I’m so dang excited to share today’s recipe. If you heard any weird loud moans this past week, it was the sound of me while eating this dish. Y’all know I’m big on food with flavor. I don’t do bland food and I can’t eat food that isn’t flavored or seasoned well. So, today’s recipe is soooo full of truly good flavor. So much that I think I will probably be making this every week for the rest of my life. The best part is that it is SO fast and easy to make.

This incredible recipe comes from a new cookbook called Bold Flavored Vegan Cooking: Healthy Plant-based Recipes with a Kick by Celine Steen. And that title is legit, y’all. Celine is the author of the blog, Have Cake Will Travel. This is my first time discovering her blog and I’m SO glad I have. The flavors in this book are bold and delicious. Nothing bland here. If you love well-seasoned food, bold flavors, Asian and Japanese flavors, Korean, then this book is for you.

Smoky kale and chickpeas. Miso Peanut Drizzle and a side of sweet potatoes with the miso sauce and sesame seeds on top. All of this combined was a party in MY MOUTH. The miso peanut drizzle is delicious straight from the blender, but when you put it over the smoky kale and chickpeas, OMG. That is about all I can say.

Now, you all know that I’m an oil-free cook. You can see all my tips on How to Cook and Bake Without Oil. I do not use oil in my recipes here on this blog, except in the rare occasion of needing a buttercream frosting for cakes or cupcakes. There is one exception to that oil-free cooking when it comes to savory…and that is sesame oil. Sesame oil is something I only use maybe once or twice a year. Why? Well, simply because sesame oil is such a unique and important flavor that simply cannot be replicated. Also, it only requires a VERY SMALL amount to have a great impact on flavor. And like I’ve said before, I’m committed to oil-free cooking, but I don’t obsess over perfection in my life. If I go out to eat, I don’t worry about every ounce of oil, because I don’t eat out often. Plus, I’m here to tell you that this recipe is so full of flavor, that the sesame oil was so worth it.

HOW TO MAKE THIS OIL-FREE

If you do, however, want to 100% avoid oil for health reasons, I totally understand. I would just simply cook the kale and chickpeas in broth and stir-fry them that way and add extra sesame seeds on top of the dish. The sesame seeds really add a tremendous nutty flavor that will makeup for the lack of sesame oil.

I’ve been kind of going to town lately on sesame seeds already anyways. I have a Caramelized Onion Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl coming in my cookbook that I top with sesame seeds similar like I did with this kale and chickpea recipe and I just can’t seem to get enough of sesame seeds lately. She does not call for sesame seeds listed in her recipe, however, I noticed them in her photo and I feel they are a must garnish. Nice little crunch and boost of flavor!

She suggests serving this dish with sweet potatoes, which I thought was a fantastic idea. I just cooked a whole sweet potato, added some of the miso sauce and sesame seeds. So good. I think I’ll add miso peanut drizzle and sesame seeds to all of my sweet potatoes now, lol.

Celine’s book has so many amazing recipes and ideas and I’m beyond excited to try out some more. She has a kimchi sausage in the book that looks so freaking yummy and authentic. I practically drooled all over the page, haha. I love that her chapters are laid out in a unique way:

SAVORY
SPICY
SWEET
STAPLES

She also has some recipes labeled “In a Hurry” which I thought was really cool. Many are gluten-free and she even has some labeled oil-free. Some amazing recipes in the book are:

Summer Pinto Burritos, Crunchy Corn Waffles, Teriyaki Tempeh Tacos, Caramelized Jackfruit Tacos, Miso Sweet Cookies, Triple C Truffles….are you drooling yet?

Her pictures are really beautiful, too. They have a very warm and inviting style to them that makes you want to run to your kitchen and get cooking.

This Miso Peanut sauce. This sauce. I was eating it by the spoonful. Totally serious and not ashamed. It is delicious! It becomes even more alive when added to the smoky kale and chickpeas. Every part of this dish was fabulous. Hope you try it out and let me know what you think!

You can purchase Bold Flavored Vegan Cooking here!

Reprinted from Bold Flavored Vegan Cooking: Healthy Plant-Based Recipes with a Kick By Celine Steen, published by Page Street Publishing

Smoky Kale and Chickpeas with Miso Peanut Drizzle

Brandi Doming

Easy and quick smoky kale and chickpeas with a delicious miso peanut sauce. Vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free and a delicious and fast plant-based meal.

5 from 9 votes

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Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Yields 2 -3 servings

Ingredients

FOR THE DRIZZLE

1/3 cup (85g) natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon (18g) red miso, more if needed
Juice from 1 lemon (2 tablespoons, 30g)
2 teaspoons (10g) toasted sesame oil (see Note)
2 teaspoons (13g) agave nectar or brown rice syrup
2 1/2 tablespoons (15g) chopped scallions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon (15g) brown rice vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar
1/3 cup (80g) water, more if needed

FOR THE KALE & PEAS

2 teaspoons (10g) sesame oil (see Note)
1 small red onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups (256g) cooked chickpeas
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked sea salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 large bunch kale (about 14 oz {397g} ribs removed, washed and chopped

NOTE

Since this recipe is from the cookbook Bold Flavored Vegan Cooking, and not my recipe, there is more than 8 ingredients and a small amount of oil used. Sesame oil is the only oil I feel is ok to use in certain recipes because it is a flavor that cannot be replicated. I only use it maybe once or twice a year, if that. If you are 100% oil-free, simply omit it in the sauce and use water/broth for the kale and chickpeas stir-fry.

Instructions

To make the drizzle, place the peanut butter, miso, lemon juice, sesame oil, agave, scallions, garlic, vinegar and water in a blender. Blend until perfectly smooth. Adjust the miso to taste, and add more water if needed to get a thick yet pourable dressing. Set aside while preparing the rest of the dish. I like to use a squeeze bottle to serve the drizzle; it makes for a prettier presentation.
To make the kale and 'peas, place the sesame oil, onion, chickpeas, garlic, salt, paprika and chipotle powder in a large skillet. Heat on medium-high and stir-fry until the onion is golden brown and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently to prevent scorching. Add the kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Serve with potatoes on the side, and drizzle peanut sauce on top. If there is sauce leftover, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It tastes great on tofu bowls, baked potatoes and roasted vegetables.

Notes

If you want to 100% avoid oil for health reasons, I totally understand. I would just simply cook the kale and chickpeas in broth and stir-fry them that way and add extra sesame seeds on top of the dish. The sesame seeds really add a tremendous nutty flavor that will makeup for the lack of sesame oil.

Listed in the book, it states it is 3-4 servings, but for me, I ate it all in 2 servings. The sauce however I would say is definitely plenty, but I would double the kale and chickpeas portion for a true 4 servings if wanting to serve as a main meal. If just doing as a side dish, I could see this being 3-4.

Tried this recipe?Tag @thevegan8brandi on Instagram and use tag #thevegan8!

Keyword miso sauce, smoky chickpeas, tahini sauce