Crispy Kale and Tofu Salad with Coconut

I fully realize that I teased you with the prospect of Fry-Daddy recipes and photos. But, before I go on my fatty-bo-batty kick, I thought I'd leave you with one more uber healthy recipe. In an effort to expand my cooking horizons, I made perhaps my third tofu dish ever. Though I'm a huge fan of tofu, I just haven't had a ton of luck cooking with it.

Luckily, this fairly simple, but not that attractive recipe came together quickly and tasted quite yummy despite the healthy virtues of its contents. When I first spotted this in Food & Wine magazine, it seemed to be such an odd concoction of ingredients that I was immediately intrigued, mystified and inspired to make it despite my past failures with tofu. I'm not sure how one thinks of combining brown rice, kale, coconut and tofu in one dish but it works!

Because I'm a self admitted salt fiend/addict, I added Kosher salt to the salad before baking. Since kale seems to soak up salt like a sponge, please sprinkle judiciously. I think I went a little too far and ended up with one salty dish, which is fine by me but probably not the best for you!

Crispy Kale and Tofu Salad with Coconut
slightly adapted from Food & Wine
1 cup short-grain brown rice
Salt
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I used about 1/4 cup and thought that was more than enough)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 pounds Lacinato (flat) kale—stems and ribs removed, leaves chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
pinch of Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350° and position racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven. In a saucepan, combine the rice with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 35 minutes, until the rice is tender.

In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the sesame oil and soy sauce. Transfer two-thirds of the dressing to a large bowl. Add the kale, coconut and tofu; toss to coat, then spread on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake for 25 minutes, until crispy. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Stir once or twice and shift the pans halfway through baking. Return the mixture to the large bowl and toss with the remaining dressing and rice. Season with salt and serve right away.