Hi! Welcome to “good mood food” from Kale Me Maybe’s Carina Wolff. If you’ve made it here and aren’t yet a subscriber, come join! You can expect recipes, musings, and faves in your inbox every Wednesday! Paid subscribers get even more on Fridays — right now I’m doing a 30-minute budget meal series! Learn more about the paid tier of my newsletter here. You can also try a week for free!

It feels like fake fall here in LA, and by fake fall, I mean the mornings are foggy and cool and the afternoons are a scorching 90 degrees. Not that I have been outside as much as I’ve wanted, as I’ve been working like a madwoman ahead of our trip to London. I did force myself to take the weekend off which was lovely, and we saw some friends and had a belated Rosh Hashana dinner with my family.

I’m going to take the week off of the newsletter next week when we are in London, but I’ll be back the following week when we return, although I will be dropping a podcast episode early next week! If you want to follow along on our trip, I’ll be posting on Instagram and TikTok. And I’ll do a recap on here when I’m back!

I’m really looking forward to traveling abroad — it always feels like such a palette cleanser when I get out of my usual environment and therefore out of my head. There’s nothing like being away to help you gain some much-needed perspective.

Last week, I asked everyone on Instagram what they thought about Quince, and most people said they like it, but it’s very hit or miss! After placing an order, I do have to agree, but I love this 100% cotton sweater I purchased! The quality of the cotton was really nice, and I love the cut of the sweater. It’s not too long, which I appreciate, the navy color is really pretty. I sized up for a more oversized fit.

Okay, more clothes, but only because when I wore this on Instagram everyone went wild. This Rib Crew Button Up from Abercrombie is super comfy and cute — it’s also on sale right now for $21 and comes in a few different colors! Gives slight 90s vibes, especially if you button it all the way up, but I like the little tummy peek!

I wanted cute glasses to film some sorbet content, and I found these Tulip Glass Dessert bowls on Amazon for only $20 for a set of six! I love how feminine and chic they look. You can check them out in action in this video here, where I made some Passionfruit Coconut Sorbet!

I know I’m not the only one like this, but I tend to get into food phases, eating the same variations of food on rotation. This year, hanger steak has been one of my food fixations, which means I’ve been making steak salads much more than usual (and it doesn’t help that I always see Chace Kitchen’s creative steak salads on my feed).

If you’re not familiar, hanger steak is similar to flank steak or skirt steak, but it’s a little richer and more tender. I’m actually not really a big steak person, but I have a specific obsession with hanger steak, specifically. I find it fairly easy to cook, and I love how it tastes with a chimichurri or other herby sauce.

In this salad, it’s paired with roasted butternut squash, sliced pears, red onion, and goat cheese, which is served with massaged kale and a spicy honey balsamic dressing. It’s fall, baby!

Some substitution options before we jump into things: If you want to make this vegetarian, use crispy chickpeas! If you can’t find hanger steak, flank and skirt are good options. If you don’t like pears, use apples. Feel free to ask about anything else!

• 1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cubed (about 2-3 cups)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp avocado oil

• 16 oz (1 lb) hanger steak

• 6 cups roughly chopped kale (stems removed)

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

• 1 pear, cut into matchsticks

• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

• 1 tsp fresh thyme, for garnish

• Aleppo pepper

• Salt & pepper

• 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 tsp hot honey

• Pinch of salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and add the cubed butternut squash. Toss in the olive oil and salt, and bake for 30 minutes, flipping squash halfway through.

2. While squash is roasting, prepare your steak. Season your steaks with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat up a medium cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat. Once the pan is really hot, add the oil, and then add the steak.

3. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side depending on how thick your steak is and how you want it cooked. I look for an internal temperature of 135ºF for medium rare. Remove steak from the pan, and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into slices.

4. Prepare the dressing by adding ingredients to a small bowl or jar and whisking together until smooth.

5. Add kale to a large bowl, and add a drizzle of olive oil with a pinch of salt. Massage with your hands to soften the kale and break down the fibers. Add the squash, red onion, and sliced pear to the bowl, and toss with most of the dressing (reserving a little bit to spoon over the steak).

6. Plate the tossed salad, and then top with sliced steak and goat cheese. Spoon the remaining dressing onto the steak, and then garnish with a little bit of fresh thyme and a sprinkle of aleppo pepper.

Last week, paid subscribers received another 30-minute meal recipe! You’re going to love this cross between a pizza and a classic tuna melt. And this week I have an epic soup recipe coming!

Just a reminder that anytime you become a paid subscriber, you get access to ALL of the past recipes in the archive. You can always do a free 7-day trial as well!