I think I've Found My New Favorite Recipe ...

Hey there, Gnawers!  It is funny how the universe tends to balance things out.  I have seen this in two ways today.  First of all, I felt really sh!tty this morning.  I was in a lot of pain and had a fever.  I was also exhausted and weak.  Frustration abounds.  It was very annoying after feeling better most days lately, but it is a reminder for me that things can't just snap back to perfect.  This is a journey.  I must keep reminding myself of that.  Balance came after some much needed rest, slow deep stretching, and taking it easy today.  I am feeling much better this evening and extremely grateful for it!  The universe seems to be helping she who tries to help herself (at least that is what I am telling myself these days).

The second manifestation of balance came in my cooking today.  For breakfast, I made a smoothie with a lot of arugula (3 cups probably), unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and 2 cups of strawberries.  It was edible, but I would not recommend it or make it like this again.  The arugula has a strong flavor.  It is a good one, but not something I am used to in a smoothie.  I realized today that arugula is the taste I often love when I order salads in restaurants.  It has a sort of bitter taste, but in a good way.  While it would probably still be good in a smoothie, I recommend mixing it with romaine or spinach.  The strawberries I used were also not very sweet, and without a banana (I used them all making ice cream for the fam last night), the smoothie was pretty bland.  Let's just be honest here ... worst smoothie I have made.  Still, as I said, it was edible, and I did drink it.  I couldn't waste all those nutrients!  After all, it was my fault for being a little overzealous with all those greens....

So where did the balance come in?  Horrible cooking this morning balanced by AMMMMM. AZ. ING. cooking for dinner.  I seriously think that I have found my new favorite recipe.  I adapted it from a recipe I got from an awesome website called Healthy Happy Life.  This gal knows what she is talking about!  So what did I make?  Spicy Peanut Ginger Kale Salad.  This recipe was really easy.  The hardest part for me was collecting all the ingredients while at the grocery store earlier this week.  Now that I know where to find them in the store, it will be much easier!

Spicy Peanut Ginger Kale Salad:

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons raw peanut butter
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated (or chopped)
• 6 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced
• 6 teaspoons tamari
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons agave syrup
• 2 large pinches cayenne pepper
• crushed sea salt to taste
• 4 tablespoons pickled ginger, chopped, divided
• 15 cups of kale greens (I used 11/2 large bags of Glory Foods Kale Greens) - if you use kale from fresh bunches, make sure to wash it, pull the leaves from the stems, discard stems, and dry kale
• 1 large red onion, chopped 
• 1 cup peanuts

Preparation Instructions:

• Place a large soup put over medium heat on stove.
• Add peanut butter, water, tahini, sesame oil, fresh ginger, garlic, tamari, rice vinegar, lemon juice, agave syrup, cayenne pepper, salt, and 2 tablespoons of pickled ginger to pot.  
• Stir briskly until all the ingredients mix together and reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer for about two minutes.
• Add about half of the kale and stir it until it is wilted and coated in sauce.
• Add the remainder of the kale, onion, peanuts, and 2 tablespoons of pickled ginger.
• Stir until kale starts to wilt and it all coated evenly with mixture.
• Serve and enjoy one of the most delicious things you will ever eat in your life.  
• This can be served warm or cold.  It will keep in the refrigerator for a few days without getting mushy (like other salads do) due to the firmness of the kale leaves.   

I am pretty sure I am going to be obsessed with this salad from here on out.  It is that good.  On top of being fan-freaking-tastic, it is also bursting with nutrients.  Kale is full of vitamins A, C, K, and B6.  It is also rich in protein, fiber, iron, calcium, manganese, copper, and potassium.  It is low calorie and brimming with phytonutrients.  Kale has also been linked to reducing five kinds of cancer including bladder, breast, ovarian, colon, and prostate.  Additionally, according to the Whole Foods Website, "kale's flavonoids combine both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits in a way that gives kale a leading dietary role with respect to avoidance of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress."

And another thing ... I planned to cook this up to take for lunch tomorrow and to just eat a small serving for dinner along with some tomato soup I planned to make.  After eating this delicious goodness, I was satisfied and had no desire to make the soup.  Filling is always a plus.  It has been a few hours now and I may need a little bedtime snack, but that is often the case with me.  

I ordered a bunch of books on going vegan, vegan cooking, whole food, and healthy living last week.  They arrived!  I read the first few chapters of The 30-Day Vegan Challenge by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau today.  It is pretty good so far.  I'll keep you posted.  I am excited to keep reading and hoping to have a lot more fabulous recipe finds (which I will share of course).  Don't mind my puppy's ears sticking out over the books in this pic!  He is a bit of a nosey one ...

So, that is all I have for you tonight, fellow Gnawers!  I hope that you have had a healthy, peaceful day and that you continue to find the strength, motivation, and inspiration you need along your journey.  You certainly have been providing those things for me.  Until next time ... take care of you!