THE CHINA STUDY QUICK & EASY COOKBOOK (13 page)

The hearty romaine lettuce holds up well to the equally hearty Orange-Miso Salad Dressing. I eat this as a side dish, or as an entrée when I want a light, refreshing meal.

1 large head romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped

⅓–½ cup Orange-Miso Salad Dressing (
p. 48
)

1 navel orange, peeled and sectioned

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup toasted slivered almonds

1.
Combine the romaine lettuce and Orange-Miso Salad Dressing in a bowl and toss to mix well.

2.
Divide the lettuce among four plates and top with the remaining ingredients.

MAKE IT EASY

Buy pre-chopped bagged romaine lettuce and canned mandarin oranges in juice (drain the juice off before adding the oranges to the salad).

MAKES 4 SERVINGS    

The Orange-Miso Salad Dressing and the fresh oranges really mellow out the kale in this salad.

2 large bunches kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

¾ cup Orange-Miso Salad Dressing (
p. 48
), more or less to taste

1 large orange, peeled and sectioned

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1.
Combine everything in a large bowl and toss to mix well.

2.
To serve, divide the salad among four plates.

TIP

I like to let my kale salad sit for an hour to let the salad dressing mellow out the slightly chewy, slightly bitter kale. Alternatively, you can use the less bitter, more tender baby kale greens if you can find them, or spinach if you are in a hurry.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS    

The tart and creamy dressing in this salad balances the sometimes bitter kale nicely. Adding beans makes this dish hearty enough for a meal.

¼ cup roasted unsalted cashews

1½ tablespoons mellow white miso paste

¼ cup lime juice

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

¼ cup water

2 large bunches kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed

1.
Combine the cashews, miso, lime juice, cayenne pepper, and water in a blender and puree until smooth and creamy.

2.
Add the kale and garbanzo beans to a bowl and add the cashew dressing. Mix well.

3.
To serve, divide the salad among four plates.

TIP

I usually like to let this salad sit for an hour before serving it to give the dressing a chance to soften the kale. If you can find baby kale in your grocery store, use it. It’s tender and has a milder flavor. You can use raw cashew in the salad dressing, but I like the flavor of toasted nuts more than raw. For a lower-fat version of this salad, use Asian Salad Dressing (
p. 45
). You’ll need about 1 cup of whatever dressing you use.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS    

A friend of mine told me once there was no way she would ever get her kids to eat kale. I took that as a dare. I made them this dish and they loved it. For a low-fat warm kale salad, make this dish with Asian Salad Dressing (
p. 45
).

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

¾ cup Almost Instant Peanut Sauce (
p. 51
)

3 or 4 large bunches kale, stemmed and chopped (about 16 cups)

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1.
Combine the red onion and red bell pepper in a large pot and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

2.
Add the peanut sauce, kale, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring frequently, until the kale wilts, about 8–9 minutes.