Cashew Peanut Kale

It's a green day!  Appropriately, I wanted to give you something very green you could make for your St. Patrick's Day dinner.  I had this recipe on my list for a while and had quite the cooking day this past week where I busted out 4 different recipes.  Hello kale!

A while ago I told the hubs that I was thinking of making dinner during the day so I could actually take pictures of it in natural light.  His response, "So we're going to have leftovers every night?"  But at the same time, he wasn't surprised that I would even think of that.  Lucky for him, it's lighter later and as we go even more into spring/summer time, I'll be cooking until 9pm!  Well, maybe.  We might be playing outside instead.  The point is that I could and will still have enough light for pictures!

Thanks to The Urban Baker for this one!  It was peanuty in flavor, but the cashews gave a good balance to not make it overwhelming.  The peeled carrots gave awesome color and an extra texture.  And the wilted kale was delicious.  I'm making it again for tonight!

Cashew Peanut Kale 
Adapted closely from The Urban Baker

Salad: 
5 Large bunches of kale
3/4 cup cashews, roasted salted
2 carrots, peeled into strips

Sauce: 
3 Tbsp creamy salted peanut butter
3/4 cup water
1-2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp ginger powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp soy sauce (to taste)
2 Tbsp rice vinegar (to taste)
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1/4 tsp cayenne
1-3 Tbsp Bangkok Padang peanut sauce (found easily at Winco, etc) - this is spicy

Prep your kale by de-veining it, taking off all the leaves from the middle vein, wash and chop the leaves.  Have your cashews on hand.  Peel your two carrots.  Set all these aside.

Using a large (tall) saute pan, add all the sauce ingredients and whisk briskly over medium heat until the peanut butter melts and they blend together.  Reduce heat to simmer, continually whisking for about 2 minutes.  Don't let it burn.

Fold kale into the sauce, over low heat, and let wilt down to 1/3 the size.  Add cashews and carrots, stir to combine, and remove from heat.

I ate this warm, although I'm sure it would be good cold (as the Urban Baker claims).