After eating and drinking my way through Portland and the Willamette Valley last week, I was ready to return home and get back on the healthy bandwagon. Food festivals are great fun, but I wouldn't say they emphasize salads and vegetables at these things. Lucky for me, the greens gods knew what I needed and delivered me the most bountiful collection of kale, collards, mustard, chard and turnip greens.

OK, it wasn't exactly a god, but Cut N Clean Greens came pretty close when they sent me this amazing shipment. These guys are based locally in Oxnard and are quite the produce experts, focusing solely on greens. They do it well, with many different already washed (triple washed in fact) and cut varieties that makes staying healthy as easy as opening a container.

It's been stir-fry-a-palooza at my house. I've been mixing various greens with different proteins and a rotating mix of vegetables and spices. I love that their kale salad comes with carrot already shredded inside. I've been having some greens straight up as well, but sometimes I prefer a quick toss in a hot pan. It can be easier on digestion when hearty greens are slightly heated, and isn't there something so satisfying about having a warm meal?

I even added the super grain quinoa to the super kale greens to make a super nutritious dish that's full of protein and fiber, not to mention iron and potassium. The garlic and ginger in my recipe have anti-inflammatory properties and are heart healthy and good for digestion. I like making a batch and grazing on it for lunch or dinner, which I think I'll be doing for the next few weeks!

Kale & Quinoa Stir Fry

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 cup of cooked quinoa (recipe here)
8 ounces kale
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Bragg's liquid amino acid
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in large non-stick pan and when hot, add the garlic and toss quickly for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and let them sit without stirring for a minute or two to allow some browning occur. Then stir and generously season with salt and pepper.
Add ginger to the pan and stir for a minute before tossing in the quinoa and kale. Pour the sesame oil and Bragg's liquid amino acid over the kale and mix until the kale turns bright green. Remove from heat before it starts to wilt, and serve.

Thanks to Cut 'N Clean Greens for the delivery and keeping me healthy!