Once I got that issue taken care of, I looked at my remaining edamame and pondered what to do with it.  See, once I’m aware of these young little soybeans being in the same room with me, it’s kind of hard to let ‘em just sit there.  They must be consumed!  And while I’m happy to just snack on them like candy, I find edamame lasts much longer if you, you know… use it in something.

Since I’m still on a major bare bones kick (and may stay there for awhile if a new job doesn’t show up soon!), I figured it’d be fun to make a quick, simple fried rice with edamame as the star of the show.  Though I have a natural preference for brown rice over white,  my last couple fried rice recipes have been made with takeout leftovers, so it was high time to make one with brown rice.  The healthy additions of edamame & other veggies seemed to cry for the healthier rice as well, so it was a match made in heaven.

What I love about fried rice, aside from how easy it is to make, is how much it yields.  It’s the kind of dish that can help you through some rough financial patches because it doesn’t take much to make it, and you end up with enough food for a couple different meals.  And when you’re really struggling, meals like fried rice, pasta bakes, etc., are a godsend.  They’re filling, high-yielding, and because they’re made from relatively low-cost ingredients, they’re also affordable.

If you’re a meat-lover, feel free to throw in some cooked chicken or shrimp, as this can only make things better.  Because edamame is already high in protein, there’s no need for any meatless eaters to add tofu or other vegetarian protein sources for nutritional purposes, but you’re certainly welcome to do so.  Otherwise, this recipe is simple, straightforward, and a good one to bookmark for Meatless Mondays.  Shall we take a look?

I think it helps that I’ve sort of found my own personal baking niche, one that helps me feel at ease in a world of such exactitude (I’m far more comfortable in the carefree environment of regular cooking, where I can throw pinches of this and dashes of that together and minutes later, it’s awesome).  Somehow, my love for quinoa has opened up a whole new world of baking possibilities for me, and the more I experiment, the less likely it is that I’ll stop.  Just today I wrote down eleven ideas for quinoa baked goods, and I may just throw caution to the wind someday and whip out a quinoa-only cookbook.

But I digress.

Part of why I like throwing quinoa into things like muffins & cakes is that it gives everything an extremely moist texture that’s downright irresistible.  Sure, the knowledge that I’m enjoying a sweet treat with a complete protein inside is nice, but I just really like the way it makes baked goods turn out: rich and impossibly moist.

This latest venture into baking with the mother grain proved even more exciting than the first two, since I pretty much winged it.  I had originally hoped to use my other quinoa muffin recipe as a guide, but my server was having issues and I couldn’t access the recipe (reason #23409147 Poor Girl needs to write a book: so I can refer to my own recipes when I need them!).  Feeling confident that I couldn’t do too much damage with old standbys like strawberries, bananas, and cooked quinoa, I got to work.

I found these to be remarkably quick & easy to make.  The longest you’ll spend on any part of the process is cooking the quinoa, and if you’re the type that cooks it up in big batches like I do, you’re already halfway home.  I still had some quinoa flour left over from a previous recipe experiment for the book, so I used that in the first batch of muffins, marking my very first gluten-free baking project.  *cue appreciative smattering of applause*  However, I realize that not everyone has access to the bulk section of my co-op, so if you don’t have any gluten sensitivities, feel free to use whole wheat flour instead.

The rest is simple: just some extremely ripe bananas and plenty of fresh, sweet strawberries, along with the other usual muffin-making suspects.  I kept the flour to a bare minimum, since the cooked quinoa would also help to hold everything together, and despite the fact that I have some frozen berries in ye olde freezer, I made sure to use the remaining fresh berries I had from my strawberry & blood orange popsicle making last week.  Frozen strawberries are fine in a pinch, but personally, I prefer biting into bits of fresh berries when I enjoy my muffin.  The texture is great and the unexpected juicy sweetness is always a pleasant surprise.

