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Mexican Kale Salad |
My youngest sister Renatta and her friends are living off-campus for the first time this semester. While they technically had a kitchen and a minimal meal plan last fall, any cooking skills they'd acquired were quickly forgotten during their semester in Spain where they were basically waited on hand and foot by their host mom.
They're slowly but surely getting used to the kitchen once again, but they leap at any opportunity to eat a meal that they don't have to cook. When my sister heard that pork carnitas were on the menu one night, she wasted no time dropping hints about herself and her two friends joining us. My college days are becoming more of a distant memory, but I still remember what a treat a home-cooked meal was and I love having the girls over. How else do I learn which songs are popular right now? (I wish I were kidding...!)
I made this Mexican Kale Salad to serve alongside the tacos, and it won us all over. The jalapeño-lime dressing is just enough to soften the tough kale (you can even dress the kale up to a day ahead of time), and the black beans, corn, peppers, and cheese give it enough heft that it could pass as a main dish if you chose! By the end of the meal, the girls were asking me to recite the recipe and had determined this was simple enough for them to handle...although I'm sure they'd be just as happy to invite themselves over next time it's on the menu!
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Two Years Ago: Easy Crockpot Recipes for College Students and Cinnamon French Toast Ice Cream
Three Years Ago: Mexican Baked Eggs with Black Beans, Tomatoes, Green Chilies, and Cilantro and Peanut, Peanut Butter, Pretzel Bonbons
Four Years Ago: Sweet and Spicy Citrus Tilapia and Cooking Lobster & Shucking Oysters
Five Years Ago: Apricot Bran Bread and Frozen Peanut Butter Pie
Mexican Kale Salad
Printer-Friendly Recipe
Ingredients:
-1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped into small pieces
-1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
-1 cup frozen corn, thawed
-2 bell peppers, cut into thin strips
-1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese
for the dressing:
-1/4 cup olive oil
-juice from 2 limes
-1 jalapeño, minced
-1 tbsp honey
-1 garlic clove, minced
-salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk the lime juice with the jalapeño, honey, and garlic. Whisk in the oil until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Mix the vinaigrette with the kale in a large bowl, tossing to coat (you may want to massage the dressing into the kale leaves). Kale can sit dressed for up to one day.
3. Add the black beans, corn, bell peppers, and cheese to the salad before serving.