Garlicky Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas Recipe-Minimalist Baker.

• 1 large bundle kale (loosely chopped or torn // ~6-8 cups or 10 ounces

Chickpeas

• 1 - 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed, drained and thoroughly dried)

• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive, avocado or grape seed, oil

• 1 healthy pinch sea salt

• 2 1/2 - 3 Tbsp tandoori masala spice blend* (see notes for DIY blend)

Dressing

• 1 head garlic (large/even-sized cloves work best)

• 1/3 cup tahini

• 2 Tbsp olive oil + more for roasting garlic and massaging kale

• 1/4 cup lemon juice (plus more for massaging kale // ~2 small lemons)

• 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)

• 1 healthy pinch each salt + pepper

• Hot water (to thin)

Instructions 

• Peel apart garlic cloves but leave the skin on. Avoid using any tiny garlic cloves from the center of the head. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).

• Add drained chickpeas to a mixing bowl and toss with oil, salt, and seasonings.

• Add garlic cloves and seasoned chickpeas to a baking sheet. Drizzle garlic with a bit of olive or grape seed oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on the size of the garlic cloves), or until garlic is fragrant and slightly browned. Carefully remove garlic and set aside. Continue baking chickpeas for 10-15 minutes more or until slightly crispy and golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside (the chickpeas will get more crispy as they cool).

• Squeeze garlic out of skins / peel away skins and add to a mixing bowl. Add all remaining dressing ingredients and whisk vigorously to combine, smashing the garlic with the whisk. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired, adding more lemon for brightness, tahini for richness, and maple syrup for sweetness. Set aside.

• Add kale to a large mixing bowl. Before adding dressing, add 1 Tbsp each lemon juice and olive oil (amount as original recipe is written // alter if adjusting batch size) to the kale and massage with hands to soften the texture and lessen bitterness. Then add as much dressing as desired (some may be leftover) and mix with a spoon or salad tongs.

• Top with chickpeas and serve. Best when fresh, though leftovers keep in the fridge for up to a few days.

Tips

The kale tastes better and is easier to eat if you chop it into very tiny pieces.

Some delicious additions; roast cashews with the chickpeas, add chopped olives and sun-dried tomatoes.

 I received the Minimalist Baker Cookbook as a gift from my daughter a few years ago, and it’s become my favourite cookbook.  It contains 101 entirely vegan, primarily gluten-free recipes and has some great vegan cooking resources, tips and methods.

Dana Shultz is the recipe developer and co-author with her husband John.  They promote simple cooking, and all of their recipes fall into at least one of these three simple categories:

·      10 ingredients or less

·      1 bowl

·      30 minute or less to prepare

This simplistic approach is essential for me, and I also appreciate that the recipes don’t require obscure ingredients that I can’t pronounce and have to hop on a plane and travel to the other side of the world to find.  The most unusual ingredients that I’ve come across are cream of tartar and coconut aminos, and I easily found them at my local health food store. 

They also have a fantastic website that I now use more than the cookbook.  They publish new recipes a few times a week, and you can sign up for their recipe newsletter.  The recipes are detailed, offer beautiful pictures and a video showing the steps.  You will find many reviews, comments and questions posted about each recipe, and Dana is very responsive, offering suggestions for alternatives if you don’t have a particular ingredient in your pantry.  

The cookbook’s recipes are all plant-based.  The website focuses on plant-based and gluten-free recipes, but the recipes are not exclusively vegan or plant-based. 

I’ve tried many of the recipes and they have all worked out perfectly and were delicious.

Check out their website and sign for their newsletter https://minimalistbaker.com

Bon Appetit!

Anita