Kale has long been hailed as a superfood and with its health halo its been trendy for quite some time now. I took a break from kale when I arrived in France in 2005. It was hard to be found if it was even offered at all.

By now, fall 2018, it has popped up in a bunch of health food stores all over Paris. I just noticed this season I am even starting to find some in my AMAP basket.

Inconvenient to find at times, I’ve been disappointed when preparing this salad while starting off with all the other ingredients and then discovering that I have to go out and search for my kale only to come back with replacement chicories. Replacement chicories are fine too, don’t get me wrong—but it’s just that when you have your heart set on something…

It has gained popularity here and no wonder since it’s packed with vitamins A, C, K and is rich in antioxidants. And if you want twice the amount of antioxidants go for the red kale !

This cruciferous vegetable has a hearty leaf and will soften up when coated in a dressing. You can prepare this ahead of time since the leaves won’t wilt straight away.

I love it on a bed of mixed brown rice and quinoa for a full meal accompanied with some beetroot hummus and avocado. This power bowl will keep you plowing through the day.

Kale Azuki Power Bowl with Tahini Almond Dressing

INGREDIENTS//Serves 3-4

• 250 grams fresh kale leaves, chopped finely
• 50 grams azuki beans, dried (black beans work nicely too. Use tinned beans if pressed for time)
• 1 eggplant, roasted
• 2 zucchinis, grilled
• 1 beetroot, steamed and diced

Dressing

• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 1/2 tablespoons almond butter (Purée Amande Complete en français)
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 100 ml water

PREPARATION

For the dressing combine the first six ingredients in a blender ( a mini blender is convenient for dressings like these) with half the water (50ml) and whizz it up. Gradually add the rest of the water to get loosen the dressing up.

INSTRUCTIONS

Put the chopped kale leaves in a large mixing bowl and add the dressing. Be sure to coat the kale all over.

Use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale if need be.

I like to let the kale marinate for 15 minutes if I’ve got the time.

Then toss in the beans and the rest of the vegetables: eggplant, zucchinis, beetroot.

Ready to serve!

Curcuma, Tumeric, call it what you like. They both have curcumin as the main active ingredient and apparently this golden spice has great health attributes. A commonly used Ayurvedic spice, not only does it add a vibrant color to your dish and a nuance to your palate when added in cooking but we can benefit from it too. Apparently it promotes digestion and supports the immune system and is a a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. That's just a short list of benefits.

I love adding this spice to my pasta, rice, and other foods when I feel it's appropriate in taste because everything it touches turns golden in color. It's the same with beets and the deep blood violet color it rubs off on food turning everything pink-like: beetroot hummus dip and beetroot crackers.

Adding some tumeric to my finely chopped up cauliflower and sautéeing it in some fine fatty butter with garlic is one of my favorite ways to eat cauliflower. This is one of best ways to cook up a head of cauliflower. You can add it as a topping over salads, rice, pasta, and serve it as a side dish. My kids are finicky about this vegetable but when it's in a pasta salad there's no doubt about it.

Curcuma Cauliflower

INGREDIENTS//Serves 6

• 1 head cauliflower, finely chopped or grated
• 30 grams butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon curcuma (tumeric) powder
• salt, adjusted to taste
• 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large skillet over medium to high heat, melt your butter and then add the garlic and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds.

Then sauté the cauliflower with garlice in the butter for about five minutes. Be careful not to over cook as it will turn soft. I like the cauliflower to be slightly crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. So keep tasting and cooking it until you find the texture you like.

Add the curcuma, salt, parsley, and give it a quick stir. It's ready to be served.