Vegan Braised Kale and Cannellini Beans~Olive Dressing

Last weekend I had a sleepover with my best friend Sophia for some quality time, tea, and cooking.
Sophia is not a vegan, but she's been exploring vegan cooking for her health and for the environment. I must say, I am incredibly proud of her! She's been making some knockout dishes when just months before she was apprehensive of the world of beans and quinoa. AND at my brunch potluck party, she made amazing blueberry pancakes that blew everyone away.

Here is a pic of her whipping up those awesome pancakes at brunch. That's my girl!

For dinner, she veganized a braised kale and cannellini beans recipe she found on a blog.
This is the recipe: http://kitchenetteblog.com/2012/01/braised-kale-and-cannellini-beans/

..And here is her version..
Vegan Braised Kale and Cannellini Beans:

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons Earth Balance butter
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
3-4 cups vegetable stock
2 small bunches red russian kale
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
zest of half a lemon

Instructions:

In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add onion and garlic, then add beans
and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and break up a bit, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the red pepper flakes, cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for another minute.

Add about 3 cups of the stock, stir to combine. Then add the kale, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir well. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, until the kale is tender and the liquid has thickened. You may need to add more stock as it cooks.

When the kale is ready, turn off the heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon zest.

Enjoy!


We had our meal with quinoa, and an arugula salad on the side with an olive dressing that she improvised. It was yummy!

Sophia's Olive Dressing:

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, mashed
3 tablespoons? (very little) diced onions
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup black olives
1/3 cup kalamata olives

Instructions:


Mash together the garlic and the salt

Then add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard and lemon juice.

In a food processor, blend the olives, the onions, and the liquid mixture.

Add pepper to taste.

Serve over salad.

Et Voila!

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Sophia also made some healthified strawberry pancakes the next morning; a recipe I plan to post soon.

Till next time!
xo,
Ellie