Kale Caesar

I'm stuck right in the middle of a super transitional, bizarre, yet mostly enjoyable phase of my life. I'm not freaking out, I'm choosing to mostly not do that. But in the midst of transition, I am periodically  anxious. Time should remedy that though. I haven't got much to say but I think kale should say enough to cover up that void. Kale says a lot, because damn! It's really great. Clearly a nutritional power house with that rich green color, Kale is tasty is so many forms. While I'm a huge fan of the chip variety today I'm going with caesar.  Caesar salad is comforting in the only way a salad can be comforting, familiarity. You can always count on a good Caesar and kale is a nice way to stir things up.

I snagged this simply stellar dressing recipe from none other than Bon Appetit and changed it up a tiny bit. I'm sure it's perfect the way it is but this just worked for me with what I had on hand. 

                                   

Classic Caesar Dressing

*adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

1/2 small garlic clove

Kosher Salt

1/2 Tbl anchovy paste

1/4 tsp dijon mustard

1 large egg yolk

1 Tbl fresh lemon juice

2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbl vegetable oil

1 Tbl grated parmesan

fresh ground black pepper

Method

Chop the garlic up very finely, then sprinkle with kosher salt and mash with the side of a large knife until it forms a paste. Add it to a small bowl with the anchovy paste, dijon, egg yolk, and lemon juice. Mix to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking, making sure it stays emulsified and thick. After that, add the vegetable oil in the same fashion. Add the parmesan and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste and add extra lemon juice or salt as needed.

For the kale salad, simply remove 1 or 2 bunches of kale from the stalks and chop into smaller pieces. Drizzle the kale with a tiny bit of olive oil (1-2 tsp) and massage (yes, massage) into the leaves. Let it sit. Shave 4 or five stalks of asparagus with a peeler and add to the kale.  Add dressing 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time and toss until coated but not weighed down. Finish with shaved parmesan. 

Avocado & Kale

Somehow I have yet to obsess about my new favorite breakfast: savory oatmeal.

The options are endless and usually involve some sort of leafy green and avocado. And as per usual, an egg always enhances this breakfast.

Today was no different. Savory oats were on the menu and avocado was surely there, as for the greens? Only the best of the best...Kale!

I'm more of a salty girl when it comes to breakfast but every so often I'll go for sweet and salty. Sweet tastes better with a bit of salt, are we all aware of this? 

Salted Caramel anyone? This will rock your world.

Anywho, the oatmeal...

Basically you can cook the oats however you'd like. Right now I really like old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant!) but steel cut oats are also pretty swell.

You may be thinking I'm crazy for putting cocoa nibs anywhere near this defenseless bowl of oatmeal but I thought they added a great crunch!

Throw a fried/poached egg on top of that beauty...AMAZING. I mean forgettttt about ittt, that's a game changer right there.

Happy breakfast eating!

Eat at Skillet!

Hello Hello

While I go to school in New York, Seattle is home…and I’m back home for the first time in just about 6 months. Exclamation marks cannot properly display how excited I am to be spending three weeks in this amazing city.

If you haven’t been here you better start making up for lost time and book that plane ticket about 10 minutes ago. 

And while you’re here, there are quite a few restaurants you’re going to need to hit up, so let’s begin with Skillet.

They used to just have a food truck, well actually a food “airstream” a really adorable little airstream at that. Well they semi-recently opened up a diner sort of place and we stopped by for brunch today

….and you know what brunch means right??! good food and cocktails of course!

super fun cocktails, and an impressive little bar if I do say so myself

check out the bourbon lineup

I settled on a bloody mary though. mmmm meal in a glass, right?

all the beverages are served out of jars, only way to do it in my book.

and to eat? Kale Caesar Salad! yah I said it. 

I love kale. love love love it, and eating it raw and lightly tossed with caesar dressing was great.

did I mention Kale is ridiculously good for you? yah it’s damn near perfect.

pops got a cornmeal waffle with fried eggs & pork belly. 

and mum got this tasty grilled salmon sandwich.

Such a great meal, brunch should start happening on days other than sunday…

you know I’m right.