Good and Good For You: Kale-Parmesan Salad

I’ve been kind of obsessed with Dr. Andrew Weil for a while. Eating Well for Optimum Health was a big read for me in high school, and thanks to it, I spent a whole summer eating hippie cereal with seaweed-fortified soymilk for breakfast. EdenSoy is so good…and so expensive.

Seriously, though. Dr. Weil is great because he’s really intelligent, and manages to communicate his thoughts about health in this sort of jolly, soothing way that makes me think, Yes! I can take care of myself and not be miserable while I do it. And the fact that he looks really happy—no, joyful—in all of his photos is just so NICE.

He has a new-ish cookbook out that I (regretfully) don’t yet own, but when I saw the recipe for his kale salad with Parmesan and breadcrumbs, I had to try it. (Also: I don’t care how many people say kale is played out, it’s a vegetable, not a band, and I'm going to keep eating it.)

Dr. Weil’s Kale-Parmesan Salad

Adapted from True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure

2 large bunches curly kale, tough stems removed and leaves thinly sliced

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice

3 garlic cloves, grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus some shaved cheese for garnish

2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Rinse all your kale well and dry thoroughly. If you skip this step, you could end up eating dirt, which is always disappointing.

In a measuring cup, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Pour it over the kale. Use your fingers to toss the kale so the dressing gets on every leaf, then massage the dressing into the leaves for a minute or two. Let the kale sit for a half hour to soften up.

Add the cheese and the breadcrumbs to the kale and toss to combine. Divide into serving bowls and top with a little more cheese (grated is fine, but I think shavings look pretty). Eat and feel the glow that comes from eating an enormous bowl of vegetables.

Serves 4 as a main course or 8 as a side dish  

Good and Good For You: Almond Butter Hot Chocolate

It was a weeknight in 11th grade, one of the first cold nights of fall. I was spending my time just like every other kid in high school in the early 2000’s did: chatting online with my friends. (Nowadays, I guess they’d just text? I still chat tethered to my computer, but something about it feels totally antiquated.)

So: I was talking with my best friend Richard when I was struck with a craving for hot chocolate. “BRB, going to make some hot choc,” I typed, cutting off whatever hilarious conversation we were in the middle of.

I don’t remember if we were out of the little packets of Swiss Miss (with the crunchy dried marshmallows, I loved those) or if I was just feeling adventurous. But I ended up pulling out a canister of Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa to make my toasty chocolate drink from scratch.

Somewhere along the way, things went wrong. I think what happened was the Hershey’s instructions on the side of the canister were for like, four servings of hot chocolate. I started out with just a cup of milk, knowing I wanted to make the recipe for just one. But me being me, forgot to keep cutting down the rest of the ingredients, and ended up putting something like a half cup of cocoa powder in my eight ounces of milk. At the time, the only cooking I knew how to do was toast an English muffin, so I didn’t even flinch at the ridiculous ratio.

When the hot chocolate was finally ready, I wrapped my hands around the mug, smiled, and took a sip. And immediately started choking on the insane amount of dry, bitter powder that hadn’t been absorbed into the milk. I might’ve collapsed on the floor or dropped the mug or both out of sheer disgust.

I wasn’t a total teenage fool, so it only took me a few minutes to realize what I’d done wrong, and I ran back to the computer to tell Richard what I did. I don’t remember his response, but the experience left enough of an impression on me that I still remember it almost ten years later.

Made with a creamy almond butter base, this delicious version of hot chocolate has almost nothing in common with the original—save for the fact that I still used Hershey’s cocoa powder. But it won’t make you choke or collapse, I promise. I originally developed the recipe as part of a healthy brunch story for Culinate, but wanted to share it this week for the upcoming chocolate holiday (err, Valentine's Day). 

Almond Butter Hot Chocolate

It might seem a little strange to put all the ingredients in the blender before warming them up, but I’ve found it prevents those dry chocolate lumps that form when you add cocoa powder directly to hot liquid.

1 3/4 cups water

2 1/2 tablespoons almond butter, chunky or smooth

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon brewed coffee (optional, but makes the cocoa taste extra chocolate-y)

Pinch salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a blender, add the water and almond butter and blend until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, sugar, coffee, and salt and blend again.

If you prefer a super-smooth hot cocoa, run the mixture through a strainer. I really like the slight graininess and even the small pieces of almond from the chunky almond butter, so I don't bother.

Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Once simmering, turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour into mugs and drink hot.

Serves 2

Good and Good For You: Salted Date Caramel Sundaes

Most of my ideas come up in one of two places: Outside walking Charlie or in the shower. Neither one is really good for writing anything down, so I usually have to just keep thinking about it until the walk/shower is over and I can jot myself a note. The date caramel sauce idea came up in the shower when I was thinking about no-bake desserts, and I was so excited it didn’t even really seem worth it to stick around and finish washing my hair (but I did, don’t worry).

The sauce is super easy to make and is REALLY delicious warm on top of vanilla ice cream. But since the recipe makes a big jar, I’ve been finding other ways to use it, too: In place of honey in smoothies, swirled into oatmeal, or spread onto toast with some butter. DELICIOUS. Please get yourself some dates and make this right away.

Salted Date Caramel Sundaes

14 medjool dates, pitted

1 teaspoon coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Vanilla ice cream (I used coconut milk ice cream, so this really was a healthy-ish dessert)

Salted, roasted peanuts, chopped (preferably skin-on)

While you pit the dates, boil a kettle of water. Place the dates in a heat-proof bowl and pour enough boiling water to cover. Cover the bowl and let the dates soften for 10 or 15 minutes. Drain the dates and reserve the liquid.

Put the dates in a food processor with the coconut oil, salt, and vanilla. Add a half cup of the reserved liquid and process, adding more liquid as needed to form a thick sauce. Taste to see if it’s salty enough to your liking. If not, add more salt, a pinch at a time.

To make the sundaes, put a scoop of ice cream in a dish. Top with a spoonful or two of the sauce (it’ll still be warm from the soaking liquid) and a handful of chopped peanuts.

Transfer the leftover sauce to a jar (you’ll have a good amount) and store, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.

Good and Good For You: Chocolate Tinies

It's always really nice when a healthy-sounding dessert recipe actually turns out to be delicious, as was the case with these little cookies. They're super easy and fast to make and don't produce a lot of mess, meaning they're perfect for a weeknight treat. I had a them with a mug of chamomile tea last night, but I bet they'd be even better with some warm milk. So comforting!

Chocolate Tinies
Adapted from Relish

If you don’t have oat or almond flour around (I didn’t), just grind rolled oats and unsalted almonds in the food processor until a powder forms. It only takes about a minute.

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons oat flour
1/3 cup almond flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup safflower oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, add the flours, cocoa powder, and salt; use a fork to mix well and break up any cocoa powder lumps. In a measuring cup, add the oil and maple syrup and whisk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop rounded tablespoons of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. (You don’t have to worry about spacing them far apart—since the dough doesn’t have any baking powder or baking soda, they cookies aren’t going to get any bigger.)

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies will still feel soft and you might think they’re underdone, but take them out. Let cool for 5 or 10 minutes before eating, or store in an airtight container for 2 or 3 days.

Makes about 14 cookies