A couple final notes: these are very filling, so keep them small.  You don’t have to make them mini muffin small (though they’d be pretty awesome), but standard cupcake/muffin size is just perfect for these.  Why?  Because they’re very rich & dense, thanks to the fresh ingredients and all that quinoa.  They’re very deceiving little muffins, so it’s best to keep them small rather than whipping out the big muffin tin.  Because they’re so filling and packed with protein, these would be great for a quick breakfast on the go, so making these on a Sunday to enjoy throughout the workweek is a great plan.  And at just $0.30 per muffin, this beats anything you’ll be able to grab at Starbucks or at some fast food joint!  And now, the recipe…

It’s not a bad thing, really.  In creating the new recipes for the book, I’ve been playing with a lot of different foods, and while that’s fun, it’s also made me neglect my Bare Bones staples.  Whether it’s out of necessity or just because, making good use of things like whole grains, dried legumes, pastas, rice, etc., is not only cost-effective, it really unleashes the kitchen artist in you.  It’s a challenge to turn things like beans & rice into something interesting and new, week after week.

While this recipe isn’t anything new or groundbreaking, it was still a good reminder that a soup such as this can be just as delicious sans swine.  There are certain foods that I feel ought to be enjoyed a certain way and no other, and split pea soup is one of them.  Most of the time I prefer mine with ham, and I always welcome a good split pea soup with real bacon bits.  But I have to admit there’s something to be said for the simplicity of a meatless version of this classic soup.  Sure, the smoky swine lends a special depth and flavor; but the easy combo of velvety smooth peas along with tender, sweet carrots is just delightful.  With some warm, crusty bread on the side, this is the perfect lunch for a mid-winter day.

That savory, smoky quality was still something I craved in my soup, meat or no meat.  So I amped up the flavor with some garlic, plenty of onion, and the magic touch – a nice pinch of cumin.  That little spice is what takes this soup from pleasant little pea soup to mysterious and, dare I say… sexy?  Yeah, I think so.  There’s nothing a pinch of cumin can’t kick up a notch, and just a little bit goes a long way.  Too much would overwhelm the subtle sweetness of the peas & carrots.

Oh yeah, why carrots?  Because carrots make me happy.  I love pretty food, and while the monochromatic look can be interesting, plain ol’ green soup just seems so… blah to me.  Some bright chunks of carrots give the soup some much needed color and extra texture.

Flavor profile discussion aside, what really makes this soup stand out is that for less than $2, you can make about 6-8 servings of soup.  That’s a ridiculous $0.33 per serving for something hearty, filling, and completely delicious!  How can this be, when a can of split pea soup that makes about 2 servings costs close to $2 all by itself?  Because dried split peas are CHEAP!  Whether you buy them bagged (I got mine at Grocery Outlet for just $0.99 – score!), or in bulk (even the organic ones at the co-op are quite inexpensive), these little guys cost very little and go a long way.

And that’s exactly what you need when those really lean times set in.  Ingredients that are affordable, that yield a lot when cooked, and that are, for the most part, non-perishable (not that processed boxed stuff, though), are what will get you through those harder times, as you can stretch them to make several different meals.  If you’re single or have a small family, you may not want to eat all 8 soup servings immediately.  Freezing small portions allows you to make that $2 batch of soup last a little longer, and it saves you from the boredom of repeated leftover nights.

All this excitement over a simple bag of dried peas, carrots and some water…  see why bare bones staples are so cool?  They go from ordinary to extraordinary with just a little help from some handy spices.  Let’s check out this great, easy recipe…

Despite my love of singlehood and all the luxuries it affords me (oodles of “me” time, full control of the remote, dancing around like a wild woman while using wooden spoons as “microphones” while I bust out some Kimber-karaoke…), I do miss having  someone to spoil on special days, even nauseatingly pink & red ones like Valentine’s Day.  Coming from a Latin American family, I like to feed the people I love, so it sucks when the best I can do on V-Day is fix special treats for my cats.

