Every so often I stumble on a recipe that makes me fall in love. In my quest for clean eating I needed to find ways to get me excited about eating vegetables and even more so, to find a low carb side dish that is hearty and satisfying as the starchy ones I'm trying to avoid. I got my inspiration from a recipe i found in Food & Wine magazine, and since I had fresh kale in my fridge, I decided to give it a try and I am sure glad that I did! This is by far the best kale dish I have ever had, and i am confident that anyone who tries this will feel the same (just last week I tested this theory with a vegan friend and he was obsessed!) It's hearty, yet light. It has the perfect balance between the tangy tomatoes, spicy chili flakes and sweetness of the kale. The garbanzo beans just take it to a whole different level. It's a stunning side dish, or when served over steamed rice, a satisfying meal on its own.
I use a large wide deep pan to make this. You need the space to fit in all the kale. You can use either pre-packaged kale, or you can de-stem, rinse and dry a fresh bunch yourself.
Ingredients:
1 bunch or 2 packets fresh kale (10-12oz)
5-6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
28oz (800gr) canned whole peeled tomatoes
15oz (439gr) canned garbanzo beans
1/ 1/2 tsp crushed coriander seeds
2 tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper
Preparation:
1. Place the garlic, red pepper flakes and olive oil in a wide pan. Turn the stove on medium heat and gently heat up the oil without burning the garlic. Cook the oil for 2-3 minutes until very fragrant. Add the crushed coriander seeds.
2. Add the whole peeled tomatoes and using a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula, break down the tomatoes.
3. Add 1tsp of salt and continue to breakdown the tomatoes. Reduce the heat and cover with a lid
4. Cook the tomatoes for about 25 minutes, occasionally stirring the sauce.
5. Add the kale and cover the pan with the lid. Let simmer for 5 minutes to allow the kale to wilt.
6. Stir the kale with the tomatoes and add the garbanzo beans. Taste and season with more salt and fresh pepper as needed. Cook covered for another 3-4 minutes. Serve warm.
