Kale Salad with Roasted Parsnips and Cauliflower

In my efforts to eat healthier this year, I have been seeking out recipes with Kale.  As you may remember from previous blog entries, I really like parsnips.  So when I stumbled on this recipe in one of the food websites that a friend and fellow foodie turned me onto - TASTINGTABLE.COM  - I was delighted with learning a great new recipe which I'm sure I will be making often.

"Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen"

Yield 4 servings

Cook Time 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into small florets

2 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced on a bias into 1-inch long pieces

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

4 fresh rosemary sprigs

1 pinch dried red pepper flakes

2 small garlic cloves, very finely chopped

1 bunch lacinato (or other type) kale – tough stems and ribs removed and the leaves stacked, rolled and sliced crosswise into thin ribbons

DIRECTIONS

1.     Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  In a large bowl (or in rimmed baking pan), add the cauliflower, parsnips, 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon zest, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper and toss to combine.  Turn the vegetables out onto a rimmed baking sheet (if you didn’t already choose to toss in the pan).  Sprinkle with the red pepper flakes and roast until the vegetables begin to brown around the edges, 20 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue to roast the vegetables until they are tender, about 10 minutes longer.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven and discard the rosemary sprigs.

2.     In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon juice, garlic, the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and the ½ teaspoon of pepper.  Add half of this vinaigrette to a large bowl along with the kale ribbons.  Toss the take until it becomes slightly brighter in color, 2-3 minutes.

3.     To the kale ribbons, add the roasted cauliflower and parsnips and the remaining vinaigrette.  Toss to combine and serve. 

Calories per Serving:  220; Sodium:  1,031mg; Total Carbohydrate: 28g;  Fiber: 79; Fat:  12g

BROCCOLI AND CAVATELLI

My sister in law, Aunt Shawn makes this really well.  Add cooked boneless chicken pieces for a complete meal  (with a salad on the side, of course).  If you can’t find cavatelli, you could substitute different pasta like penne.

Serves 6-8

1 bag of cavatelli (16oz. – in freezer section – difficult to find – buy more than 1)

3 tablespoons olive oil plus ¼ cup

8 cloves garlic, peeled, kept whole

2 head of broccoli, cut up

1/2 cup chicken broth

Parmesan cheese to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring water to a boil - add some salt to the water.

Add your cavatelli to water - cook al dente - approx. 10 minutes.

Meanwhile add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a sauté pan.

Add garlic cloves and sauté 2-3 minutes.

Add cut up broccoli and sauté 3-5 minutes.

Add chicken broth to broccoli - cook on low for another 5 minutes until cavatelli are done.

When cavatelli is cooked – strain reserving some of the water.

Take garlic cloves out of broccoli pan.

Add cavatelli to broccoli and mix.

Add 1/4 cup of olive oil, some Parmesan cheese (please just a little).

Add salt and pepper to taste.

If the dish seems dry add reserved water from cavatelli and simmer on very low.