Mashed Potatoes, Pepper Steak, Sesame Kale and Steamed Okra

I was really hungry tonight and wanted something that would really fill me up.  What better way to do that than through "meat" and potatoes?  I thought so!  This meal was really great too because it came together pretty quickly, which is what Hubbs and I wanted.  I love potatoes in any form, so this really hit the spot and I had a bunch of kale and okra (my recent favorite!) in the fridge.  The pepper steak was leftover from a recent gluten free Wednesday.  It was seriously sooo delicious, the pepper steak being the best part.  And just to clear up any confusion, vegan pepper steak is supposed to taste similar to meat pepper steak, made from beef, but it is more similar in color and flavor to chicken, so even though it is technically called pepper steak, I always refer to it as chicken.  So, enjoy the delicious meal, we definitely did!

Mashed Potatoes, Pepper Steak, Sesame Kale & Okra:




Sesame Kale, Crispy Pepper Steak, Fresh Okra and
 Buttery Mashed Potatoes

 
Super Simple Mashed Potatoes:
5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons earth balance
1/2 cup potato cooking water, or as needed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Sesame Kale:
1/2 bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves sliced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons shoyu or tamari
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Okra:
2 dozen okra spears
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt, to taste

2 Prepared Pepper Steaks, thawed and pan fried

1.  This meal comes together quite quickly.  The first thing you want to do is start the potatoes - they will take the longest. 
2.  Place peeled and diced potatoes in a medium pot over medium heat, covered with lukewarm water. Bring to a boil and allow to cook until easily pierced with a fork.
3. Drain the potatoes, reserving 1 cup of the potato cooking liquid.
4. Place the drained potatoes back in the pot and add the earth balance. Mash with a potato masher until desired texture is achieved. Add the 1/2 cup potato cooking water, sea salt and black pepper, mashing until all the ingredients are incorporated. Add more potato water as needed.
5. Place lid back on potatoes to keep warm as finishing remaining components of meal.
6.  In the meantime, bring a medium pot of water to a boil.  This water will be used to blanch the kale and cook the okra.
7.  Submerse the kale in the water for about 1 minute, or until bright green and tender. Use a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the kale from the water and place in a colander in the sink to drain. Do not dump out the water. You are going to use the water to cook the okra.
8.  While the kale is draining, add the okra to the pot and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes.  Once cooked, drain.  You are finished with the water at this point.
9.  In a medium saute pan or a wok over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and allow it to warm. Once it is warm, add the garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, about 1 minute. Add the drained kale and stir immediately. It will sizzle and pop - be careful.
10. Add the sesame seeds and red pepper flakes and toss to coat. Add the shoyu/tamari and toss to coat, seasoning to taste.
11.  To finish the meal, once the okra has been drained, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the sea salt to taste.
12.  To serve, place a serving of each of the items on your plate and top the potatoes with additional earth balance if desired.

Enjoy!

-K