I didn’t leave work until almost seven last night so when I got home I was ravenous! To give you some perspective, I usually eat dinner around 5:30 (maybe 6).

This weekend I purchased some portabella mushroom caps because I’ve found I really like mushrooms and these looked like the next step on the fungus journey. They really do look weird though and I can see how some people might be afraid to eat them but rest assured, there is nothing to fear.

I also bought kale this weekend, another veggie I’ve never had. I know – shame on me! But I find I’m always grabbing for something more familiar but this week I forced myself out of the comfort zone.

As I was grabbing things out of the fridge, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to make but the kale and mushroom caps both came out. I was thinking something along the lines of a stuffed cap. You’ll see that definitely did not happen.

See, I put the cap on a skillet (because that’s how I cook smaller mushrooms) and then started to realize I don’t know how to cook a mushroom cap.

It sat and stared at me, not getting any more edible. I quickly grabbed my phone to document my journey and to Google how to go about this properly.

Between snapping pics and trying not to let anything burn, I wasn’t having much luck with my internet search.

So I regrouped, sliced the cap and started again.

Don’t mind the bits of kale hanging out in the pan. The mad kale chop was happening inches away on the counter.

And the tongs were multi-purpose so everything got mixed around.

So stuffed caps were no longer going to happen so I decided to make a layered bowl as I often do.

I quickly put some couscous in a pot with some water and fished some leftover pintos out of the fridge.

I love couscous for a number of reasons but a huge one is how fast it cooks. I call it my convenience grain. Probably five minutes and it’s on its way to over cooked! I stirred in the beans once the water was absorbed and let that hang out on the stove while I finished up the mushroom.

It was looking pretty tender so I took it off the pan and put the kale in with a top over it to wilt. After a few minutes, it was time to plate.

And peaking out from the corner…

There was a grain and protein buried under all that green, I promise!

First off, omg to the mushrooms! So good! Slightly smoky and charred and perfectly meaty and tender. These will be a regular in my meal rotation from now on. I’m seriously impressed!

The kale on the other hand tasted like a vegetable, which is my way of saying it tasted like its negative stereotype. Not that it was bad (hello – I love vegetables!) but if you’re new to the green-leaf-eating community, I’d stick with something a little more palatable like spinach. And that’s not a condescending comment. I plan to stick with spinach lol.

Gotta run. I’ve got another insane day ahead of me and no time to waste! We’re having Thai food catered for lunch though so at least there is something to look forward to.

Have a great day!