Recipe: Power Kale Salad and Lentil Soup

Power Kale Salad and Lentil Soup for lunch!
kale salad and lentil soup
I’m pretty sure my body has a calcium deficiency right now because I keep waking up in the middle of the night with charlie horses in my calves. So I am adding the plant based calcium today with a big kale salad.
Salad Ingredients:
1 big leaf of Kale, ripped into little pieces
4 leaves of Romaine, ripped into bite-size pieces
1/2 avocado, cubed
1 cup #blueberries
2 tablespoons raw unsalted sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons walnut pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Wash kale and lettuce thoroughly, towel dry lightly. Using large salad bowl, toss with OO and balsamic vinegar. Then add all the other ingredients. Mix and enjoy the textures and tastes of a nutrient rich salad!

Peanut Veggie Pasta Salad

I originally found this recipe on Tasty and tried to follow the recipe exactly. But, to make the recipe easier, I’ve provided some notes below.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. Sriracha [Jen’s Note: Omit for less spice. People can add the Sriracha on if they want it spicy.]
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. ginger /minced
3 cloves garlic /minced [Jen’s Note: This is a lot of garlic, but pasta can take a lot of garlic, just be prepared for the garlic after taste.]
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Box Whole Grain Linguine (or any pasta will do)
1 cup carrots /finely cut into matchsticks
2 cucumbers /shaved using vegetable peeler [Jen’s Note: I didn’t want long pieces of cucumber, so I cut cucumber lengthwise, scooped out the seeds, then cut into 1/4″ thick crescent shaped pieces.]
1 red bell pepper /thinly sliced into strips
1 yellow bell pepper /thinly sliced into strips
1/2 cup green onion /sliced
1/4 cup cilantro /chopped
1/4 cup peanuts /chopped

Directions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to instructions on the box. Drain and run cooked pasta under cold water to cool. [Jen’s Note: Break the noodles in half so it’s easier to cook, mix and even easier to eat later. I used regular spaghetti and it worked great.]

In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, Sriracha, water, minced ginger, minced garlic, and brown sugar. [Jen’s Note: Don’t try to wisk this together. It makes one heck of a mess. Instead, use a high powered blender to get the consistently creamy sauce that will incorporate the sauce ingredients better for even flavor.]

Combine pasta with sliced vegetables. Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables and mix well. Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving. [Jen’s Note: Use a deep bowl for combining and one with a lot of space over the top otherwise you’ll find it’s hard to mix this all together.]

Garnish with chopped cilantro and peanuts. [Jen’s Note: Also consider adding 2 tablespoons sesame seeds for added crunch and texture.]

I’ll see you at the table!