ladle soup into bowls and top with remaining green onions.