Asian Kale, Green Bean & Tofu Salad

6oz green beans, trimmed and cut in half
1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
1 orange bell pepper, cut into thin strips
4 Tbs toasted sesame oil
4 Tbs rice vinegar
2 Tbs brown sugar
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs chile-garlic sauce, or sambal oelek
8oz smoked baked tofu, diced

1) Place beans and 1/4 cup water in skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and cook 3 minutes, or until beans are just tender. Drain, and rinse under cold water to cool. Drain again.
2) In a large bowl, massage the kale until tender and reduced in size. Toss with green beans, bell pepper and tofu.
3) In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and chile-garlic sauce. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.

Review: I've been making a ton of Asian foods lately. It's such a great food option for me. The recipes have been wheat-free (check your soy sauce, though!), vegan, easy and tasty. That's rare to find in any other cuisine. But, it also means I've been going through ingredients that once upon a time were a novel ingredient in my kitchen. I keep emptying bottles of toasted sesame oil (it used to rot in my fridge from lack of use!) and I'm about to empty a bottle of rice vinegar! This recipe is another fine example of how well this type of food is for me. This was a quick, easy salad to make. It's a little spicy, but very savory and filling. I thought of using hot chili sesame oil instead, but ultimately forgot to do so. Maybe next time!

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/asian-kale-green-bean-and-tofu-salad/