finding time for cooking

for the time-starved or curious culinary adventurer

Cooking for One: Recipes for the Single Person

Cooking for one person can present a unique set of culinary challenges…you want something delicious, and maybe with leftovers, but not like A WEEK’S worth of leftovers because you’ll get sick of it.  

From my perspective as well, I don’t necessarily want to go through hours of work and a complicated recipe just for myself.  So one-person recipes have to be approached a little differently, and bring a combination of simplicity and flavor.  

These are some of my favorite one-person recipes to get you started…

…or you can browse the archives below!

Super Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

Guys, this is so good. I didn’t believe that somehow simple frozen bananas could be broken down and then coalesce into a creamy, magical ice cream.

Super Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

If I served this to you and told you it was ice cream, you’d never guess otherwise. Unless you hate bananas, and then you’d just wonder why I was trying to poison you with banana ice cream.READ THE POST

Traditional Spanish Tortilla

Once upon a time I would have called this a frittata, and I would have been wrong.  One of my co-workers is half Spanish, and for breakfast one time he brought in a traditional Spanish tortilla. While it looked exactly like the frittatas I’m so fond of, it had a few notable differences and I knew I wanted to recreate it myself. 

Traditional Spanish Tortilla | This Spanish tortilla recipe is very simple and basic, healthy and easy to make. Using only a few ingredients (eggs, potato, onion, and some herbs) you can have a delicious vegetarian meal, with great leftovers. How to make a spanish tortilla. #meatlessmonday #spanishtortilla #frittata #eggrecipe

Spanish tortillas and frittatas are very similar, though there are a few differences. Tortillas are always egg- and potato-based, while frittatas only have to have eggs.

Also, apparently the main difference is that you’re supposed to flip a Spanish tortilla on the stovetop at the end, versus finishing in the oven like a frittata. I’ll definitely be trying this method next time—I’m trying to wheedle my co-worker’s recipe out of him!

The gold potatoes are delightfully tender and add a delicate base to the dish along with the onion (this Kitchn article speaks to the technique that gets them lovely and soft).

Many also include asparagus, chorizo, and other fillings, but this one is very simple and traditional.  The recipe below called for tarragon, though I used fresh rosemary and oregano instead.

Traditional Spanish Tortilla recipeREAD THE POST

Honey-Roasted Peaches with Cream

Some things are perfect in their simplicity, and these honey-roasted peaches definitely qualify.

I didn’t plan to buy peaches last weekend, but when I walked into the produce section I was almost knocked over by the amazing smell of ripe peaches. They were so soft you had to hold them super gently so they didn’t bruise. Fuzzy. Juicy. Amazing.

Honey-Roasted Peaches with Cream | This easy dessert is super healthy, using fresh in-season peaches and only takes a few minutes of hands-on time. Naturally gluten-free (#gf), very healthy dessert option, great summer dessert recipe. #dessert #peaches #glutenfree #roastedfruit

Since I was trying to eat really well this week, and already had like five things I was planning to make, I wanted something simple and super healthy.

This dessert feels fancy in a completely undeserved way. You seriously just cut fruit in half, drizzle a little honey and butter over it, and bake for a while.

And the result is a dessert that embodies summer, adds a little class to any dinner, and takes five minutes, tops, to prepare. Sign me up!

peach whole

Also, peaches. They’re the best!

Honey Roasted Peaches doneREAD THE POST

Ricotta, Tomato & Spinach Frittata

Simplicity, man. As I mentioned last week, I just wanted the easiest dinner possible. Something healthy, but something that didn’t require a million steps or ingredients.

Ricotta, Tomato, & Spinach Frittata | This easy frittata or egg casserole is a perfect meal when you're rushed, whether breakfast, brunch, or dinner. Makes great leftovers, perfect way to use up leftover ricotta as well. #brunch #frittata #ricotta #breakfast #vegetarian

Also, I’ve been on a weird ricotta kick. Like, eat it straight out of the carton with a spoon, maybe with a drizzle of honey. It’s getting weird. I used to hate ricotta and now look at me.

