In case you haven’t heard, kale will probably save your life. If you’re drowning, kale will swim out and rescue you. If you’ve fallen and you can’t get up, kale will call an ambulance and get you a pillow while you wait.

Luckily, kale can also be pretty tasty. Is there nothing you can’t do, kale?

Kale also does great work as a counselor. If you’ve had too many, oh, I don’t know, Cadbury eggs recently, a bowlful of kale with a zingy dressing will assuage your guilt.

It’s a simple concept, a kale Caesar salad. Strip it, steam it, dress it, eat it.

A kale protip I only learned recently: After thoroughly washing it, you can strip the leafy parts from the stems. Just tear it off from top to bottom easily.

Skip the croutons if you’re gluten-free, or just make them with GF bread. I’ve never used it for croutons myself, but apparently it works.

Psst… If you’re looking for a dairy-free (or vegan) version, you can always substitute the yogurty Caesar for this tahini dressing. Just saying…

Serves Serves 2

Kale Caesar Salad

15 minPrep Time

20 minCook Time

40 minTotal Time

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On the Counter

The croutons
• 2 slices of barely-stale loaf bread, ideally sourdough, and ideally not sliced bread
• 2 tsp olive oil (extra virgin if you have it)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• a few grinds of fresh black pepper
The kale
• 100 g kale without stems
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Juice from 1 lemon wedge
• Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese
The dressing
• 2 tbsp plain unsweetened yogurt
• Lemon juice from about 1/4 of a lemon
• A dash of Worcestershire sauce, or 1/8 tsp vegetarian miso paste
• 1 medium clove garlic, minced finely. (Don't use a garlic press as it will be too strong)
• Pinch of ground sea salt or table salt

What to Do

The croutons
• Chop your bread into about 2 cm (0.5 in) cubes. If it's very stale, you might need to drizzle oil on it to start and give it a few minutes to soften before chopping. If you do, skip the oil in the next step.
• Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Toss the bread cubes, pepper and salt together.
• On a rimmed baking sheet or dish, spread the cubes out so they're one even layer.
• Bake for 5 minutes.
• Toss them around so other sides get exposure.
• Bake for a few more minutes, until golden brown, but check on them frequently.
The kale
• Thoroughly rinse and dry the kale.
• From the bottom strip the leaves from the stems in as few tears as possible.
• Lightly salt the torn kale leaves.
• In a steamer over a boiling pot of water, steam the kale for 5 minutes or until tender and still a vibrant green.
• Once it's ready, rinse it under cold water or give it an ice bath. You don't want to cook it any longer.
• Now, either rub (or toss if you're feeling lazy) the leaves with olive oil, then add a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice and toss it together.
• You can make the dressing in advance, or while the kale is steaming.
The dressing
• Combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, salt, Worcestershire sauce. Stir together thoroughly.
The salad
• Once it's finished, top the kale with dressing, croutons and some freshly grated Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese.

7.8.1.2

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https://www.onmykitchencounter.com/2016/03/30/kale-caesar-salad/

Lately in my office, everyone has been sick. Some, more than once. I’m not sure exactly why these germs keep floating around, but I know we aren’t the only ones suffering.

Growing up in the States, chicken noodle soup was always the first thing my mom gave me when I came down with a cold. Now that I live in the UK, I have found myself surprised at how hard it can be to find chicken noodle soup in restaurants and even supermarkets. And while I am quite rarely craving soup from a can, when you can barely function well enough to get home, it can be a real lifesaver.

While this soup isn’t going to replace the convenience of a canned soup, it is pretty delicious and warming. It’s also a very nice peace offering if you happen to pass someone else your germs. In my case, I had to make myself the chicken noodle soup and then pull together a vegetable miso soup for the meat-free gentleman, but that is another blog post.

One of my favorite things about this soup is that it doesn’t take hours to make, and it doesn’t require all that much effort for the flavor you get. Cooking the veggies in broth will help rejuvenate a store-bought broth.

Serves: 4-6

On the Counter

1 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast (not breast pieces), or 3 pieces of chicken thigh
1.5 quarts chicken stock (homemade or store-bought)
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic, cut into half
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 large parsnip
2 sprigs parsley, plus 2 tbsp chopped
1/4 pound tagliatelle or egg noodles, broken in half (remove for gluten-free)
1 sprig fresh dill, chopped (optional)

What to Do

Roughly chop half of each vegetable (except the garlic), and neatly dice the other half. Reserve the neatly diced vegetables.

In a large soup pot, combine the chicken stock and chicken. Bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the top, then lower to a simmer. Skim any remaining foam, then add roughly-chopped onion, carrot, celery, parsnip and garlic. 

Simmer for 30 minutes.

Then, remove the chicken and place it on a plate to cool. Strain the broth to remove the vegetables, and discard them. They have done their part. 

Return the broth to the heat, salt to taste. Add the remaining neatly-diced vegetables, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. 

Meanwhile, start the noodles in a pot of salted boiling water, and cook until tender, just past al dente. 

Once the chicken is cool enough to touch, separate it from the skin and bones, and shred it to bite-sized pieces. Place in a small bowl with some broth to keep it from drying out. 

After the vegetables soften, add the cooked noodles and chicken. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the fresh chopped parsley and dill if using. 

I prefer serving this with a warm, crusty piece of bread topped with butter and herbs, when not too sick to enjoy such things. Dessert: A mug of ginger, honey and lemon tea.

Apologies for the iPhone photos – it’s hard to convince yourself to take proper pictures when you’re not feeling well!