David's Lunch

We've been eating out and eating "junk" WAY too often lately and we're trying to get back on the healthy bandwagon. While my dear husband is off having a stress test at the cardiologist (just routine, not emergency) I thought it would be a good time to make him a healthy lunch to enjoy after his morning fasting. Or maybe just a good excuse to clean off the kitchen counter.

Kale is my new best friend. I love it sauteed, made into chips (recipe coming soon) and raw in a salad. This salad is so tasty and you'll feel good eating it...SO good for you! With the Raw Kale Salad's sesame undertones, it seems fitting to be accompanied with pita bread and hummus. Even though hummus is hip and cool these days at parties, it's pretty darn fatty. Authentic hummus has a layer of olive oil floating on top of it! Mind you, it is totally delicious to stir that oil in to the wonderful real hummus that my Jordanian friend makes, but I personally feel the need to cut back on the fat in order to hopefully cut back on MY fat. While my recipe is not floating in olive oil, it is really yummy and smooth and great with pita dippers!

Raw Kale Salad

1 bunch of curly leaf kale (don't use Tuscan here)

1 t. low sodium tamari

1/2 t. sesame chili oil

1/2 t. peanut or canola oil

2t. seasoned rice vinegar

toasted sesame seeds to taste

Wash kale well (a salad spinner works great here). Grasp the kale stems with one hand while pulling the leaves off with the other (so fast & easy!). Set the stems aside for adding to your green juice in the morning (the stem is where a lot of the juice is). Stack up the leaves and cut into bite sized pieces. Mix all the remaining ingredients and pour over kale pieces. Massage well ...yes, MASSAGE. This is what will help the leaves to soften and lighten a bit in taste and most of all, really soak up the dressing. Before serving, top with toasted sesame seeds. This also keeps well for leftovers the next day. Serves 1.

Healthy Hummus

1 (15 oz) can of garbanzo beans, preferably organic

the juice of 1 lemon (2-3 T)

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/8 c. sesame tahini

1/4c. water (or more, if needed)

1 t. dried parsley (optional)

Rinse the garbanzo beans well under running water into a colander. While the water is running, rub the beans pretty vigorously to loosen the skins. Pour into a bowl with water to cover the beans well. A lot of the skins should float to the top. Skim them and discard. Filter through the other beans, scooping up a handful, picking them apart from their skins and putting them into a food processor or blender container. If you don't want to go to the trouble of skinning the beans, the hummus will still be tasty, skinning them just makes them a bit easier to process and with a smoother end result. Process all the ingredients until well incorporated and very smooth, adding additional water, if needed. Serve with warmed pita bread or it's really delicious to dip veggies in (red pepper strips, carrots, etc...). Also great with toasted pita chips! Serves 2 for an appetizer or snack or 1 very hungry mom in the carpool line enjoying the peace of a sleeping, buckled in, normally chatty but now napping, 3 year old. I may or may not be speaking from experience. Cough, cough.