Posts Tagged ‘Kale’

Healthy Summer Drinks

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These drinks (along with our new fav Fruit Water) embody the California lifestyle–they’re healthy and bright, flavorful and refreshing.  Oh, and easy to make. Serve them to your girlfriends on a Saturday afternoon or as a non-alcoholic signature drink at your next BBQ. Kids will love these sweet, yet sophisticated summer sippers.

 

Kale Lemonade

Kale Lemonade
Makes 2 generous servings

3 cups cleaned and chopped kale
5 cups cold lemonade

Puree equal parts kale and lemonade until emulsified. Strain for a smooth beverage or drink as is if you like the green pulpy goodness like we do.

 

Watermelon Fizz

Watermelon Fizz
Makes 1 large pitcher

5 cups fresh watermelon, roughly chopped
3 cups fresh limeade, plus more to taste
1 cup sparkling water

Puree the watermelon in a blender.  Strain juice through a sieve to remove any pulp.  This will keep your drink from separating in the glass or pitcher.  Mix in limeade, adding more to taste if necessary.   Pour into your favorite pitcher and chill.  Add sparkling water just before serving.  Watermelon and limeade mixture will keep in fridge 2-3 days before adding sparkling water.

 

Ginger-Ade

Ginger-Ade
Serves 2

1 cups limeade, divided
2 12-ounce bottle ginger brew (sometimes called ginger beer), chilled
1 fresh lime
2 pieces thinly sliced ginger

Divide the limeade among two tall glasses.  Add 1 bottle ginger brew to each glass and a squirt of fresh lime.  Garnish with more fresh lime and a thin slice of ginger.

 

The last two would be fantastic with a shot of tequila or rum, just saying…

 

xo,

Us

Meatless Monday: Skillet Pizza

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It took moving to California for me to like pizza.  Makes no sense, I know, but I just can’t hack the spicy sauce and unctuous bricks of melting mozzarella that characterize a true Chicago pie.  Milder cheeses and oven-roasted greens on nutty, toasted flatbread, however, make me happy.

This pizza works with whatever toppings you like.  Add roasted butternut squash for another colorful Meatless Monday option.

Lou Malnati’s it isn’t, but California-style pizza is its own special dish.

I took the idea for a skillet pizza from the cover of last month’s Sunset Magazine.  You can also use a pizza stone or baking sheet.

xoxosl

Skillet Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Ricotta and Kale

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil, divided

1 onion, sliced into thin half moons

1 clove garlic, minced

1 bunch kale, washed, stems removed and sliced into chiffonade

1 ball (~1 lb) pizza dough (I like using one ball from the Martha recipe or buying Whole Foods prepared whole wheat dough at the pizza counter)

1 cup fresh ricotta cheese

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Add 1 teaspoon oil to a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook over gentle heat until caramelized, about 10-12 minutes.  Add the garlic once the onions have caramelized, stirring occasionally until fragrant and just brown, about 2 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

While the onion caramelize, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add 2 teaspoons salt and the kale, boiling until the kale softens and turns bright green, about 3 minutes.  Drain and cool.

Heat a large, oven-proof frying pan over medium-low heat.  Add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl so that the oil coats the pan.

Working on a lightly floured surface, press the dough down with your hands until you’ve formed a 13-inch round.  Lay the round into the hot pan (the sides of the dough will come up the sides of the pan).  Cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip the dough out onto a plate.  Coat the pan with the remaining tablespoon olive oil and return the dough to the pan, golden side up.  Be sure to press the dough down into the pan so all the uncooked dough comes into contact with the hot surface.

Spread the ricotta over the golden brown surface of the cooked dough, leaving a 1-inch border all around.  Sprinkle with caramelized onions and then the kale.  Add a sprinkle of sea salt, pepper and red chili flakes to taste. Brush the outer crust with 1 teaspoon olive oil to give it extra sheen and flavor.

Bake in pan in oven until crust is crisp and cooked through and the kale has just started to char, about 20 minutes.  Cut into wedges and serve immediately.