A Love Story with Kale

Among many other ridiculous fears, I equated work with lunching out, and I did not know where I would find my place. My dad eats out everyday. My mom claims I should participate to be social. I have had friends profess how hard it is for them to pack their lunches, to the extent they engage in challenges with co-workers--aiming for the most packed lunches in a month. Then there is the after work hunger and exhaustion... where I was warned grabbing to-go in route home routines were easily established. I worried. I freaked. I panicked. I did not plan on surviving. Should have opted for marriage and children! 

But now I breathe easy, it is true, I can be me wherever me is in time. I have packed my lunch every single day, including the day the company took me out on a "Buddy Lunch" date. I come home at night and cook dinner or eat cold leftovers. Thou shall not lie, my mom has cooked me one meal a week since starting; those days will eventually end. Perhaps I should save my declaration until then? I refuse since I am the technically the newest expert on working, I can honestly say I do not understand this over-sized portion, dining out frenzy. Preparing lunches and "cooking" dinner are not that difficult. Does it help that I started my career in Lesotho? Does it help that I am vehemently opposed to the other side of the bandwagon? (It is possible I will fall off, you can make fun of me then). And I understand if you enjoy eating out--that is one thing. By all means, continue on in peace. It is not the picnic tables in the parking lot yard, it is not the book in my hand and the sun on my face, it is not for me.

In Lesotho, I met Kale; I have been head over heels in love since then. He came into my life, at the moment I declared I could not swallow another bite of the onion and zucchini medley that pulled me through my first few months at site. (To this day I cannot look at a zucchini without feeling a bit nauseous.) My first impression of Kale was bitter. I kissed raw Kale goodbye when a friend cooked the leafy green. I suddenly believed in witchcraft after watching this leaf transform into a chip--holy heaven! On my own, I added peanut butter and raisins--wrap style. You would be pleasantly surprised.   

Today my mom, knowing my boyfriend well, shared a recipe: Crispy Kale Salad with Tossed Coconut. The title sold me--this was going to make my Friday night, as if Peanut Butter M&M's did not already have that covered. Throughout the day my mind wandered to this meal, conjuring up the flavorful concoction with each bland sip of water I took in. I was basically ecstatic when my carpool buddy wanted to abandoned work a few minutes early. We get home; I barely changed (and folded and hung) my clothes before I was chopping garlic, mixing oils, and scrubbing kale.

Mealtime over... brings me to two places I dared I never go: First, to the computer after hours. Second, a recipe posting on my blog. At least I shared a story. The ingredients and directions will be worth your reading time because I personalized this stolen masterpiece. 

Crispy Kale Salad with Tossed Coconut 
(adapted from Super Natural Every Day: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen)

• 1/3 cup olive oil (I one-thirded this.)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil (My rendition read "t" which I interpreted as tablespoon. I cleared up my own confusion by spelling 'teaspoon' out for you. A "note to self" recommended one-thirding this in the future, funny how my taste buds could be the author of this dish!) 
• 2 tablespoons (That is big "T" I learned.) tamari (equals gluten-free) soy sauce. (Halved by yours truly.) 
• Splash or two (or four) of hot sauce
• 4 (or 14) large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 large bunch kale cut into ribbons however you like (though stems and large ribs should probably be removed)
• 1 cup unsweetened large coconut ribbons (I am not sure what ribbons are, aside from fancy string Moms torture their daughter's hair with. I used shredded.) 
• Cooked grains (I opted for barley.) 

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a lidded jar, pour in the olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, hot sauce and garlic. Shake well. In a large bowl, dump in the chopped kale and coconut and pour in about half of the dressing. Spread out onto a large baking sheet, bake for 15 minutes or until the coconut becomes golden and the kale turns a bit crisp. Stir the crazy yummy combination about at the half-way through cooking. Remove from oven and serve on top of your grain of choice, drizzle (or do not) with remaining dressing. (This will feed me twice.)

No photograph, that would be over-stepping my limits for a third time tonight. (And the look does nothing to justify the taste!)

It is Friday, Friday, gettin' down with a book on Friday. May your weekend not be so rainy.