Kale with Balsamic Bacon Butter and Quinoa

I've made this dish about five times in the last month.  It's one of the few foods coming from my kitchen lately that I actually cook.  I am in the middle of a very busy photography season and I am swamped with a capital s.

Things here are cray cray.

This dish is pretty straight forward and simple, but BIG on taste.  Seriously.  If you  think you don't like kale, you should try it like this.  Yes, I could have added more bacon, more balsamic, etc, but you can if you want.  I am too rushy rushy at this time in my life and I need simple.  I loooove the caramelized onions in it.

Here are my notes:

--The shredded kale is found at Walmart by the salad mixes.  Love, love, love this new find!  Pre-washed, pre-shredded.  Yes, please.

--Those big globs above are the bacon balsamic butter that comes in the bag with the kale.

--I eat this cold too, right out of the fridge like a salad.

--Put as much onion as you want.  Put as much quinoa as you want.  Sometimes I just make a batch of quinoa which is 1 cup dry quinoa to 2 cups water, and sometimes I cook more.  It's not baking, it's throwing stuff together in a pan.

--I keep saying that toasted nuts would work well in this.  I'm thinking pine nuts.  What do you think?

 

Kale with Balsamic Bacon Butter and Quinoa 

Printable Recipe

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium to large onion, chopped

2-3 teaspoons minced garlic

1 (10-ounce) bag shredded kale with balsamic bacon butter (found by the salad mixes)

1/4 cup water

3-5 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup quinoa yields 3 cups cooked) 

Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Place the extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion when butter is melted.  Cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes, stirring often.  Add the garlic, then add the bag of kale with balsamic butter.  Add a 1/4 cup of water to the skillet and place a lid on top.  Cook for about 10-12 minutes until kale is tender, stirring several times.  Remove from heat and stir in the cooked quinoa.  Add salt and pepper to taste.