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I made lunch for just myself yesterday and was pleasantly surprised at the newfound freedom that went along with that. Cooking for only myself is something I rarely do these days so I found it refreshing not having to worry about pleasing anyone else’s palette besides my own. Don’t misunderstand, some of my greatest joys come from cooking for others and I love bringing people together to share a meal. It’s a privilege to be able to feed and nourish others. Lately though my kids have become frustratingly pickier eaters (Aren’t they supposed to become less picky as they grow older?!) and it’s interesting how my choices in food differ when it’s just me. These kale salad tortillas with za-atar yogurt… these are what my dreams are made of.
I mostly used the recipe for this kale salad, except this time I added thinly sliced fennel and substituted sunflower seeds and pepitas for the pine nuts. For the tortillas, I used sprouted multigrain, which I heated directly over an open flame on the stove. Carefully heating the tortillas this way achieves those beautiful charred edges without using a grill. I often find all-natural sprouted grain tortillas stiff and dry, but after a few minutes of heat, they become soft, pliable, and so much more toothsome.
Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend that has lots of variations, but is usually a mixture of dried thyme, sumac, roasted sesame seeds, and salt. You can buy it pre-made in the spice aisle or make your own. The za’atar yogurt layered at the bottom and drizzled on top gives these tortillas that extra kick in flavor and creaminess. It adds a slight tang and complements the bright lemony kale salad perfectly. I ate all three of these for lunch.
And as it turns out, Ryan ended up giving these leftovers a thumbs up and my little girl willingly gave the salad a try, so there may be opportunities for me to make this again for the family after all.
Did you know that you can get tennis elbow without being a tennis player? I certainly didn’t, but now I have it and I know all about it. It has forced me to slow down and appreciate all that I use my arms and hands for. How true it is that it’s easy to take things for granted until those things are taken away. As I struggled to chop this kale, I felt so thankful for simple things like being able to use a knife to cut fresh vegetables. Doing things slowly help me to appreciate simple things in life.
Olive oil and lemon juice make up the dressing for this salad. It may not sound like much, but the lemon truly brightens up the kale and cuts through any bitterness. It’s simple, but goes along so well with the kale, cabbage, and carrots. The wonderful thing about kale salads is that they store well as leftovers, although sometimes it’s necessary to add some extra dressing and seasoning to the salad if it’s eaten the next day.