Variations from Rhapsody on a theme of Kale*

 Kale! This super food is new to me within a few weeks, but already I quite like its deep characteristic fragrance and hearty texture, and the dark green color--I prefer dark greens over light greens anytime (with the exception of cabbage and cauliflower, perhaps, but you could argue that they're actually white). So here are a few recent experimentations:

Raw kale salad with edamames, chopped tomatoes, avocado, and chopped toasted almonds. This salad ended up being a little bit too tough to the tooth for my taste. I've had similar experience with the kale and edmame bistro salad from TJ's, which is the same thing except without avocado and with dried cranberries and scallions. Perhaps I will always find salads with kale as the main protagonist a bit tough.

 

The same salad above with slightly less kale and the addition of sauteed kabocha squash, red quinoa and hummus. I liked it better!

Unpictured: Kale, sauteed kabocha, onions, and portabella, red quinoa, hummus, avocado, and chopped toasted almonds. Sounds like a handful, but it was good. The kale is still raw, but I threw it into the pan a few seconds before dishing the sauteed veggies. The vol. ratio of kale is less so than in a raw kale salad.

Kale bowl with brown rice, sauteed onions and kabocha, edamame, sesame seeds, avocado. I also like this one a lot. I think I seem to have found what I like in kale...

The hearty super green stands up well to heat, bold flavors, and complex layerings of textures and flavors. I like it best when the kale composes less than majority of the dish by volume, which works with complex layerings of ingredients :P I still prefer it raw, but after scrunching with a sprinkle of salt and sometimes mixing with hot ingredients, it is much less tough tough, more broken down and fragrant. I will keep trying things out, and look forward to the glorious road ahead with my new green friend. To our imperfect but beautiful world.

* 18th variation from rhapsody on a theme of Paganini--the most beautiful piece of music in the whole wide world.