Alas, there is no Bradley Cooper or George Clooney-alike to whisk me away to some secluded spot in Bali tomorrow.   My Valentines will be my three furbabies and the rest of my bottle of NyQuil (wretched cold season!).  But that’s not going to stop me from helping you fine folks feed your special someones!  So, without further ado, here are a few PGEW dishes to help you have a deliciously affordable Valentine’s Day meal…

(Title links to recipe)

Herbed Chicken Crepes with Fresh Rosemary Cream Sauce

Roasted Asparagus & Baby Carrots with Chive Butter

Strawberry Panzanella Salad

Steak & Zucchini Stuffed Portabellas

Creamy Shrimp & Asparagus Quinoa Risotto

Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad with Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette

Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake Dessert Shots

Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Dessert Shots with Candied Kumquats

Apple Stuffed Crepes with Caramel Sauce

 I’ve skipped the chocolate since there’s more than enough of that out there right now.  Not that chocolate and Valentine’s Day don’t go together; it’s just nice to see different dessert options every now & then.  As usual, feel free to mix & match these dishes to create the perfect menu for you & your sweetheart.

Stay tuned later this week for a new soup recipe, a new photo makeover, and my latest baking-with-quinoa experiment.   Hope all you lovebirds have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

One way of achieving this is to prepare a fun frozen treat of my own and really making it count.  Rather than having some Ben & Jerry’s or some other indulgence I can get any time, lately I’ve been making good use of seasonal fruits and turning them into fabulous cold things.  Don’t get me wrong – I love the work the big ice cream giants do; I’ve just come to grow fond of creating my own flavor combinations using ingredients they don’t often recognize.

I have yet to see Ben & Jerry's use blood oranges in their recipes, but the minute they do...

Since citrus season is still in full swing, I’ve been turning every sunshiny orb I’ve come across into a granita, sorbet, or popsicle.  It’s a fun way to make my citrus purchases last a little longer, and gives me the chance to address my sweet tooth issues without falling into the chocolate trap (which, I must admit, has been easier said than done ever since these cookies came back into my life!).  Last week I scored a pound and a half of lovely blood oranges for just $1.75 at ye olde farmer’s market, and I knew the minute I placed them in my bag that they’d soon be turned into dessert.

This time around, I wanted something a little creamy.  But lately my medical issues have gotten the best of me, so the idea of making ice cream from scratch sans maker seemed a little too ambitious.  It’s not like it’s difficult work, but this method can be a bit tedious and requires a fair amount of babysitting.  Not having gone the popsicle route in a long time, I figured this was the perfect solution and set about making my very first blood orange creamsicles.

A slightly messy affair, but totally worth it.

I was originally going to make a straight blood orange creamsicle, but I had some fresh strawberries that needed prompt attention and thought the flavors would complement each other nicely.  Taking cues from my blackberries & cream popsicles, I decided to make this the super easy way with my last can of La Lechera (which, if you’re interested, is my official recommendation for the best sweetened condensed milk out there – not to mention the most affordable!).  I added a little bit of nonfat milk to help keep things a little icy (ergo, more solid), but they’re still rich, smooth & deliciously creamy.

And that first bite... sheer perfection!

No blood oranges where you live?  No worries!  Substitute regular oranges, or even mandarins or tangerines, and you’re good to go.  These are sure to be a hit with the kids, and are a nice alternative to the usual flavors out there.  And at just $0.75, they’re sweet on your wallet, too.  ;)

PHOTOGRAPHING THEM, that’s what!

Quesadillas are officially on my list of foods I’m not too fond of photographing.  I make them often, but they’re a real bitch to shoot well.  Between their flatness (unless you stuff them full of cheese & fixings, in which case most of the quesadilla oozes out onto the plate) and their rather unremarkable appearance from an overhead angle (which I’ve gotten around before with other quesadillas, but these guys are particularly ornery), they’re just so blessedly uncooperative that this time around, I finally got frustrated enough to just start eating.  After all, a picture of hardened, formerly melted cheese isn’t that attractive, and since I don’t have unlimited amounts of cheese, tortillas and shrimp available to me, I couldn’t make millions of these until I found a shot that satisfied me.