Ricotta, Tomato, & Spinach Frittata

So I made some delicious marinated grilled (well, sauteed) chicken, and this delightful frittata.

ricotta tomato & spinach frittata tomatoes spinach

Frittatas are such a great go-to meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They’re full of veggies and protein, easy, and make awesome leftovers. Basically, they’re perfect.READ THE POST

Dynamite Grilled Chicken

Last Sunday I just wanted something SIMPLE. I’d had a super long, exhausting week at work and even after resting up over the weekend I just found the prospect of cooking daunting.

[Updated 6/2018 with some new photos]

I didn’t want to assemble 20 ingredients or spend an hour preparing different elements of a meal. I wanted quick and tasty and healthy.

Also, I wanted ricotta, which is a weird craving but I went with it and threw together a delicious spinach, tomato, and ricotta frittata (bonus breakfast leftovers), then I added some more protein with this “dynamite” chicken.

Honestly, the main reason I made the chicken was so I’d have some leftovers for lunch, and also because I wanted to use my grill for the first time this spring. Aaaaand, that was a total fail because when I went out to grill the chicken like half an hour after turning on the grill, it was totally cold. I went to plan B (the stovetop), but still need to figure out what’s going on with my grill. [Updated photos with grilled chicken]

Oh well…it was worth it in the end, because the flavors on this chicken will knock your socks off. It’s really got some tangy bite, which was a nice complement to the more soothing, mellow frittata. Also, it was super easy, which is always a win in my book.READ THE POST

Oven-Roasted Garlic Rosemary Salmon

It feels like spring! I think the weather is finally turning for good, and this weekend was truly glorious. I was tempted to pull out my grill, but instead went for a meal that was bright and happy—a garlic rosemary salmon and roasted okra.

If that doesn’t say “spring in the South” to you, I don’t know what does.

Roasted Garlic Rosemary Salmon | A simple, healthy, delicious salmon recipe that only takes a few minutes to make, perfect healthy dinner recipe for any weeknight. Great low-carb or keto recipe. #salmon #rosemary #garlic #keto #lowcarb

Bright red wild-caught sockeye salmon from Alaska is dusted with freshly-ground salt and pepper, then packed with minced fresh garlic and rosemary (from my own herb garden!) and roasted for a few minutes to bring all the flavors together.

Fast, easy, and healthy. Add a side of roasted okra, and that’s a happy Sunday night.

READ THE POST

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake

Oh boy, I’ve been wanting to try this chocolate peanut butter mug cake for quite a while, but the universe kept conspiring against me.

Mostly by making me too full after my traditional Saturday night Thai food to even think about dessert. I know, life’s rough.

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake | This amazing single-serving dessert recipe is indulgent, delicious, and perfect for any occasion. It only takes a few minutes to make and makes any night special. #mugcake #chocolate #peanutbutter #singleserving #dessert

But after our eventful snow day in Atlanta yesterday, I decided it was time for a treat.  Yet again, I didn’t prepare for the snowpocalypse. And by “snowpocalypse”, I mean 1-2 inches of snow that literally ruined Atlanta.  People stranded in their cars for 20+ hours, having to abandon them on the highway and walk to safety and warmth.  

Parts of it enforced my lack of faith in humanity (yes, I’m looking at you, asshat who knowingly ran the red light and blocked a major intersection for 20 minutes), while others were pretty amazing (thousands of people offering up spare rooms, couches, bringing food to stranded drivers).

My 90-minute drive home (vs. 20 usually) looked like a walk in the park by comparison, and while I don’t have much food at home, I do have wine and I can make this amazing mug cake.

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake bite

Mug cake recipes are hit-and-miss, but this one was a winner for me. First, you can never miss with (double) chocolate and peanut butter, and the texture was fudgy and creamy and awesome. The fact that it doesn’t use eggs is handy as well.

It helps to start with a super cute mug. This is one of my favorites, it actually was the first mug in my somewhat-eclectic collection. Got it in Seattle at Pike’s Place Market back in college.READ THE POST

The Best Buttermilk Pancakes Ever

Paaaaaaancakes!  Specifically, buttermilk pancakes.  When they’re good (and not that terrible IHOP pre-fab stuff), they are one of my favorite foods. Hot and fluffy, a little gooey center, nutty whole grain taste, and slathered in peanut butter and syrup. It pretty much doesn’t get any better than that.

