Southwestern Kale Salad

Pinto Beans from Scratch:

1. Sort dry beans and remove any pebbles or overly dried beans.
2. Cover pinto beans with water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Alternatively, to quick soak the beans, cover them with water and bring to a boil and then turn off the heat and cover beans for an hour to soften.
3. Drain soaking water and rinse beans.
4. In a large pot, cover the soaked beans with fresh water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add in a bay leaf, whole garlic cloves, and ½ an onion (not chopped) to flavor the beans. If desired, add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for some heat.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the beans, partially covered, for 30-45 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises as they cook. The time will be longer if you’re using older dried beans or live at higher altitude. Sample a few beans to check doneness before turning off the heat – they should be tender to the bite but not soft.
6. Remove the bay leaf, garlic cloves and the half onion. Season the beans generously with salt to your liking.

Southwestern Kale Salad:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Dice the sweet potato into small cubes. Toss with olive oil, cumin, and garlic powder. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, tossing halfway.
3. In a large salad bowl, combine chopped kale with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and use your hands to massage the kale until soft and the leaves have darkened.
4. Prep other toppings while waiting for the sweet potatoes to finish roasting.
5. Assemble salads by making a bed of massaged kale, and topping them with roasted sweet potato cubes, ½ cup pinto beans, a handful of cherry tomatoes, some corn, and avocado slices. If desired, add jalapeño, radish, and cilantro.
6. Garnish salads with lime wedges and, if desired, warm corn tortillas and serve on the side.