Kale and Peppers in Red Wine Sauce

Sometimes you want something rich and decadent to eat; other times, you feel a bit ascetic and long for something more noble. And when your cells are calling to you, telling you that they're desperate for food that's good for them, you've just got to listen to them. They know what they're talking about.

Too many long hours and stressful days tend to make even the most conscientious of us eat poorly - quick meals on the run, snacks, chips and/or cookies.

So when I woke up one morning craving vegetables - truly, nothing else sounded at all appetizing! - I knew I needed to give in. I chopped up some peppers and some beautiful red kale, full of color and nutrients, and sauteed them briefly in some good green olive oil. I made a quick sauce of pesto thinned a bit with red wine. And I served it all over a microwaveable package of whole grains and rice.

You'd think that a pile of vegetables on a mix of brown rice and quinoa would be a less-than-stellar meal, but you'd be wrong. Light, fragrant and richly flavored, this was just what my overstressed system needed, and a perfect nutritious dish for any time you need a bit of restoration.

Kale and Peppers in Red Wine Sauce

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 small orange pepper, chopped
6 stalks red kale, stems trimmed, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons pesto
1/2 cup red wine (Flip Flop Wines Merlot - a fabulous marketing gift!)
2 8.5-ounce packages Uncle Ben's Whole Grain Medley - Roasted Garlic flavor

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onions and peppers for 5 minutes, until softening. Add the kale and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the salt and the red pepper flakes.

Combine the pesto and the wine; pour into the skillet and bring to a boil. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half.

Prepare rice/grain medley according to package directions, then serve the vegetables over the rice.

Serves 4.