Raw Kale Salad and Tuna Wraps

Hello Lovely People,

As the world turns, and I get more confused as to really how to live without ignoring the world and not going madd, the results are that I get more into the Inside of My Own Place....and where and what that ''place'' is is not quite fixed either. Does this make any sense or happen to you??

So one thing I find I must work on since the housemate especially must eat every day, is lately I have gotten into ''Finer Dining'', and for me that means taking what I do and make in the kitchen and making it and doing it better. Using, of course, the highest quality foods and herbs and spices, organic and chef quality, lovely utensils, good pots, beautiful dishes and flatware, all of it. And adding more interest to it all with new recipes once in a while to make doing it all more fun. It seems to work well for keeping contentment and peace, as the housemate John is responding well to it also. I'm having a love thing with heavy cream! lol....it is such a lovely caress for the palette!

And though I thought I already understood well the Power of Beauty, I am learning more and more the Absolute Transformational Power of Beauty on levels I did not know existed.....they DO RUN DEEP.
And I will make a post about this soon....ish.

Today I have two lovely and simple recipes.
The first is Raw Kale Salad.....don't wince! don't pass! just wait and give me a minute will you!?? :D.......I love raw foods, not only for its fresh taste but for the living essences and higher consciousness that is derived from eating foods that are still filled with living nutrients. The spirit only recognizes living foods and responds well to it.....as in giving you brain and heart power. I will always eat lots of greens and find ways of making them more interesting.
But this Raw Kale Salad is not only popular amongst raw foodists but it is gaining even in commonplace restaurants because it is so tasty, people love it, and it is easy to make. The fact that it is raw and healthy is last on their interest for this, it tastes so good. This salad is even better the next day.

Raw Kale Salad:

~1 bunch fresh organic kale
~2 cloves garlic
~good quality salt, I use Pink Himalayan (Celtic and Real Salt are excellent too) and fresh ground pepper
~1/4 cup or to taste, of fresh grated parmesean or asiago cheese (no pregrated cheese is good enough, ever)
~1/2 cup organic pure extra virgin olive oil
~fresh only lemon juice from one or two lemons depending on how juicy they are and how much you like it.
~1/4 cup or to taste, of pine nuts or walnuts, lightly toasted


 Wash/rinse your kale and allow to drain.

Separate the leaves, cut and discard the core stem, then slice the leaves into shreds, as in bite size and add to large mixing bowl.

I like to finely chop and grind my garlic in a little bit of olive oil in a mortar and pestle because the flavor of garlic is intensified like by 5 times, so you use less garlic but get more flavor. Then I add that to a mason or lidded jar to have about a 1/4 cup of olive oil, add the lemon juice and shake up well. Pour that over the kale, add salt and pepper to taste, cheese and toasted nuts. Mix very very well, over and over. Some people love to get really involved with their food and use their hands for this mixing part, because you want to kind of crush the leaves since they are hardy and by mixing and crushing them they soften and become very easy to chew. You can also use a potato masher. I used tongs. That's it, its done! Voila!
Taste for salt and everything else, you may like more garlic or more cheese, lemon or nuts, whatever...... make it so that you love it. Serve it up or save it for the next day when it is marinated and even better!

I have a whimsical nature about me and I like to find a way to play with everything I do. When I cook I see if I can save a leaf of whatever I'm using in the meal, and make a little arrangement in a small bottle to make the dining experience more pleasurable. Asians do this everywhere in the world, even in the most common and cheapest of restaurants you will some lovely simple living flower or greenery on their tables.
I see lots of textures and shapes in all of nature, and as a florist everything can be used in arrangements, from leaves, to vegetables, to fruits and branches. I LOVE the very frilly and lacy leaves of kale. Here I saved one leaf of the kale and added it to a blue jar with the flowering stems of my fresh tarragon which I used in the next recipe.

My mustard is growing beautifully! They were so small when planted but grow so big once they take off.

I love them in sandwiches. I need more ways to use them though.

Here I lay one leaf on a spinach wrap....they're not just for flavor, they help to hold in what is placed in the sandwich lolol !


Tuna Wraps with Fresh Tarragon.....

for 2 wraps
2 cans tuna of your choice drained and put into bowl
I do NOT use measurements so just put in the amounts you like of the following:
add mayonnaise to your preferred consistency, Himalayan Pink Salt,
fresh ground pepper,
lemon pepper seasoning is critical,
finely chopped onion, (1/4 cup)
finely chopped celery, (2-3 stems?)
fresh tarragon (tablespoon? )
and fresh dill  (3 stems?)


 


Mix very well. The flavors you will find that are the "top notes" are the lemon pepper and the tarragon.....only about a tablespoon of tarragon is enough, it is very strong but it will be a beautiful floral-ly herb-y taste.
Add the tuna down in a line in the center of the wrap and roll it up. I forgot to take pics as I went along because I was so giggly about the flowers and it was very late at night lolol.
I cut it in half on the diagonal and serve it or put into a glass container for later.

The reason these two recipes are together is because I planned on eating them together. One can skip the wraps and serve a bowl of kale and add a large scoop of the Tuna Salad on top in the center, YUM O!



 I used these tarragon flowers in an arrangement.......along with the kale leaf.

Enjoy everyone! I hope you have a beautiful and peace filled week.


sharing this post with No Minimalist Here

and with Home and Garden Thursday

and with Rooted In Thyme       

and with The Charm of Home