They’re also one of the easiest things in the world to whip up, and endlessly versatile.

I realized a while back that—while I had posted whole grain pancakes, healthy apple cinnamon pancakes, ricotta pancakes, gingerbread pancakes, cinnamon polenta pancakes, and bourbon banana pancakes—I had never posted the recipe that started it all, my awesome basic buttermilk pancakes.

The Best Easy Buttermilk Pancakes | Easy and delicious recipe for breakfast or brunch, ready in just 15 minutes. Add whole wheat flour for some extra fiber and healthy options! #breakfast #pancakes #brunch

Does anyone else put peanut butter on their pancakes and waffles? We always did it, and I assumed everyone else did.

But going to summer camp growing up, I found out that this was considered somewhat weird.  It’s so good, you have to try it! It’s my goal to convert the entire Southeast to the gospel of peanut butter on pancakes.

buttermilk pancakes make great leftovers

In all my focus on trying and posting new recipes, I’ve neglected some of my tried and true favorite recipes, so I’m working on rectifying that.  My mom’s lasagna, simple coffee cake, buttermilk Belgian waffles, chocolate chip cookies, and our family buttermilk pancake recipe.

It’s not an exaggeration to say we made these the majority of my sabbath mornings growing up. Occasionally we’d throw in some waffles, french toast, or biscuits, but mostly we made delicious, fluffy pancakes!READ THE POST

Omelet with Caramelized Onions, Kale, Tomatoes, & Goat Cheese

Sometimes it’s the little things, ya know??

This omelet recipe was an accidental brainchild, a dish born out of necessity.

Omelet with Caramelized Onions Kale Tomatoes & Goat Cheese

My dad was in town a couple weeks ago and I invited a friend over to spend time with us. He chose brunch, so I decided to make my whole grain buttermilk belgian waffles.

Things were pretty rushed that morning since my dad was helping me install gas logs in my fireplace and we had run into some snags (we took 5—count ’em, 5—trips to Home Depot that weekend). I knew I needed to provide some eggs with my waffles, but couldn’t bring myself to do boring ol’ scrambled.

Omelette with Caramlelized Onions Kale & Goat Cheese

My next thought was omelets, which is my go-to egg dish when serving less than 5 people (any more, and you need to upgrade to a casserole or something). I rooted around in my fridge and came up with what I thought was the perfect combination.

I had a half of a yellow onion left from dinner the night before, so I sliced it up in strips and caramelized it. Then I sautéed up a little kale, chopped up some tomatoes and goat cheese, and threw it all in an omelet.

I figured it’d be pretty good and would more than satisfy these two dudes’ palates. But wow, was I surprised at how good it was! This one is definitely a keeper. Add a little shaved parmesan as garnish, and we’re in business.  

Omelets are a fairly regular part of my dietary rotation, my go-to egg dish with company. I’ll make them with whatever I have on-hand—garlic, peppers, tomatoes, various cheese, herbs, whatever. But these were kind of a revelation.

The kale gave it some chew, the tomatoes and caramelized onions provided a sweetness, and the goat cheese melted into this creamy pool of awesomeness. It was the perfect combination of flavors.READ THE POST

Easy Grilled Sesame-Soy Salmon

I’m having trouble accepting that my grilling season is almost over.

Healthy Grilled Sesame-Soy Salmon | This super easy salmon recipe is perfect for any occasion...a flavorful marinade, only minutes of hands-on time, and packed full of flavor. Healthy dinner recipes, grilled salmon recipes, grilling marinades and more. #salmon #grilling

Yes, I realize that the weather in Atlanta will permit grilling pretty much year-round, but it is harder to heat up when it’s cold. So I’m trying to squeeze all the grilling in that I can, and I’m on a super salmon kick.

I was so excited when my first salmon grilling (maple citrus grilled salmon) went so well, that I felt brave trying it again. This sesame-soy salmon was just as easy, but more of a savory (I always want to spell it savoury, like the Brits) spin.READ THE POST

Barbecue Chardonnay Chicken

I’ve finally found a way I like to consume chardonnay!

