Kale, Zucchini, Miso Saute with Tahini
This is a hearty, one-pot dinner, that comes together quickly (especially if you keep cooked quinoa in the fridge like I do - it seems to last forever). The tomate de fresadilla (tomatillos) makes it tarty, and it is balanced out by the tahini and creamy avocado. It’s a vegan protein powerhouse, and a very healthy meal.
Before jumping into the meal, I want to give thanks (sort of like saying grace before a meal).
In the last days I’ve been overwhelmed with the messages and words of encouragement and support for fedelicioso - it has been amazing. And when I hear from you and see you are actually trying recipes (!!!!), by sending me pictures of your concoctions, giving me feedback on posts, suggestions for dishes, modifications to instructions, even calling me out on grammar and spelling mistakes: I feel so so thankful. And quite honestly, with every message, I get SO excited. So: Chopili, Nomi, Lucy (and Lucy and Lucy), Ana, Eva, Ivana, Ben, Diana, Malena, Emily, Jackie, Tony, Adriana, Rodrigo, Pico, Jake, Natalia, Cristy, Balbina, Ale, Anita, Clau, Emiliano, Maya, María (and María and María), Corina, Sebastian and the many others - you know who you are - thank you all so much. Truly, it means a lot.
Back to food. This was a Sunday night attempt to get through produce in my fridge, with a brank new miso paste bottle. I encourage cooking with miso: it’s a great addition to savory dishes, marinades, dressings. It never fails to give it an umami punch and depending on the color of the paste, you can amp up or tone down the flavor.
Kale + zucchini + tomatillo + hemp + avocado + tahini + quinoa… So many good-for-you-foods in there, across the spectrum of nutrients. The added crunch/texture with hemp was great, so if you don’t have it use any other crunchy nut (pistachio, pine nuts, etc). Tahini: addictive, keeps for a long time and is a great addition to sauces and dressings, so if you don’t have it already, get it!
Ingredients: extra virgin olive oil 1 medium white onion, sliced thinly 2 cups tomatillos, coarsely chopped (~2 large, sub red tomatoes if needed) 1 - 2 large zucchini, diced bunch chopped kale leaves, chopped (from ~5 stems, see post with prep tips) 2 teaspoons red miso paste (sub any other color, tamari, soy sauce) 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley 2 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa tahini for serving (about 1 tablespoon per plate) avocado for serving hemp seeds as topping (sub pistachios or another nut)
Rinse and cook quinoa, according to instructions (see note on my preferred cooking method). When ready remove from heat, keep covered and set aside.
As quinoa cooks, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, stirring frequently and cooking until soft and slightly translucent. Add chopped tomatillo and cover pan, cooking for a minute or so until tomatillo releases juices.
Uncover, add zucchini and 2 tablespoons of miso, stirring constantly until well combined. Cook for a few minutes until liquid is reduced and zucchini is slightly browned. Add kale leaves and spices and mix into pan. Cook until leaves are a bit soft but still vibrant green. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serves 4 as a side
