The past few days, with Christmas fast approaching, gift shopping to do & to plan, decorating (& cleaning) the house, upcoming birthdays to remember and just taking care of the every day needs of my two kids, I feel like I’ve barely had time do to anything… except eat leftovers! Though after several days of eating the same (wonderful) things – I’m not one that likes to throw out delicious food – we finally couldn’t do it another night, so we “dragged ourselves” out to eat at our favorite restaurant in Athens. I think most Athenians were feeling the same way because it was especially crowded for a Tuesday evening. (And now, guess what – I have more leftovers to eat!)
If the holiday season has already got you feeling short on time, this recipe is one I recently discovered that will feed not only your belly, but also your soul 🙂 Throwing together a few simple ingredients has never tasted so good. Kale is fast becoming one of my favorite greens. I think it used to intimidate me because I didn’t know how to cook it, but I’m finding that it is really easy to prepare. Kale is SO good for you and the health benefits are amazing. This recipe is really easy & great… and surprisingly, my kids couldn’t get enough of it… and I can’t complain about that!
Simple Soba with Kale
- 1 large bunch kale (any kind of kale will do, but I used lacinato)
- 8-12 oz. soba noodles (my 8 oz. made plenty of noodles)
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp tamari soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (brown them lightly in a dry skillet)
Place a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat.
Wash and trim kale as needed. Hold in bunch form and thinly slice remaining stems and leaves. Place in large bowl of cold water and swish to remove any remaining grit.
Once water has come to a roiling boil, add soba pasta and cook 3 minutes less than the noodle packet instructs. Add kale to the boiling pasta, pressing down with the back of a large spoon as kale likes to float. Continue cooking, uncovered, until kale and pasta are tender, about 5 minutes or so.
Drain pasta and kale then put back into the pot. In a small bowl, mix minced garlic (can be sautéed for a milder flavor), toasted sesame oil, tamari, and sesame seeds. Pour over the kale and soba, toss to combine. Serve hot or at room temperature.
simple but sensational
Your Vegan Neighbor 