Rainbow Kale Salad

I haven’t had kale in so long and recently had a real hankering for it after seeing it in store!

My normal procedure would be sauteeing or steaming it with a big squeeze of lemon and a pinch of Maldon salt, but I decided to mix things up a bit and make a kale salad for the week instead!

I’ve made kale salads before here, a simple massaged one and a tahini one, but I love this combination that I made that’s packed with vegetables. Ratio-wise, I like adding more veggies than kale because, let’s be honest, it tastes way better that way.

You can feel free to add in anything you like or omit vegetables. I know that avocado would make a deliciously creamy addition whilst pepitas or walnuts would add a nice crunch to the salad.

Rainbow Kale Salad vegan, gluten free, dairy free
Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side

This is a wonderful salad that you can make at the start of the week. The kale is massaged until tender and works perfectly with the other vegetables. Feel free to add in any ingredients like nuts and seeds, pomegranate or avocado (although I would advise adding avocado before serving so it doesn’t brown). To make it a main meal, you can add some potatoes or grains like quinoa or some beans.

1/2 bag of kale
1 raw beetroot, grated
1 carrot, grated
Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cucumber, diced
Handful of parsley, chopped
1 tbsp capers (wash if coated in salt)
1/2 lemon
Apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Wash the kale and dry to get rid of any excess moisture.

Massage kale with lemon juice, a touch of apple cider or balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt.

Once the kale has gone down in size, add the rest of the vegetables, chopped parsley and capers.

Once mixed, refrigerate for at least half and hour before serving.

Once ready to serve, add some extra herbs on top and any other ingredients like pomegrante. It’s delicious with a drizzle of olive oil here too!

 

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Easy & Healthy Zoodles

I don’t really have too much to update on this week since I’ve just been busy with UCAS. so. much. UCAS. But because of this, I’ve been super into easy meals and this is the perfect thing to make after a long day – fresh, light, easy and obviously, herby!

Easy & Healthy Zoodles vegan, gluten free, dairy free
Serves 1

This is one of my favourite quick lunch recipes – it’s so easy to throw together and perfect for the warmer weather! It’s perfect as a light main dish or as a side to accompany your meal. Feel free to keep the zoodles raw to keep it more ‘salady’.

1 zucchini
Handful of cherry tomatoes, diced
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped (cilantro also works wonderfully!)
Chickpeas
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Spirlaise your zucchini.

Heat olive oil in a pan and add zoodles.

Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 1-2 minutes.

Turn heat off and add tomatoes, chickpeas, cilantro and a big squeeze of lemon.

Stir around and serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Caponata

 

I went to Palermo last year and I’ve got to say, I think it’s my favourite place in Italy. The weather is gorgeous and the food. The food – it’s incredible. Everything has fresh flavours and you can taste the ingredients in every dish.

2 of the dishes really struck a cord with me though and I’m desperate to go back just so I can try them again! The first was pasta with sardines and fennel – it may sound simple but it’s an amazing combination of salty, sweet and crunchy! The other was caponata – I’m pretty sure I ordered this every night wherever we ate!

Although this isn’t an exact replica of the dish, I’ve created my own spin on it which I think is equally as delicious!

So even if you can’t go to Sicily, why not try out this dish next to a warm cozy fire – perfect on top of polenta, scooped up with light and airy ciabatta or atop some salad (arugula works perfectly because of its peppery-ness!)

Caponata vegan, dairy free, gluten free
Serves 2

This is a comforting dish of stewed vegetables that can be eaten warm or cold. It’s the perfect balance of the salty capers with the sweetness of the bright vegetables!
Feel free to increase any vegetables to your preference. Olives also work nicely but I had none on hand – if you do add them I would reduce the salt as the dish is naturally quite salty.

1 medium aubergine, cut into chunks
2 or 3 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed and cut
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Dash of white wine (can be omitted)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasonings (you can also use fresh parsley etc)
1 teaspoon capers
Pinch of dried chilli flakes

You first want to sauté the aubergine in olive oil and season with salt in a wide pan until brown.

Once the aubergine is brown, add some water to the pan and place a lid on top so that it steams and softens.

Add a dash more oil and add in the onions and garlic until fragrant and soft.

Add the vinegar until evaporated then add capers, herbs, tomatoes and peppers.
Also add a pinch of salt and pepper at this point. (Don’t add too much as capers are salty!)

Mix around and add water and cover with a lid so it can steam and soften.

Taste and season and add wine at this point.
Keep sautéing until wine has evaporated and serve.