When Life Gives You Lemons.... (+ kale)

....mix the lemonade with a good, stiff sort of drink and take a gulp. And eat kale with mashed potatoes.

OK, so I'm not usually one for sarcasm/hints of truth in my written words, but today is just one of those days. For over an hour this morning my co-workers and I were treated to the sound of a car alarm going off in our parking lot, the car belonging to someone who was not in her office. Add that to a long list of car repairs that need to get taken care of and a generally stressful time of life, and well, lemonade just isn't cutting it for me these days.

As is often the case, I find myself reclaiming my sanity in the kitchen. In years past this has prompted insane amounts of baking (ask me about the St. Patty's Day Irish Cream Fest of '08 sometime). This summer, cooking seems to be more my style.

My new roommates and I have purchased a share in a Community Support Agriculture farm, which yields us a box of vegetables every Sunday afternoon. Thus far the season has been about leafy greens -- arugula, mixed greens, mustard greens, kale. We have had wonderful (though small amounts of) mushrooms, turnips, and asparagus. The kale, though. That's where it is at for me.

Kale and Mashed Potatoes is one of my absolutely favorite things to eat, period. I love kale in anything hearty enough to match its substance. On Sunday night, the amount of kale in my crisper, along with a strong desire for Thai curry, prompted me to find a new recipe.

- simple yellow curry with tofu -

After an hour or so, what emerged has fed me for more than 3 full meals, and I'm just as happy to dive in every time I reheat a portion. It's a really simple curry, with a little bit of a kick, but with the surprise additions by me of peas and sweet potatoes, two veggies I normally wouldn't choose for anything. Though it looks a little weird, take my word for it: it's de-lish!