Then and Now and A Crispy Kale Salad

Then we hiked through the foliage and under tall trees. The breeze was cool.and the trees would sway and groan with the wind. The days flew by with wild abandon. Most days were our own.

Now we hike in the early mornings, under break of day and fading stars. We look out into the expansive desert and mountain peaks. The days move differently, there is more structure, more purpose. Transition now complete.

I had bookmarked this particular recipe in Heidi Swanson's cookbook "Super Natural Every Day"; a couple of years ago. Somehow even after that, it was put on the back burner because I could not find the large-flake coconut and then it was quietly forgotten. Fortunately, last summer this Kale salad recipe was resurrected. I made a few small changes by adding the tofu and 1/2 cup extra of coconut flakes.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons shoyu, tamari, or soy sauce
3 1/2 lightly packed cups kale (ribs removed, then chopped)
1/2 lb extra firm tofu (cut into 1/4 inch cubes)
1 cup unsweetened large-flake coconut
1-2 cups cooked farro (I used brown rice)

To prepare:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Whisk together olive oil, sesame oil and soy sauce. Remove about a third of the dressing for later. Add kale and tofu toss well, spread evenly on baking sheet, (you will probably need two). Then add the coconut to the oil mixture, toss and add to one of the baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 18 minutes, until coconut is golden brown, tossing a couple of times in between.

Remove from oven and transfer to a serving bowl with the cooked rice, adding more dressing if needed. Mix together. Serve warm. Enjoy!

P.S. I was a little nervous about baking the kale, but it was totally worth it. The flavor was amazing! Next time will try making kale chips.