Our trip to South America was just what we needed. We spent our time in Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Salta in Argentina and The Atacama Desert, and Valparaisa in Chile, a little time in Uraguay and a little time in Lima, Peru. We left craving for more, like Machu Picchu, but it was raining there and we had been gone for almost a month. I thought that our choices of food would be overwhelmingly meat. I was wrong. We went to a famous for its’ meat restaurant the first night in BA and then ate mostly fish for the rest of the trip(there was the time when I ordered what I thought he said was lamb and it turned out to be llama!)We missed vegetables a lot! The South Americans use them for garnishes, but not so much as a real side. So, when we returned home a couple of days ago, we stopped at the Rutherford Grill for lunch and we both ordered huge salads.  Mine was a kale salad and I immediately realized that it was exactly what I was craving. So this is my kale salad that I have been practically living on for the past week.
The picture is one that I took in Valparaiso which is a gritty seaport city, very scenic, rusty, very, very steep streets and sidewalks that are part steps, a cement stairmaster to our hotel. There is graffiti EVERYWHERE. It’s not the tagging, bad spelling kind of graffiti (there IS some of that too). It is art. There are literally thousands of them all over the city. Some are complete buildings. It’s like the old broad put on lipstick and eyeshadow and dressed herself up. It’s amazing.

Spicy Peanut Dressing
3 tablespoons smooth, natural peanut butter
3 tablespoons warm water
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Kale salad
1 large bunch Lacinato kale, very small chop
1/2 cup minced fresh mint
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Toss the kale, mint and walnuts with the dressing. Taste and add more dressing if needed.