It’s no major secret that I love wine, and there are certainly ones I love more than others. But for some reason I can NOT find a chardonnay that I like. I’ve tried a bunch, and I just don’t like them. I call it chardon-NO. My mom’s not the biggest fan either, and she’d tried a bottle I had in my fridge but didn’t like it, then had the brilliant idea to use it as a marinade instead.

Easy Barbecue Chardonnay Chicken | Whether grilled, baked, or stovetop, this easy white wine and barbecue sauce chicken is crazy easy and super delicious. Throw it in a simple marinade and dinner will be on the table in no time. #chardonnay #bbq #chicken #dinnerrecipe #weeknightdinner

We threw this recipe together a couple days after my surgery, so simple was the key word. It was actually meant to be grilled, but all the recent rain had tripped some kind of ground wire and my outdoor outlet didn’t work, so we cooked it on the stove instead. Always have a backup plan.

What was surprising was how unique the flavors were! I mean, barbecue is always good, and Sweet Baby Ray’s is the best. But you could really taste the chardonnay in there, and it added a really special flavor to the barbecue sauce—sweet without being cloying, and with that oaky depth (almost a little bite) that I don’t like in wine but somehow I really loved in chicken. Plus the sage fried up into little awesome crispy bits.READ THE POST

Grilled Balsamic Chicken

I’ve wanted a grill for as long as I’ve lived alone. In my head, a grill was all that stood between me and these awesome meaty dinners every night of the week.

Now, I can privately admit that that’s not entirely the truth—let’s not pretend I’d actually make dinner after a 12-hour day. But, I WOULD cook meat way more often, and it would open up a whole new world of culinary possibilities. Plus, who doesn’t love that freshly-grilled flavor?!

Simple Grilled Balsamic Chicken | This delicious and super fast recipe is here for you on any weeknight! Easy grilled chicken with a simple marinade, on the table in less than 30 minutes. How to grill chicken, how to use balsamic vinegar, grilling tips. #balsamic #chicken #grilled

However, my apartment complex would never let me have a grill, and my new condo complex is the same. But there’s this nice patio just begging for a grill! What’s a girl to do?

Well, I did some digging, and apparently electric grills are a thing—not a very well-known thing, but a thing nonetheless. I knew I didn’t want to go the oversize George Foreman route. I found a few that got good reviews, and lucked out at Target a couple weeks ago and found a great CharBroil one on sale. This easy balsamic chicken recipe was its maiden voyage.

grilled balsamic chicken full plate

Isn’t that an amazing plate of food?! Look at me, making dinner on a work night like a grown-up BOSS.  Ain’t she gorgeous?! Putting it together wasn’t super fun, but totally worth it.

grill patio

My patio, on the other hand, looks a little rough since my dad and I pulled up the tile a couple weeks ago…READ THE POST

Honey Goat Cheese Chicken

I’m really on a roll with these easy chicken recipes. Chicken has been kind of a “meh” option for me, I think maybe I ate too much in college or something and just got tired of it.

Also I get freaked out worrying about whether it’s fully cooked or not. But I’ve had a string of awesome, flavorful, juicy, easy chicken recipes lately, courtesy of our good friend Pinterest.

Easy Honey Goat Cheese Chicken | This easy chicken recipe is a perfect 30-minute meal, great for any weeknight. Only 5 minutes of prep will have a healthy dinner on the table fast! #chickenrecipe #30minutemeal #easydinner #dinnerrecipe #goatcheese

My family and I tried out this recipe while they were visiting a few weeks ago. We wanted something simple and fairly fast, since we were starving. Also, we were really intrigued by the combination of honey, goat cheese, and butter cracker flavors (spoiler alert—they were awesome!), but we were also surprised by how great the kick of the red pepper was. It was exactly the touch that was needed.READ THE POST

Amuse Bouche: Grilled Cheese with Truffle Cheese & Rosemary Bread

This isn’t a “recipe”, per se, more an…idea. A discovering of two awesome things that belong together. This, my friends, is the story of how my mom and I made grilled cheese even better. Crazy, you say? Well, read on…

truffle grilled cheese1

It was Thanksgiving weekend. We’d baked and cooked our butts off Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. And Sunday I made my mom and dad a nice special meal. So by Monday night, we were pooped. Tired of cooking. But then we got to thinking…READ THE POST

Sweet & Savory Citrus Chicken Quinoa

I know, I know. You’re thinking, “Jessica, it’s the middle of winter, we just got hit by a cold spell/blizzard/snowpocalypse and you want me to eat healthy quinoa instead of the comfort food I was craving??? Girl, you are nuts.”

