Warm & Spicy Kale with Shitake Mushrooms

Spicy Kale and Shitake Mushrooms

Nothing beats a warm and fragrant dish on a cold winter night.

I made this recipe this weekend for a dinner party, after being inspired by the curried kale and chickpea dish at V Spot Cafe. It was a big hit, so I'm excited to share it with you...besides being super healthy, it's super fast to put together.

Yield: 4 servings  

Ingredients:

2 tbs coconut oil

1/2 of a small red onion (about 2 oz)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbs turmeric

1 tbs cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne 

1/2 inch piece of ginger, grated

1 yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped small

10 shitake mushroom caps, sliced thinly

1 1/4 cup cooked chickpeas

2 heads of kale, sliced into 1 cm ribbons

2 pinches of pink salt

Ingredients for Warm & Spicy Kale and Shitake Mushrooms

Directions:

1. Heat a large pan on medium heat for about 30 seconds. 

2. Add the oil and let heat up, about another minute.

3. Add the onions and garlic, let cook for 1 minute.

4. Add in the spices (turmeric, cumin, and cayenne), and let heat up until fragrant, about 1 minute.

5. Add the ginger, bell pepper, shitake mushrooms, and chickpeas. Stir occasionally and cook until  the mushrooms start to get glossy and the peppers start to get soft, about 1-2 minutes.

6. Add in the kale and cover, for 1 minute. It will start to shrink and turn bright green.

7. Stir the kale, until all of it is uniformly bright green, which should take less than a minute. Don't overcook. 

8. Remove from heat, add salt to taste, and serve. 

Benefits:

Turmeric: Highly anti-inflammatory and known as a potent protector against many types of cancer. 

Shitake Mushrooms: Excellent promoter of cardiovascular and immune health, they are also a great source of iron and B vitamins.

Kale: One of the most nutrient dense and anti-oxidant rich foods available, kale is a powerful blood and cell detoxifier.