Creamy kale and chickpeas with cashew sauce goes perfectly with this easy, colorful quinoa.
My daughter E graduated from middle school on Monday, so she’s officially a high schooler now. Yes, a high schooler. Those of you who picture her as she appeared in her first photo on this blog can perhaps appreciate how strange it feels to look at her and see both that nine-year-old girl and the beautiful, smart young woman that she’s becoming. Makes a mom feel proud. And old!
Anyway. Now that school’s out, summer is here in every way that really matters. After all the pre-graduation craziness of dress-buying and shoe-buying and house cleaning for house guests, I just wanted to rest my brain this week and not stress over posting a new recipe.
But wouldn’t you know it, last night I cooked two dishes that I’ve never written about before, so I felt obligated to give them their photo op and jot down their recipes so that I could share them with you. Both taste great on their own but somehow work even better together.
You can serve the Cosmic Cashew Kale and Chickpeas over rice or some other grain, but when Confetti Quinoa is so easy to make, you really ought to give it a try.
Cosmic Cashew Kale and Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon or broth powder
- 1 large onion diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper diced
- 1 clove garlic minced or pressed
- 1 1/2 cups chickpeas (or one 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained)
- 1 bunch kale central stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Hot sauce to taste
- 2-4 tablespoons fresh basil minced
Instructions
- Soak the cashews for an hour in hot water or overnight in room-temperature water. Drain. Place them in a blender and add 3/4 cup water, 1 clove garlic, and 1 teaspoon of broth powder (or 1 bouillon cube). Blend at highest speed until completely smooth. Set aside until needed.
- In a large non-stick skillet, cook the onion until it begins to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and garlic, and cook for another minute. Add the chickpeas, kale, and two tablespoons water. Cover immediately and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until kale is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the reserved cashew sauce, oregano, and salt, black pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Cook, stirring, until sauce thickens. If sauce becomes too thick, add a little water to thin. Add the fresh basil just before serving over Confetti Quinoa.
Nutritional info is approximate.
Confetti Quinoa is an extremely easy side dish that complements just about any type of food. Use it instead of rice with bean dishes, tofu, or seitan.
Confetti Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa , rinsed very well
- 1 clove garlic , minced or pressed
- 2 cups hot vegetable broth
- 1/4 red bell pepper , finely chopped
- 2 green onions , green parts only, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan, toast the damp quinoa for a few minutes until it begins to dry out. Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT the green onions, cover, and cook on low until all the liquid is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Stir in the green onions and serve hot.
Nutritional info is approximate.
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Julie & Marty
June 23, 2011 at 8:16 pmThis was delightful! We enjoyed this immensely! We will be making this again and again!
Healthy&Homemade
June 24, 2011 at 1:59 pmThis looks so creamy and comforting! yum!
Kelley
June 27, 2011 at 11:05 pmI just made this for dinner! Sooooo good!
Izzy
July 18, 2011 at 3:49 pmSo, I’ve had 2 experiences with Kale. Both were sad and bitter, but this sounds like it might be a good 3rd attempt. Does this make the Kale mild?
As always, loving this!
SusanV
July 18, 2011 at 3:56 pmI think the cashew sauce really smooths out the taste of kale. But I have to say that the only time I’ve found kale bitter was when I made kale chips. Everybody else likes them, but I prefer my kale soft! 🙂
andrea devon
July 19, 2011 at 10:35 pmI have also had many people comment that kale is bitter, but I think with the right bit of dressing (maybe this cashew creme, some light vinaigrette, some mac nuts, it can be actually quite sweet and amazing. Also, every once in awhile, I get a bunch of kale that is ‘off,’ and terribly bitter… so perhaps you might want to try again! Get the freshest kale you can, from the farmer’s market, stand it in water (like fresh flowers) for a few hours to fluff up, then keep in a loose bag in your fridge… should stay fresh (and sweet) for a week! I love kale, and want to encourage everyone to try it! aloha, andrea
andrea devon
July 19, 2011 at 10:32 pmthis looks so amazingly delicious and simple. i love it idea of the kale as the base, and the quinoa as the top 🙂 clever!
Sheryl
July 20, 2011 at 9:16 amWonderful dish! Eating it right now with lentils instead of chickpeas(it’s what I had on hand) and lots of Sriracha. Mmmm!
