SALADA de COUVE MASSAJADA ;-))

Massaged Kale Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
 by Sarah Britton

Everyone enjoys a good massage now and again. As it turns out, so does kale!

I first heard about massaged kale at Cru, a restaurant in Los Angeles. The menu described the kale as “rubbed,” and having no idea what that referred to, I ordered the salad out of curiosity. Once the dish arrived, I noticed something right away: the kale was nearly a different color and texture. The soft and delicate, tender and deep dark green leaves were a far cry from the thick and rubbery, silvery-green kale I knew. Instead of eating it because I knew how good it was for me, the kale was, dare I say it? Enjoyable.

I began experimenting with massaged kale at home and yielded amazing results. The stiff, bitter leaves relax into buttery-soft ribbons that keep in the fridge for days. It was a revelation, all from just a little rub-down.

When kale is massaged, its cellulose structure breaks down and wilts, so the leaves that were once tough and fibrous become silky. The kale reduces in volume by over half and the leaves take on a subtle sweetness.

The massage itself is simple. Once you wash and stem the kale, dress it and start rubbing the leaves together. Vigorously. Think of yourself as Sven the Swedish deep-tissue masseur and go to town on those leaves. After a couple minutes the kale should have submitted to your brutal, bone-breaking power and will have turned into delicate, dark green and tender foliage.

Massaged kale obviously makes a great base for salad, but you can also add some to sandwiches, stir-fries, even pesto.

Massaged Kale Salad and Grapes with Poppy Seed Dressing

For the massaged kale

1 bunch kale, stemmed and sliced into ribbons
1 lemon
Cold-pressed olive oil
Sea salt

1. In a large bowl, dress kale with lemon juice and olive oil onto kale leaves and add a pinch or two of sea salt. Roll up your sleeves and massage kale until it’s deep dark green, soft, and tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add anything you like: fruits, veggies, cooked or sprouted grains and legumes, nuts and seeds. Get creative. Once you’ve massaged your kale, store it in a tightly sealed container for up to 4 days in the fridge.

Here’s what I added to my massaged kale

A couple handfuls each red and green grapes
1 ripe avocado
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Poppy Seed Dressing
¼ cup cold-pressed olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ shallot, diced
1 tablespoon poppyseeds
Pinch sea salt
1 teaspoon honey

Whisk all ingredients together. Store leftovers in a glass jar for up to one week.

Bacalhau com Mel e Amêndoas

O primeiro prato servido no jantar de Natal de 2012 em casa do Tio João Paulo Martins, é uma receita original do Chef Bandeira de Lima, servido no restaurante The Decadente e considerado pela Time Out um dos 20 melhores pratos de bacalhau da capital!

Ingredientes

lombinhos de bacalhau
batata
amêndoas laminadas
mel de rosmaninho
espinafres ou grelos ou acelgas ou nabiças

Receita

Cozem-se os lombinhos de bacalhau e as batatas. Torram-se as amêndoas laminadas no forno. Salteiam-se as verduras em azeite alho. Aquece-se o mel e coloca-se num "biberon" de cozinha. Monta-se pela seguinte ordem: batata ao centro do prato, dá-se um pequeno "murro", o lombo do bacalhau, o mel e as amêndoas e a acompanhar as verduras!

Chocolate Quente

Superfood Haute Chocolate Is it just me, or do the holidays sometimes feel more stressful than joyful? Tons of running around, last-minute gift making, endless social events, and no time for much else! I catch myself skipping meals and losing sleep just to keep up. Not very relaxing. This year I am making a concerted effort to book time for treating myself, because all this holiday time should feel like a holiday after all. As an act of indulgence, but also to keep my energy high and stress levels down, I’m drinking hot chocolate. Yes, you read that correctly. And because this is My New Roots, you know that this isn’t just any kind of hot cocoa – we’re talking all-raw and all-superfood-packed deliciousness to satisfy your sweet tooth and your healthy tooth (you do have one of those, I promise). A while back in Lisbon, I was teaching cooking classes at an Ashtanga yoga shala, Casa Vinyasa where the instructors were drinking “Macacino” constantly. I finally asked what this fragrant, chocolate-y drink was, and they told me it was like hot chocolate, but with maca. It helped them keep their stamina up, and maintain that otherworldly calmness even after teaching 9 hours a day. After making a cup for myself I realized that they were really onto something, and so I set out to create a similar treat at home in Copenhagen. This hot chocolate is not only super luscious, it contains a whole host of superfoods to make you feel amazing all season long.

