Fun with Kale

I hope everyone has had a fun holiday season. My highlight was that I bbq'd a duck, which was a hoot and it certainly won't be the last time I do it because it was Deeee-lish!

Would love to hear about some of y'all's resolutions this year. I have one which will be announced at a later date but for now, just spreading more good vibes and getting straight A's will do.

However, if being more environmentally conscious and eating more vegan dishes is on your resolution list, then this blog entry is for you!

As most of you know, one of my pet peeves is being "preachy." So I apologize if I'm sounding a little too leftist, but whether you believe or don't believe in global warming, for those of us able-bodied individuals, we should always try to make some sort of conscious effort to help preserve our planet. It was brought to my attention today about a new way to help the environment and rid your mailbox of junk mail! It's called Zumbox. It's a way to have your postal mail delivered to your email address. Granted, I would set up an email account only for your post office mail because there is a possibility to receive infinite amounts of junk email. However, by using this service, you can cut down on paper production and possible fuel costs for mail-delivery.
www.zumbox.com

And now for some time with Kale! Tis the season for this leafy green gift from the Phytonutrient gods. I miss the days of WFM ginger-kale salad so I couldn't resist buying a big bunch last week. Kale is most prominent in the winter/spring and it is chocked full of Vitamins A,K,C, Manganese, Fiber and lots of other goodies. So get in as much as you can!

As most of you know, you can take the girl out of Texas--but you can't take Texas out of the girl, so here's a little Mexi-Kale recipe I conjured up. I'll give you the vegan version with a non-vegan option:

Mexi-Kale!

1 small yellow onion-diced
1 clove garlic-pressed
Olive oil for sautee-ing
1/4 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup salsa verde (or tomatillo salsa)
1 tsp cumin (or more--depending on heat level)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Jalapeno Tabasco (for the spicy people)
1 can Pinto beans, drained
1 Big Ol' Head of Kale, finely chopped
1 Handful Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
Low Fat Cheddar Cheese (optional non-vegan version)

Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are clear; put on lower heat and add marinara/salsa verde and seasonings; add pinto beans; add kale and cilantro to the mix until kale is tender (this may take a while). Serve it hot and/or with cheese on top.