A natural antihistamine grand slam! Almost every single ingredient in this recipe is a powerhouse natural antihistamine. It's gorgeous, and intensely healthful. The red bell peppers, black-eyed peas, sweet potato, parsley, kale, lemon, and cayenne pepper are loaded with Vitamin C, the onion, garlic, and parsley are great sources of quercetin, and the flax seed oil and canola oil are high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids. It is also vegan, and free of all top 8 food allergens.


Ingredients

Roasted Red Pepper Coulis:

2 red bell peppers*
canola oil for coating the peppers
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/8th tsp. cayenne pepper
3 Tbsp. flax seed oil

Black-eyed Pea Cakes:
1 15 oz can black-eyed peas (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup raw sweet potato (or yam), grated/shredded
1/4 tsp. kosher salt (1/2 tsp. for low-salt black-eyed peas)
1 tsp. cumin
1/8th tsp. cayenne pepper (can be less if for kids)
1/8th tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. tightly packed chopped parsley
1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs

1/4 cup white rice flour
2 Tbsp. canola oil for frying

Braised Kale:
10 cups tightly packed kale (about 2 bunches)

washed, de-stemmed, and cut into 1 inch ribbons*
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup soy-free, gluten-free vegetable broth

(try Pacific --they make 1 cup recipe sized cartons)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. lemon juice


Preheat broiler. Coat peppers with canola oil. Broil peppers 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes until charred on all sides. Remove from broiler and put in a paper bag, sealed at the top. The steam will loosen the skin. Let sit for 15 minutes. Peel, core, and de-seed. Puree garlic in food processor. Add peppers and puree. Add salt and cayenne pepper. Puree. Add flax seed oil, 1 tablespoon at a time. Puree until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a squeeze bottle using a funnel, or to an airtight container. (This can be made in advance, just let it come to room temperature before serving.)

Empty half the drained black-eyed peas (3/4 cup) into a large bowl. Mash with the back of a fork against the side of a bowl. Sauté onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp. canola oil over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes, stirring. Add red bell pepper, and cook about 3 minutes more until pepper is slightly softened. Add onion mixture to mashed black-eyed peas. Mix in sweet potato, remaining black-eyed peas, salt, and spices. Mix in parsley and gluten-free bread crumbs. Divide into 4 balls. Lay out a sheet of wax paper on a tray. Mold balls into cakes, about 1 inch thick and 3 inches in diameter. Place on wax paper, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate until needed. (These can also be made several hours in advance.)

Heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add kale and cook, stirring frequently, until just wilted. Add vegetable broth and salt. Stir, reduce heat to low, and cook covered about 8 minutes to braise the kale until it becomes tender. Remove lid and cook about 5 minutes more, to reduce broth. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice.

Remove black-eyed pea cakes from fridge. Put white rice flour on a plate, and coat cakes with it. Heat 2 Tbsp. canola oil in a large cast iron skillet (or nonstick frying pan) over medium heat until oil begins to ripple. Gently place cakes in pan and cook 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Avoid the temptation to cook them longer, they do not need it.

Using tongs, divide the kale evenly between four plates (being sure to let the excess broth drip off, you don't want it soupy). Top with a black-eyed pea cake, and drizzle with roasted red pepper coulis. Serves 4.

* Time saver tips:
If you want to save a little time, buy your red bell peppers pre-roasted from the deli section at your local grocer, and look for washed, chopped, bagged kale in the produce section.