I get that. It’s cold and I want a blue cheese burger, fries, and a few glasses of wine. But in a weird way I’ve also been craving something healthier, to get a tiny bit of that summer feeling. And this citrus chicken quinoa dish is also incredibly hearty and filling.

Sweet & Savory Citrus Chicken Quinoa | This healthy and hearty recipe is a great spot of bright during the winter. An easy 30-minute meal! #weeknightdinner #easydinner #quinoa

The flavors are so light and summery, a bright spot in the chilly, rainy winter we’re having. This recipe was also very easy to throw together, and great as leftovers as well. I used a mixture of both red and white quinoa since I had them both on-hand, but you could use either separately as well.
READ THE POST

Almond Apple-Cinnamon Breakfast Smoothie

So, we’re back to smoothies…

I’ve been doing my best, despite an insane work schedule and a house search, to eat just as healthy as I do when I have time and energy. I get to work quite early, and I’m a big believer in breakfast (plus my blood sugar can go wonky). But oatmeal at my desk can get kind of boring. So lately I’ve been jumping on the smoothie merry-go-round.

almond apple smoothie apples

This almond apple smoothie caught my eye.  The apple-cinnamon flavor combo is a winner for me, and I love how the nuts (and greek yogurt) really gave it some added protein.  It’s also super easy!

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Coconut Milk Smoothie With Raw Egg: Healthy, Fat-Burning Breakfast

I’ve definitely been on a smoothie kick lately, and trying combinations that are way outside of my normal smoothie-zone. This whole past week I’ve been trying an apple-cinnamon shake (recipe to come), and then today I tried a smoothie with raw egg for the first time ever.

coconut egg smoothie finished

I know, raw eggs. Lots of people have an automatic “EWWW!” response to the thought of eating or drinking raw eggs. First thing—consuming raw eggs is not inherently dangerous. The only real danger is salmonella (also a danger from raw meat and various fruits and vegetables). By the most recent estimates, only maybe 1 in 30,000 eggs has salmonella, so those odds are fairly good in my book, but for children, elderly, and those with compromised immune systems it may be safer to stay clear.

And eggs are incredibly healthy—they’re full of protein, vitamin B, and choline, and they provide lots of energy and repair your body at a cellular level. Nutritionists and scientists still argue about whether or not raw eggs are actually healthier than cooked, but they made a nice protein addition to the shake…better than weird, chemical-y protein powder, at least.READ THE POST

Two Different Takes On Single-Serving Scones

Boy, I love scones.  They’re kind of my go-to breakfast food if I want to treat myself to something nice on the weekend.  I make plain scones, cherry almond scones, Starbucks pumpkin scones (recipe coming soon), pretty much anything I can.  But the downside is that a recipe generally makes 8-12 scones, which is way more than my poor workout schedule can take care of.  So when I saw not one but two recipes for single-serving scone recipes, I knew my life had just gotten exponentially more awesome.

2 single-serving scones recipes, using healthier ingredients | Finding Time For Cooking

I stopped eating breakfast a couple years ago, and generally on weekends I just have tons of strong coffee to start my morning.  Every so often, though, I’m struck with an intense craving for hot biscuits and honey.  That’s basically what scones and biscuits are to me—an excuse to pile on jam or honey.  You can’t say I don’t have my priorities straight.

easy single person scone recipe in food processor

healthy single-person scones recipes with tea for breakfast

These recipes are fairly similar, though the second one uses a little less sugar (and brown instead of white) and calls for coconut oil in its solid form (and seems slightly healthier overall).  I didn’t have coconut oil on hand the first time so I tried it with butter, but I made the recipe again using coconut oil (and whole wheat flour) and it was still great.  The first recipe also made a little more, I made two scones out of it.  Both also bake at higher temperatures (450 F) than all my other scone recipes. READ THE POST

Make-Ahead Egg Muffins With Veggies & Chives

I’ve been on a mission.  My mission is to find all of the best, easy, healthy breakfast options for work mornings.

