Finger Food Recipe - Kale, Ham, and Button Mushroom Crostini

Who'd have thought that extended labor work involved in moving can result in gaining weights? I'm remodeling my old place, so I've been moving boxes and luggage back and forth for the past few days. I should be losing weights, but I talked myself into eating big dinner, snacks, and sweetened drinks, you know, since I've been doing lots of muscle work.

I guess either moving doesn't help with burning calories, or I just over-indulged with legit excuse. Time to get back to a healthier diet.

Kale, ham, and button mushroom crostini -

Ingredients?

• 145 grams bacon, ham, or pancetta chunks
• 15 button mushrooms
• 1 small bundle kale
• 1 medium baguette
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Some salt
• Some black pepper
• Some ricotta

How?

Slice baguette and toast in oven using high heat. Just toast till the baguette slices turned slightly crunchy on the edges. No need to drizzle olive oil since we're going to spread some ricotta over.

Cut the meat into smaller chunks, almost cube-shaped. Slice the lemon into wedges. Trim and halve the button mushrooms. Roughly chop the kale into smaller pieces. Separate the leaf and the stems. Only use the leaf for this recipe. I actually use chopped stems in fried rice afterward.

Drizzle some olive oil to a non-stick pan and turn to medium high heat. Add in meat chunks along with some salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Give it a quick mix.

Once slightly colored, add in kale and mushrooms. Add more salt if needed. Cook till kale starts to wilt then remove from heat.

When the baguette slices are ready, spread some ricotta and top with stir-fried ingredients. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Don't over stir-fry the button mushrooms, otherwise they'll start to shrink due to moisture loss. You'll be amazed how small a big button mushroom can turn into if not paying attention to the cooking time.

No more snacking after this, no more sweetened drinks after this, it's time to get back on track. Mind me not, just trying to hypnotize myself here.


Extended reading:

• Picturesque country bread with ricotta, cherry tomatoes, and basil