Except for this one... this one made me very happy.

But this battle is long from over!  While these are not the perfect shots I’ve dreamed of having for this recipe, they’re far better than the originals and finally make this worthy of sharing again.  I will continue to make these as often as my nano-budget will allow, and if I can get past their deliciousness (I get too impatient when I make these and go straight to the enjoyment stage rather than shoot them first), I will make pretty pictures of them.

Yes… these quesadillas are that good.

Check out the full recipe post here, and stay tuned for a brand new recipe tomorrow!  Hint: it’s a sweet treat the whole family will enjoy!  :)

I’m not the biggest sports fan out there, but I have my moments of sports spectatorhood.  Except for small doses of basketball or soccer, the only other sport involving props that I’ll bother watching is football.  And only when it’s Superbowl time.  I figure that’s the only real brewhaha to watch, and since Superbowl Sunday is somewhat of an unofficial American holiday, I feel it’s my duty to help celebrate in some way.  Even if it’s to jinx the team I like by watching – or even just listening to the game.

In a perfect world, my 49ers would be playing  in the Superbowl this weekend.  Alas, it is unfair to lead such a charmed life.  So instead of prepping to root for my team, I’m going to help you prep to root for yours with some fun PGEW dishes.  Chips & dip can be fun and all, but there are plenty of other interesting – and relatively healthy – things to serve at a Superbowl party.

But sometimes these shindigs can get expensive to put on, whether you’re doing all the cooking yourself, or hosting a potluck (bringing even one dish to a potluck can make a dent in one’s pocketbook if one is really struggling financially).  Food prices are going through the roof these days, so cutting costs & stretching ingredients as much as possible is essential.  So, rather than just give you a list of mouthwatering options for this weekend’s big game, I’m going to include a few helpful hints & tips throughout this post, so you can make the most of your game day treats.  Let’s check out the grub!

Southwestern Baked Potato Skins…

Chicken & Guacamole Wraps…

PGEW Tip: Prepare wraps ahead of time, cut them into 1-2″ thick rounds and arrange on a large platter for guests.  Individually sized portions help stretch your ingredients so they last longer!

Spicy Baked Falafel Sandwiches…

PGEW Tip: Don’t want to use up a bag of pitas on individual sandwiches?  You can either A) cut up pitas into quarters & serve next to falafel & fixings so guests can assemble their own; or B) skip the pita & just serve the falafel rounds & fixings!

Fiesta Corn & Potato Chowder…

PGEW Tip: Leftover corn from the Southwestern Baked Potato Skins can go into this hearty, flavorful soup!

My Favorite Grilled Steak Sandwiches…

PGEW Tip: No need to waste extra avocados on this sandwich.  Use some of the guacamole you made for the Chicken & Guac Wraps as a spreadable avocado option instead!  Extra flavor & zero waste.  

Sweet & Fruity White Wine Sangria…

PGEW Tip: No need to buy the most expensive wine when you’re making sangria!  The fruit & other additions blend with the wine to create a truly unique experience, so if you can’t afford more than 2 Buck Chuck or similar, that’s perfectly okay.

Mixed Mushroom & Leek Pizza…

PGEW Tip: Just like with the sandwiches, stretch out your pizza by cutting it into individually sized squares or slices.  A little goes a long way!

Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Dessert Shots…

PGEW Tip: Keeping desserts in small, individually sized portions makes it easy for guests to enjoy their sweets without creating a big mess.  Don’t have enough shot glasses?  Use Dixie cups or small plastic cups instead.  They may not look as pretty, but I have the feeling most folks will be watching the game & not the dessert shooter.  ;)

Curry Chicken Tacos with Thai Cucumber Relish…

PGEW Tip: Serving up different kinds of tacos?  Set up a taco bar to keep things organized & easy to serve.