Easy Egg Muffin Cups with Veggies | A super easy & delicious make-ahead healthy breakfast for work or school mornings.

I’ve already tried a few variations on egg muffin cups (here and here), but I liked how these guys looked. They were puffy and cheesy, and looked a little more substantial than the other ones I’d tried. Overall, I really liked them, though *cringe* I forgot that they were in the fridge at work and had to throw most of them out. It made me sad.
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Leftover Pasta Frittata

Guys, today was a big day for me. Life’s been a little crazy, so leftovers have piled up in my fridge for the past week. My eyes were bigger than my stomach when I bought produce and I thought I would use more of my leftovers, but I was going to have to throw everything away. And then I found the leftover pasta frittata, and my life changed.

Its beauty is in its simplicity and flexibility. Seriously almost anything can go in this frittata. Leftover beer mac & cheese? Check. Orange bell pepper and spinach getting close to expiration? Throw them in.

Generally I don’t have the time or energy to cook on a work night, but this was so easy. I even got some yoga in while the frittata was baking in the oven!READ THE POST

Make-Ahead Mini Baked Eggs & Veggies

I’m a breakfast proponent. Not because I love eating so early in the morning, but because it’s one of the best things you can do for keeping your blood sugar and energy up all day. Normally I just go for fiber-y cereal or instant oatmeal, or the smoothies I’ve been doing lately, but I found this idea from Pinterest intriguing. I’ve seen several of my co-workers cook up eggs in a pan ahead of time and make a McMuffin-type breakfast when they get to work, but this was a little different—the egg ends up almost poached.

You can make them plain or throw some veggies or cheese in as well. I had some sweet peppers and summer squash leftover from my CSA box last week, so I used those, and threw in some spinach that was about to go bad. I forgot cheese, but would totally put a little on next time.

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Saturday Night Dessert: Dark Chocolate Lava Mug Cake

I know I did a post on mug cakes a while back, trying out a few different recipes. And I have some new ones to try too, which I’ll get to later. But I wanted to do a separate post on this particular lava mug cake because it is awesome. It’s the best I’ve found so far, and the thing I like most is that it doesn’t taste too sweet or rich. With the dark chocolate, it’s the perfect balance of sweet, bitter, and creamy.

As I’ve established in other posts, I don’t keep desserts in my apartment, because I have an insane sweet tooth and would weigh 300 pounds. That way if I’m craving something, I either have to go somewhere and get it (which, let’s face it, I’m way too lazy to do) or make something (which takes time and energy, so I have to REALLY want it). Mug cakes fall into a dangerous area, because they only take five minutes to make, which is practically like keeping something in my pantry. But I can’t quit them.

Easy Dark Chocolate Lava Mug Cake | finding time for cooking blog

This here bad boy is my preferred Saturday night date.

Amazing that this many different ingredients can fit into a coffee mug.

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Too good to be true? No, too legit to quit (Microwave Mug Cakes)

I’m one of those people who believes that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There’s always a catch.

I also love dessert, but pretty much don’t keep anything in my apartment except raw ingredients. So that way, if I’m craving dessert, I either have to make something (which takes time and effort) or go out to get something (which also takes time and effort). Probably 98% of the time I talk myself out of it by sheer laziness because I can’t decide exactly what I want, which my waistline appreciates.

A few microwave mug cakes to try

So the idea of mug cakes is both brilliant and frightening, and also makes me a little skeptical. I love the single-serving aspect, since any time I bake a batch of cookies or cupcakes I end up eating half of them. I love the idea of something that takes less than 10 minutes to make. But is it legit? I decided to try a few out and see…

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Go-To Daily Vegetable—Literally (Sauteed Kale)

Most days, I don’t come close enough to my 5-7 servings of fruits & veggies. But I know for a fact that I get 2-3. And that’s through sauteed kale. I have a sickness, I love kale so much. I have literally had it 6 days a week for…months?

And the great thing is it’s literally a 5-10 minute dish. So buy yourself a big bag of chopped/torn kale (like $2.99 at the grocery store) or big leafy stems of kale (usually about $1.99 a bunch), and get started!

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