Tag Archives: kale

Soba Noodles with Butternut Squash, Kale, & Pine Nuts

soba with butternut squash, kale, pinenuts

I love the way the flavors in this dish work together: there’s a little smokiness, a little sweetness, and a little tang– all in a warming, earthy tangle. I chose butternut squash because that’s what I had on hand, but I’m sure other types of winter squash would be equally delicious. I followed Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s recipe for roasting the squash and it turned out perfectly.
*To toast the pine nuts, heat in a dry skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes, watching closely, just until lightly browned and fragrant.
*If you don’t have a steamer you could try one of these methods for steaming the kale, or even the microwave. Whatever works!

butternut squash  butternut squash

1 cup roasted butternut squash cubes (I used 1 small butternut)
1 smallish bunch of kale, rough stems removed, chopped
1 package of soba noodles
¼ cup toasted pine nuts

For the dressing, whisk together:
2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

  • Cook soba according to package directions.
  • Meanwhile, steam kale with a tiny dash of salt in a metal steamer with lid over medium-high heat, for 4-5 minutes. This may have to be done in batches.
  • Toss soba with kale and dressing, and sprinkle with pine nuts. Taste and see if you want to add a little more tamari or other dressing ingredients.

Yield: About 3 servings

soba with butternut squash, kale, pinenuts

Spaghetti with White Beans & Kale

Kale Pasta

A grain, a green, a bean: that’s my go-to formula for a healthful, vegan dinner. And this pasta dish is just the sort of thing you can catch me making—and eating—on a regular basis. Garlicky braised kale and creamy cannellini beans are natural BFFs, while gluten-free quinoa spaghetti (I love Andean Dream) provides the perfect toothsome base. Of course you could use any kind of pasta here, sub chickpeas for the cannellinis, swiss chard for the kale… really, when you’re cooking with garlic and olive oil, it’s hard to go wrong.
*If your kale seems very tough, you might want to boil it first (before braising), for about 5 minutes.

KaleKale Pasta

 

1 12-oz package of pasta
4 to 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch kale, trimmed of tough stems and chopped
1 cup vegetable broth (I use ½ square of Rapunzel veg bouillon mixed with 1c water)
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
Salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes to taste

  • Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.
  • Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet/wok over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for about 3 minutes or so, til garlic is fragrant and a little golden.
  • Stir in kale and saute for about a minute. Pour in vegetable broth, stir, and cover pan with lid. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, turning up heat as necessary and stirring occasionally, until kale is cooked through.
  • Add beans and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes with the lid off, over medium-low heat, to allow flavors to meld.
  • Mix drained pasta with everything else. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and serve.

Yield: about 4 servings