Hearty Steak & Red Bean Chili…

PGEW Tip: Too much steak for your chili?  Use it to make more Grilled Steak Sandwiches!

Polenta Mini Pizzas…

PGEW Tip: Leftover mushrooms from the big Mushroom & Leek Pizza can be used on these tiny treats!

Sangranita!

PGEW Tip: Don’t have enough cash to get two different kinds of wine?  No sweat?  Use the Sweet & Fruity White Wine Sangria above to make a white sangranita.  :)

Hope everyone has a safe & wonderful weekend!  And go…. TEAM!  (You didn’t really think I’d jinx the team I’m hoping will win by posting here, did you?  ;) )

I wasn’t going to do a monthly What’s in Store this year, but with the new newsletter still under construction and so many announcements to make, I figured I should just continue with the series.  After all, I want to make sure everyone’s in the loop with what’s going on in PGEW land, and I know that not everyone is hooked up to Facebook or Twitter.  And there’s some pretty big stuff being launched this month that none of you should miss!  So, without further ado, here’s what’s in store – and some updates – for February 2012…

• The first PGEW e-learning lesson is scheduled to launch on or around February 10th, and I have a funny feeling some of you may really enjoy this one!  “How to Have A Successful $25 Shopping Cart” will explain the tips & philosophies behind the popular series and how to make it work for your family’s budget.  From making the right lists to making the most of store coupons & sales, this jam-packed lesson will help you change the way you look at grocery shopping on a budget.  So far, everything looks to be on schedule for the 2/10 launch, but if something changes, I’ll post a quick update.  I’m so excited about this!!!
• I’m also super stoked to bring you another new feature that will help keep the PGEW community connected, as well as get those burning questions answered!  ”Ask Poor Girl” will be a monthly series (to start) where you can basically ask me anything & everything related to PGEW.  Still can’t find the best way to cook quinoa?   Trying to stock your pantry with bare bones staples but not sure where to start?  Have a question on a recipe?  Send in your questions and I may pick yours to be featured in that month’s segment!  You can send your questions to poorgirleatswell [at] gmail [dot] com from now through February 15th.
• Recipe-wise (because I know that’s what most of you come here for!), there’s good stuff on the horizon.  Citrus season is still going strong, so I’ll be featuring more lemons, oranges, kumquats, etc., and the same goes for root veggies!  I can’t seem to get enough noodles these days, so they’ll be heavily featured, and of course, there will be sweets.  After all, Valentine’s Day is coming up, so a little treat is definitely in order.  ;)
• There will be a few more Photo Makeovers this month, and I can’t tell you how happy I am about that!  As I work on compiling the “PGEW Favorites” section of my upcoming book, I realized there are so many good recipes from the first year that often get overlooked because they’re not…. food porn-y.  They’re not unappetizing photos, not in the least!  But they could be so much better, and I really want to share them with you.  Stay tuned for one of those this weekend!
• Did you know that PGEW is on Pinterest and Punchfork?  These two incredibly addicting sites make it even easier for you to find & share your favorite PGEW recipes.  Punchfork is a fabulous community of professional recipe sites and top recipe blogs, showcasing the very latest recipes from each.  You can find all 200+ PGEW recipes at the following link, rate them, and share them!   And then there’s Pinterest… a site that I’d (sorta) vowed I’d never get sucked into, but have with great enjoyment.  Some of you know it & love it as much as I do, so if you are, be sure to give me a follow!  I have boards for each recipe category, including special boards showcasing things like “Fun Food” (pizzas, tacos, etc., perfect for this weekend’s big game), sauces & condiments, and PGEW “splurges”, for those moments when you can afford to spend a little more.  I also share stuff from my favorite blogs and my wish list of all things pretty & girly, so if you enjoy pinning, stop on by!

Well, that’s about it for February, folks!  Mr. Groundhog has said there will be 6 more weeks of winter, but I’m not sure if he means this mild kind or the traditional, freezing kind.  Either way, I’ll have great recipes & tips to share throughout the month, so be sure to check in often!

