I received the Moosewood Restaurant's Cooking For Health (Simon and Schuster 2009) cookbook for Christmas in December. I'm only working through recipes this week- the middle of January. Needless to say, it's been a busy start of the year.

The Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook for Health has a variety of recipes that can be made all year. They provide nutritional information and general information about spices, ingredients, and cooking with local produce. Most recipes serve 4-6 people, perfect for a family meal.

A previous recipe I followed from Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health left me with leftover canned chipotle chilis in adobo sauce. I used them to make their Apple Sweet Potato Chipotle soup, which as an aside, is most excellent. (It's perhaps one of the best soups I've made.) The recipe left me with extra sweet potatoes and chipotle, which I used to make Moosewood's recipe of Kale with Sweet Potatoes (page 305). The original recipe does not call for chipotles but you may find the addition appetizing. You can make this side dish in 30 minutes.

Kale with Sweet Potatoes and Chipotle
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant For Health, Page 305
Serves 2

1 sweet potato, cubed
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups of kale, chopped
3/4 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1 chipotle pepper with accompanied sauce, minced (from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce)
pepper (salt, if you need it)
water
olive oil cooking spray/olive oil

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Spray the bottom with an extra virgin olive oil cooking spray. Add the sweet potatoes. Pour 1/4 cup of water in the bottom of the pan and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Add more water if necessary. Drain and set the sweet potato cubes to the side.

Wipe out the pan and bring the pan back to medium heat. Spray the bottom again, or alternatively add a nickle size amount of extra virgin olive oil. Add the mustard seeds and chopped garlic. Saute until you can hear the mustard seeds pop and turn slightly darker. Do not let them become brown. Add the kale, toss until the kale wilts evenly. Add salt here if you will need it. Add a tablespoon of water and cover until the kale has finished cooking, about 5 minutes.

While the kale is cooking, add the soy sauce and minced chipotle to the sweet potato cubes. Stir to combine. Add the sweet potato cubes with the soy sauce and chipotle to the cooked kale. Add freshly ground pepper if you need it, toss to ensure even coating, place into a serving dish. Serve.