WHERE THERE IS ALWAYS A FINE MOUTH-WATERING BALANCE
Now, here’s a crowd-pleaser (sautéed kale/cabbage) that can be had at any meal. I did; and my palate was reintroduced to a crispy, tasty and nutritious treat. This delicious side was just what I needed to add to my breakfast and supper meals.
I certainly didn’t miss the ham in my breakfast dish. And, thinking about it, Dr. Seuss would also approve. You see, I went with a couple of cage-free eggs and made a delightful and creamy scrabble with same.
In order to get the green contrast, I used up leftover kale/parsley pesto from a previous meal. After eggs were slowly cooked over low heat, kale/parsley pesto was folded in. In addition, a light sprinkle of cheddar cheese was added along with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
When the temperatures are soaring on the outskirts, I’ve no time to be spending extended time on top of my stove. I often seek out quick, easy, and delicious meals. After all, I want to secure much-needed time to enjoy the summer.
Went with that in mind this afternoon and oh, look what I managed to turn out. Grabbed hold of my grill pan and made me a few grilled shrimp and chicken tenderloins. I needed to take them to another level.
So, I made a quick kale/parsley pesto and slathered some on my grilled chicken (lime flavored). Decided to reach for some of summer’s favorites in the form of mini bell peppers. Finely chopped up those assorted hues along with diced onions, a squeeze of honey, pinch of salt and a splash of vinegar and slowly simmered.
I couldn’t resist. If I’m indulging in shrimp, I’ve to have that ‘kick’. Thus, I added finely chopped scotch bonnet peppers to the mix. Oh, those dear shrimp were super-excited. With a squeeze of fresh lime, I layered those juicy shrimp on a bed of Jasmine rice. And, of course, I added that spicy side dish of assorted mini bell peppers.
I was on cloud nine.
It was an awesome day.
Time was of the essence. When it comes to this time of the year (approaching summer), perishables get a beating. Had some of nature’s wholesome foods (kale/broccoli) on hand. From the looks of a portion of same, they were heading downhill.
Decided to transform them into a creamy and smooth dish in the form of broccoli and kale soup. Did someone say ‘FIBER!!’ Added a few other ingredients like:
In a stock pot, diced onions and crushed garlic were sautéed in olive oil. Then kale and broccoli were added to the mix; making sure to season along with salt and black pepper. Water was added along with vegetable bouillon. This simmered until tender.
After cooling, this was added to standing blender for pureeing.
This was poured into stock pot under low heat. Warm milk and sharp cheese were then added. This brought it further to a creamy consistency. Served same with garnish of broccoli and a dollop of sour cream.
I went a little over the top with nature’s wholesome greens. it was sort of leap out of the ‘box’; in that I created a pesto from atypical ingredients. Instead of the classic basil and/or other herbs, I opted for kale, broccoli and parsley.
Greens were rinsed in tepid water and then added to food processor along with roasted garlic and a splash of water for a quick pulse. This was then seasoned with a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of black pepper, a few pieces of walnuts and crumbled feta cheese.
With a quick final pulse of ingredients, pesto was ready for linguine.
Pesto was then folded into hot linguine. Served pasta with honey and lemon shrimp.
MY PASTA IS GOING TO BE SUPER-HAPPY!
I love seafood. As such, I try to include a couple of dishes in my weekly meal plan. More importantly, since the Lenten season started, I’ve added a few extras. Over the Easter week-end, I allowed my snapper fish to be part of my plan.
I opted for a pan-fried whole snapper with a spicy scotch bonnet pepper and tomato sauce. I served this on a fluffy bed of jasmine rice surrounded by garlic-flavored kale sautéed in a drizzle of olive oil. A few dried cranberries were tossed in to give a contrasting sweet balance.
Whether it’s St. Patrick Day or not, I like to go green sometimes with my morning beverage. And, it was no different this morn. I allowed my standing blender to do the task in pureeing kale, kiwi, lime juice and chops of star apple.(Caribbean).
With a splash of cold water, all I needed was to let my faithful blender do the talking. And talk it did and produced this virtuous and refreshing shots. Shots that any Irish bloke or lass would like.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone.