Happy February!
Kimberly

I realize that Safeway is not a chain found in every city or state, but it’s big enough that most people have heard of it.  I’ve shopped there for years, preferring it over other large chains because of their selection & prices.  I’ve been a huge fan of their Club Card specials since they started that whole thing about ten years ago, but last year they launched an even better savings program called Just 4 U, and it is phenomenal!*

Part personal shopper, part coupon service, the Just 4 U program is an extension of their regular Club Card membership that offers personalized deals on items you buy most, in addition to regular specials.  While some of the coupons don’t really apply to me because they’re designed for larger households or only offer discounts for heavily processed foods, I absolutely love the personalized deals section.  Not only are the deals amazing, but many of the special prices can be used over & over again, as opposed to the one-time use of most coupons.

Anyway, this time around they not only tempted me with things like affordable milk and eggs, they offered up a special coupon for $3 off one’s entire order.  When you’re working with a $25 budget, those $3 go a long way, so that was definitely tempting.  The only catch?  You have to buy produce.  Um, OKAY!!!  (Like that’s hard for me to do, lol.)

So, with my coupons loaded onto my club card, my Safeway shopping list emailed to my phone, and my running inventory of what I already had at home (one of the keys to having a successful $25 Shopping Cart), I walked the 10 blocks & started shopping.  Here’s what I got this time around:

• 1 quart of skim milk – $1.25 (on sale)
• 1.5 dozen eggs – $2.49 (on sale)
• 1 head butter lettuce – $1.99
• 1.4 lbs hot house tomatoes – $2.79 (on sale at $1.99/lb)
• 8 oz. carton of mushrooms – $2.00 (on sale at 2 for $4.00)
• 1 loaf Safeway Kitchens nut & oat bread – $2.50 (on sale at 2 for $5)
• 2 bags frozen mixed vegetables (Asian blend & Santa Fe blend) – $5 (on sale)
• 0.76 lb sirloin steak – $3.18 (on sale)
• 2.91 lbs turkey necks – $3.70 (on sale)
• 1 package whole wheat pizza dough – $0.99 (!!!  It was also on sale at 30% off)
• 1 lb sweet cream butter – $2.49 (on sale)
• 1 16 oz bag of semi-sweet mini chocolate chips – $0.99 (on clearance at 50% off!)

Grand total for the trip with all my coupons & specials applied: $26.37!  Woo hoo, just a buck & some change over what I’d projected!  Thank goodness for those extra deals because I sure couldn’t have done this without them.

While it’s not the awesome score of random products that I’m used to picking up at other stores, it’s still a pretty impressive spread.  Because I knew I was well stocked on things like pasta, rice & other grains, I made sure to buy things to augment those bare bones staples.  The steak & veggies will help make several one-dish meals when combined with the aforementioned staples, and I’ve decided there’s no such thing as having too much pizza dough on hand (seriously, that was my favorite score of the day!).

Also, I realize some of you may be scratching your heads (or saying “Ew!”) at the idea of turkey necks, but believe me when I tell you that those things make the best turkey broth in town!   The bones give it a really rich flavor, and once the broth is made, you can freeze it to use in later recipes.  The meat can then later be used in things like my Spicy Turkey & Chipotle Pepper Soup, Turkey Shepherd’s Pie, etc.

Speaking of what I can make with the ingredients I purchased on this trip (combined with my bare bones staples & other ingredients already in my kitchen), here’s some of what I plan to put on my menu these next couple of weeks:

• Spicy Turkey & Chipotle Pepper Soup
• Mushroom, Spinach & Gouda Quesadillas (though I’ll use Monterey Jack instead of gouda since that’s all I have on hand)
• My Favorite Grilled Steak Sandwiches
• Quinoa w/Mushrooms, Tomatoes & Scallions
• Deviled Egg Sandwiches
• Quinoa, Edamame & Sweet Pepper Lettuce Wraps
• And whatever else happens to strike my fancy when I’m in experimentin’ mode!

