"Fuhrmanized" Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

Little makes me happier than a particular kale, almond, and Brussels sprouts salad I find at a local, fortuitous grocery store. However, I found in the ingredients list a couple items that really don't fit into the Eat to Live mindset, namely asiago cheese (yum!), dried cranberries, and canola oil (boo).

Here's my take on the awesome salad:

Ingredients:
1 bunch lacinato "dinosaur" kale
1/2 lb Brussels sprouts, fresh
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup dried currants
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup shallots or minced red onion
2 T olive or coconut oil
2 T Dijon mustard
2 T lemon juice
1 T minced garlic

Directions:

1. Rinse and slice the sprouts (start with 1/2 lb, or 10-20 sprouts) by chopping off the bottom and cutting about 1/4" thick. Feel free to simply chop, if desired. 
2. Place oil and garlic in saucepan, heat until garlic starts to caramelize. Add sprouts and saute for 2-3 minutes, but not so long that they get soft. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and Dijon, stir. 
3. Rinse and cut kale into small strips, removing the hard stalks first, as the sprouts cool. 
4. Transfer everything into a large serving bowl or container, "massaging" the kale as you add. This will help it become a little more tender. 
5. Add minced onion, shallots, nutritional yeast, currants, and almonds to the mix, and toss. The salad should be covered lightly with dressing. 

Given this was my first attempt at making the salad, I had way too much of the dressing in place. The sprouts should have a greenish-yellow tinge to them, while the kale should stay vibrant and green. Ideally, there should also be a 2:1 ratio of kale to sprouts.

Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

My daughter loves mac and cheese. A lot. Probably more than anyone should.

Given this, I can't bring myself to make boxed, prepackaged varieties for her, regardless how easy they are and how tired I am after work. Today, in a pinch, I decided to make a variety on my own, with only the ingredients I had in my refrigerator.

Ingredients:
2.5 cups whole grain noodles, uncooked
 2 cups cauliflower, chopped small
1 block extra sharp white cheddar cheese, cut into small pieces 2 Tablespoons flax seeds
 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
 1 teaspoon ground mustard
 Salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Directions
Put everything in a crock pot and cook on low for two hours, stirring occasionally. Once complete, season to taste. I particularly like adding dill.

The only ingredient I want to eliminate is the heavy whipping cream, but it was all I had in lieu of regular milk. I will post an update next time!