Creamed Kale and Onions

I've seen several recipes for creamed kale, which is usually a cashew and soy milk based cream with some sauted kale, but most of them seemed pretty plain, so I decided to make my own!  In my versions I have onion slices that are not pureed into the sauce for an extra crunch, and some red pepper flakes for a bit of spice.  I have this dish pictured by itself, but for the leftovers I'm planning on having it on top of barley and adding in some whole cashews, Yum!

Creamed Kale and Onions

Ingredients: 

4-6 c kale, sliced into bite-sized pieces

1/4 c vegetable broth

1 onion, 1/2 finely chopped, 1/2 thinly sliced

1 c non-dairy milk

1/4 c raw cashews (+extra if you want to add it to the final dish)

1 t garlic powder, or 2 t minced garlic

1/2 t salt

1/2 t ground black pepper

1/2 t red pepper flakes (optional)

Sauce                          Onions                             Kale

Directions: In a large skillet, saute finely chopped onions in the vegetable broth until translucent, about 8 minutes.  In a food processor, process the cashews into smaller particles.  Add the sauted onions, almond milk, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes into the food processor and process until creamy.  Saute thinly sliced onion for 5 minutes, adding water to saute as needed.  Add creamed sauce and bring to a simmer.  Once at a simmer, add the kale and toss with tongs for 5 minutes, or until kale is slightly wilted and well covered with cream sauce.  Serve by itself as a side dish, or top a whole grain with creamed kale for a heartier meal.

Amy's notes:  When I made this recipe the first time, I added 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and found it a bit too hot.  Be cautious with how much you add, depending on your spicy preference.  Since the red pepper flakes go into the food processor, a little goes a long way!  Also, the first time I made this, I had barely 4 cups of kale, but next time I will use much more, probably around 6 cups.  In the picture, I served my Creamed Kale and Onions with my Pumpkin Wild Rice Soup.

Kevin and I are leaving for his hometown of Sequim tonight to start our week-long Thanksgiving break.  I'm very excited to get to spend the vacation with his family, while going on a road trip at the same time!  We have a lot of day trips planned, as well as trying some yummy food!  So, my blog will temporarily be turning into a traveling food blog with not too many recipe posts.  Hope everyone has a fun and save Thanksgiving holiday!

What is your strategy for eating nutritiously during a road trip, while still getting to try the new fun foods you find?