Vegan for a Day: Wilted Kale with Baby Red Potatoes, Grape Tomatoes, and Warm Sweet and Sour Vinaigrette

We are back from a long, hot (but fun!) trip to North Carolina.  We came home late Saturday night to empty cupboards and a lack of cooking motivation.  But we hit the grocery store on Sunday and even though it was still sweltering, I managed to create this delicious, healthy meal...by accident.  I made the two part of the salad separately, but then realized how delicious they would be together! And a star was born.

Wilted Kale Salad with Baby Red Potatoes, Grape Tomatoes, and Warm Sweet and Sour Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

1 bag fresh kale, stems removed (7-8 cups)
1 small tub grape tomatoes, halved
3-4 pounds baby redskin potatoes, baked and cut into chunks

DRESSING
1 small sweet onion, sliced thin
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. brown sugar (or 1/4 regular sugar + 1 Tablespoon black strap molasses)
salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION
1.  Rinse kale (or chop if using not bagged), dry, and add to a large bowl.
2.  Add 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil to frying pan on medium heat.
3. When olive oil starts to sizzle, add onions and brown, about 3-4 minutes.
4.  Add remaining olive oil, vinegar and sugar, cooking 3-5 more minutes until sugar dissolves.
5. Add potatoes to bowl of kale.
6. Pour warm dressing over potato and kale mixture and mix well. the heat from the dressing will help to wilt the kale and coat the potatoes.
7. Add chopped tomatoes at end (you can add them before, but I like them to stay cool!).  Mix again if you'd like.

I love the variety of textures and flavors, and I'm always excited about finding yummy new ways to eat kale. It's so good for you! This is a variation on potato salad, but the kale makes it extra-filling...enough for a meal!  (Q and I were certainly full!)

Have you tried any vegan recipes lately? I'm looking to find a few more new ones this week...

Bon Appetit,
Amanda

Vegan for a Day: Salt n' Vinegar Potato Salad

I'm so excited to share my very first vegan recipe post! I hope to do one of these posts every Monday.  Have you heard of Meatless Mondays? A lot of people across America are choosing to go meat-free once a week. Not only is is great for your health, but it's also great for the environment. Check out the link to learn more!  I thought it made perfect sense to share a recipe on the blog on Mondays for this very reason. You can be Vegan for a day and see how you like it! It's not a huge commitment, but it makes a huge difference.

My parents make an awesome redskin potato salad...heavy on the hardboiled egg and mayo.  Potato salads are a summer BBQ staple, but I didn't think just substituting vegenaise for the mayo and eliminating the eggs would do the job.  So I decided to look for a vinaigrette-based potato salad.  I adapted this recipe from Gourmet and I couldn't have been more pleased!  (Neither could my non-vegan husband and parents, who loved it too!)

Salt n' Vinegar Potato Salad
adapted from Gourmet

INGREDIENTS

• 4-5 green onions (scallions), chopped
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3-4 lbs. baby redskin potatoes, boiled (or microwaved), cut into quarters
• 2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning*
• 1 T agave syrup
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

PREPARATION

Toss together onions, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Marinate at room temperature, tossing occasionally, until slightly softened, about 30 minutes. 

Cook potatoes until tender.

While potatoes cook, whisk together 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning with sugar, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and remaining 1/2 cup vinegar in a small bowl. This will form your "sauce."

When potatoes are cool enough to handle but still warm, cut into wedges (peel if desired, but personally, I like to leave the skins on!). Toss warm potatoes with vinegar mixture in a large bowl. Add onion mixture and oil, tossing to combine. Add more Old Bay seasoning (to taste) if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature (though it's still yummy when it's cold too!)

*I didn't have Old Bay seasoning, so I made this mixture with paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne. It was still delicious!

I know potato salad is more of a side dish than a meal...but we made it an easy vegan meal by pairing it with grilled zucchini strips and pineapple/veggie kabobs.

 I brushed the zucchini strips with a mixture of:  

2T olive oil, 1T Italian seasoning and 1-2T white wine vinegar.

white button mushrooms, red pepper, green pepper, pineapple, and sweet onions. Brush w/ olive oil and add salt and pepper before grilling.

Our rustic, cinder block grill. 

This was a refreshing, healthy and filling meal. A great way to end a busy summer day!

I hope you'll try the potato salad...and let me know how you like it.

Bon Apetit!
Amanda