sun-dried tomato and kale skillet

No equipment needed recipes. Part 4! And a brief sundried tomato summary.

One-pot and one-pan recipes are so darn fantastic. Here’s another to add to your repertoire!

Since becoming a mom, throwing everything into a pan has become my dinner time default.

Sometimes the results are meh but generally edible. And other times they’re unexpectedly exceptional. I keep the failures to myself but love sharing the victories.

This skillet is one of those surprise successes.

Here’s my take, when making easy recipes with fewer ingredients there has to be a designated flavor builder. Something that ties everything together and makes it delicious!

In the world of one-pot wonders sans plants, the hero ingredient is often... drumroll... cheese.

But since many of us have bid farewell to cheese (or are in the process of doing so, or are simply exploring cheese-less meals), it's wonderful to have a plant-based flavour playbook — alternatives we can turn to when something needs a flavour boost.

Here are my go-to solutions: a divine sauce, a scoop of avocado, a medley of spices and herbs, and/or a bold ingredient.

When I think big bold ingredients I think olives, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, pickles, sauerkraut, etc. Any of these can elevate even the simplest meal and you might have other ideas, please share in the comments!

For this skillet recipe I reached for the sundried tomatoes.

Here’s how it went down.

A few weeks ago (amidst a broken oven, a temperamental Vitamix, and a computer that decided to call it quits mid-sentence — they say it comes in threes, right?), I peered into my fridge and spotted some mushrooms, kale, and leftover rice. Combined with a can of chickpeas, they were destined to be our dinner.

Immediately, thoughts of robust Mediterranean flavors came to mind. I soaked some sun-dried tomatoes, tossed them into the pan, added tahini for a creamy texture, and squeezed in plenty of lemon to brighten it all up.

So good.

Sun-dried Tomatoes 101

Sundried tomatoes are tomatoes that have been dried by the sun (or by mechanical dehydration) removing most of the water and concentrating the intense tomato flavour. Sundried tomatoes lend complexity to recipes — they’re sweet, tangy, and impart loads of umami goodness. When looking to add depth to a whole-food recipe, especially if it boasts other Mediterranean ingredients, I look no further than sundried tomatoes.

Now let’s talk about the two main varieties of sun-dried tomatoes you’ll find in grocery stores.