on foods

I don't eat meat, a lifestyle which was gradual and made the most sense for me, especially given my propensity for vegetables and legumes. I'll put almond milk in a smoothie, but in general my dairy intake is pretty low...except for cheese. There are always hunks of parmigiana reggiano & pecorino romano in the fridge & I snack on slices of manchego, brie (triple cream), blue (camembert), or my other standbys (sartori bellavitano or midnight moon) all day. I'm not sure I could ever give up dairy completely, nor could I go fully vegan (even if stella mccartney could dress me every day). You can only do your best and what makes the most sense for you!

At any rate, I've been experimenting with laying off cheese out of curiosity as I am Asian and lactose intolerance is common. This kale/quinoa pilaf is a fave as it is simple & delicious, so I eliminated the goat cheese & added more pine nuts, which is always a good idea in general.

One Pot Kale & Qunioa Pilaf
1 cup quinoa (I used red, but any kind works)
2 cup salted water
1 bunch kale, washed/chopped into 1" pieces (stems discarded)
3 tbsp or more toasted pine nuts (watch them closely, they burn easily so pull off heat as soon as fragrant)
3 scallions chopped
zest and juice of one small lemon (I like meyer if you can find)
~a tbsp of olive oil
salt and pepper
goat cheese (optional)

1. Bring water to boil, add quinoa, cover and turn to down to simmer for 10 min. Top with kale, re-cover, then simmer 5 more min. Turn off heat and allow to steam for 5 min.

2. Combine scallions, oil, zest and juice & pine nuts. Check quinoa, kale should be bright green & quinoa should have absorbed the water. Toss all together, salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Photos © Rex Waters