Megan
July 20, 2011 at 6:57 pmWonderful! Really liked it. I never had kale before and this was delicious. My mom liked it too and she’s not vegan or even vegetarian.
Thanks!
janet
August 10, 2011 at 5:10 pmI just made the kale and chickpeas (with a few modifications- more pepper, less nuts, no oregano or basil), but I loved it! This is a great recipe, Susan! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I wrote about my version here: http://tastespace.wordpress.com/2011/08/10/creamy-cashew-kale-and-chickpeas/
Melissa
August 12, 2011 at 7:09 amThis was a very delicious and satisfying meal, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I did not have chickpeas so I used cannelli and I think it was just as good, though they may have been too soft.
Thank you for this website. I am a new vegan, not by my choice but for my health and I don’t have a clue how to cook this way. You have great idea’s and great reciepes. I also love the way your website runs and is laid out-it’s easy to navigate compared to other sites I’ve been too. Don’t stop!!!!
Annie V
September 4, 2011 at 12:39 amOh my gosh… made this for dinner tonight! Not a speck left!! We just recently went to a vegan diet, and you have been the source of our FAVORITE recipes! Every single recipe of yours that we try, my husband says “Can we have this every week?” 🙂 Thank you so much for the great eats!! You make a vegan diet fun and tasty.
Barbara Sterett
September 19, 2011 at 10:56 pmHi Susan,
Just wanted to thank-you for all the great recipes. I just made the cherry snack cake today for my Drs office and they were nuts over it. I am a lousy cook, but with your recipes it is easy. I have been a vegan for about six months and I feel better today than when I was in my thirties (I’m 60). Keep up the great work you are doing and maybe one day we will meet. If you ever come to Tucson, AZ please let me know.
Lovingly,
Barbara Sterett
April
September 23, 2011 at 7:18 pmThis was delicious!
Rachel
October 5, 2011 at 9:29 pmrecipe worked beautifully! Thanks 🙂
Rachel
October 5, 2011 at 9:31 pmrecipe worked great! thanks 🙂
Tiffany
November 3, 2011 at 11:36 amI have to admit when I was making this for dinner last night I thought it was going to be awful…. boy, was I wrong! It was delicious and my husband had seconds. Thanks for a great recipe!
paula jean demeo
November 17, 2011 at 5:59 pmSo this is time three, making this dish! I really love it! I am a chow hound, seriously! My husband repeatedly asks me, “Where do you put it all” And this dish fills me right up. We eat vegan one day a week ,so we are not vegan full time, but he and I both are hooked on your recipes. You are the only source i use now! Thursday night in our house has become meatless thursday! Since i am lactose free it is also dairy free night every night! This one is hearty, healthy and filled with flavor! My hubby is a great cook so he would have it no other way! thanks for helping me compete with my “chef” hubster! I can’t get over how good you are at whipping up these delicious concoctions! thanks again!
Renae
January 10, 2012 at 6:07 pmI made the kale last night for dinner. I was doing a dance in the kitchen, I loved it so much! My meat eating husband tried it and declared my dinner better than his – score! Thank you!
conz
January 28, 2012 at 3:49 pmJust made this for my boyfriend and roomie, went down great!
Renee Newman
February 2, 2012 at 7:38 amWhat a wonderful dish! Started the Daniel Fast 14 days ago and trying to ease back into different more complex healthy dishes and this was the first one I prepared. It was just great! I did use Collards instead of kale (being true southern) and even my sister loved loved loved it!
Sara
February 2, 2012 at 8:57 amI made this last night- INCREDIBLE! Even my non-vegan boyfriend raved about it. I am so in love with your blog. Every recipe I have made has turned out fantastic! Thank you!
jessica
April 3, 2012 at 3:17 pmmy only question is why did it take me so long to finally try this recipe? it rules. and it was even better the next day with a dash of nutritional yeast on top 🙂
karenM
April 16, 2012 at 6:14 pmJust made this. WOW. So delicious. Thanks so much.
VeganFaery
May 7, 2012 at 2:50 pmI just love kale, so you know I’m going to try this recipe! Adding it to my weekly menu, Susan, thank you.
Jackie
June 6, 2012 at 11:27 pmI have made this recipe and love it! My only complaint is the time for the quinoa. I found it took much longer for the liquid to absorb (over an hour). All I can guess is that I was supposed to do it on a higher heat setting or maybe toast the quinoa longer?