 

Raw Cacao

 

One of the best sources of magnesium found in nature, in addition to containing high amounts calcium, zinc, iron, copper, sulfur, and potassium. Cacao contains many chemicals that enhance physical and mental well-being, including alkaloids, proteins, magnesium, and beta-carotene.

 

Ginger

 

Aids digestion; decreases arthritic swelling; destroys bacteria and viruses; lowers blood pressure; aids circulation. Cinnamon: aids digestion, relieves nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; has antiseptic properties; beneficial for the heart, lungs, and kidneys; aids insulin’s ability to metabolize blood sugar. Cayenne: reduces inflammation, relives pain, reduce blood cholesterol, clears congestion, boosts the immune system, prevents stomach ulcers, lowers risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

 

And of course, there is the Maca…

 

Get your Maca on!

Maca is a root that has been grown for over 2,500 years high in the Peruvian Andes – it is in fact the highest-altitude crop on earth. The conditions in which maca grows are extremely harsh, and the plant needs to be incredibly resilient to survive and thrive. Although it resembles a large radish, maca is a member of the cruciferous family of plants (just like broccoli, cabbage, kale etc). Maca is an “adaptogen” meaning it has the ability to balance and stabilize the body’s hormonal, nervous and cardiovascular systems. For this reason it is particularly effective for improving libido. Maca also has the ability to help us cope with stress, and stabilize our moods and energy. Boasting 31 minerals and trace elements, maca is a nutritional powerhouse and a stress-relieving, healthy addition to many foods. The flavour of maca is kind of malty and sweet. Some people taste vanilla and butterscotch as well, but most would agree that it is quite strong and can be overpowering if used frivolously. I find taking maca in creamy foods like smoothies, or with yogurt and muesli most appealing. Start with small quantities, like one teaspoon, and work your way up to more. Remember that taking a little maca every day is better than taking a lot at one time once in a while. Look for maca at health food stores and gourmet grocers, sold as the dried, powdered root. Make sure that the product you are purchasing is 100% root – not other parts of the plant. Store in a cool dry place. If you do not like spiced hot chocolate, just use the first four listed ingredients, plus milk or water. If you do not have or cannot find coconut sugar, leave this ingredient out of the mix and sweeten the finished beverage with honey or maple syrup. You could also mix up a large batch of this and give it away as a gift! A wonderful superfood present for anyone on your list.

 

Superfood Haute Chocolate

 

  Serves 1

 

Ingredients

 

2 Tbsp. raw cacao powder

2 tsp. maca powder

1 Tbsp. coconut sugar

pinch sea salt

pinch cinnamon powder

pinch cayenne

pepper pinch

 ginger powder

small piece vanilla bean, scraped (optional)

1 ½ cups milk of your choice or water

 

Directions

 

1. Boil water or warm milk on the stove and let cool slightly. If using raw nut milk, do not heat above 118°F/42°C.

 

2. Whisk in dry ingredients. Serve immediately with a cinnamon stick, if desired. I want to wish all of you a safe, healthy, happy, and relaxing holiday this year. Spend time in your kitchens cooking something real for everyone that you love. There is no better time to spread the word that balanced, wholesome food is delicious! Lead by example, and share your inspiration.

 

Signing off for now, with love and light to all, Sarah B * * * * * *

 

SOURCE : mynewroots.blogspot.com