CSA Week 1: Kale with Lentils and Sweet Potato

It's that time of the year! We got our first box from our CSA yesterday. This week's box contained sweet cherries, spring onions, a garlic scape, radishes, yellow and zucchini squash, and a huge bunch of kale.

Kale is one of my favorite dark greens. I would be happy if it came in every week's basket! Two of my favorite recipes I've made with kale are Butternut Squash and Kale Soup and Kale and Bulgur Wheat Pilaf. I also like this Sweet Potato Cream Pasta with Crispy Kale from the blog How Sweet It is and this Fusilli with Prosciutto and Kale from The Six O'Clock Scramble. And don't forget simple kale chips (roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper).

For tonight's dinner, I had a sweet potato that I wanted to use up, but I didn't want to make pasta, so I thought lentils would make for a good meatless meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1 bunch of kale, torn and washed, large stems removed
• 1/2 C. green lentils, rinsed
• 2 C. vegetable broth
• salt, to taste

Over medium heat, saute the onion and sweet potato in the oil for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften slightly. 

Add the red pepper flakes and kale, and cook for about 2 minutes, until the kale has wilted. 

Add the lentils and broth, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, until the lentils are soft and all of the liquid has been absorbed.

I served it with a little fat-free greek yogurt on top, but if you leave that out, this is a vegan dish.