With most of those meals making at least 2 servings apiece, eating well for the next couple weeks is going to be pretty easy.  Remember, when you go on your own $25 Shopping Cart (or $50 or $75, depending on how large your family is), think in terms of whole ingredients that you can combine with other basic staples so that you can stretch your meals as far as possible.  As long as you don’t fall into the pre-packaged dinners-for-two trap, you’ll have great success in making every one of your food dollars count, no matter what store you shop.

Thanks for checking out this edition of the $25 Shopping Cart!   Next stop: Smart & Final.  Or the Sac Natural Foods Co-op.  Or……  :)

Where would you like to see Poor Girl go on her next $25 Shopping Cart trip?  Share your ideas in the comments below!

* I am not paid or compensated in any way by Safeway to talk about the Just 4 U program.  I just happen to be a big fan of the savings it’s brought me and wanted to share it with folks who may not be aware of the deals they’re missing.

I love it when I find forgotten treasures in my refrigerator.

Well, not necessarily forgotten; just sort of… misplaced in my head.  I was pretty sure I’d purchased kale recently and almost twice as sure that I had eaten it because I couldn’t find it anywhere in my fridge.  But when I was tidying up earlier this afternoon, I realized that I hadn’t hidden the kale in my belly; nay, I’d placed it in the crisper drawer on the right hand side (which is usually my fruit drawer; how kale ended up there, I’ll never know).

Odd duck that I am, I let out a happy “Squee!” once I discovered the curly bunch of dark leafy greens (yes, I get excited about produce; it’s a quirk we’re going to classify as part of my charm), then proceeded to run through about 800 possible ways to use it.  And if you know & love kale, you know that it’s beyond versatile, so I’m only exaggerating by about 200 ways.  Soup, chips, sauteed with other tasty veggies… so many choices, but only one bunch of kale.

I settled on a simple raw salad once all was said & done.  It had been far too long since I’d enjoyed a giant bowl of leafy greens for dinner, and with the recent gloomy weather and my health still not in the best shape, I wanted to reward my body something fresh and vibrant and rich in nutrients.

But a giant bowl of kale does not a balanced meal make, so I did some mental food math until I came up with an ingredient combo I liked.  There were several of those, believe me, but I kept coming back to the kale & chickpea combo.  It just seemed like a good balance of greens and protein, and if I used the citrus dressing that’s featured in my Garbanzo & Avocado Salad (which is in serious need of a photo makeover…), I would be halfway home.  A few additions later, the loveliest of meals was served.

Pretty + healthy + tasty = Dinner of champions!

I know some people find this particular green to be a bit tough but personally, I like the extra texture.   However, there’s no need to blanche or sauté the kale before making this salad.  The beauty of it is that the vinaigrette takes care of “cooking” the greens, marinating them lightly so that they’re still crunchy & chewy, just a little less so.   To make the dressing, I used my last bits of mandarin juice from the crazy score I got at the farmer’s market earlier this month (10 lbs for just $4, just because they were not cosmetically perfect – I love my farmer’s market!), but you can certainly use the juice of regular oranges, tangerines, etc.  I would just suggest using fresh juice rather than the bottled/boxed kind, as it lends a sweeter, more vibrant flavor.  Not a big fan of spicy heat?  Simply omit the hot stuff (cayenne, in this instance, though I was secretly longing for a small drop of Sriracha) and you’re good to go.

Seriously, there’s nothing about this recipe that isn’t awesome.  It’s easy to prepare, healthy, and ever-so-good-looking on one’s plate.   It can be an entree salad or a nice side to go along with the rest of your meal, and can be prepared pretty much year round.  And did I mention how blessedly affordable it is?  With kale & garbanzos being some of the most inexpensive healthy foods out there, you can’t go wrong with this one!  Let’s check it out (so I can get back to eating it, lol).  ;)