Conquering Kale

Posted: October 27, 2011 | Author: lmoose | Filed under: Blog | Tags: garlic, gluten free, kale, pine nuts, Salty | 1 Comment »

Kale is a much maligned, ignored, even shunned vegetable. But everyone from Dr. Oz to Michelle Obama is telling us that it’s the healthiest food on the planet and must be eaten on a daily basis. Since I always do what I’m told (NOT) I’ve been making a lot of kale. Like anything else it’s how it’s prepared that makes it either delish or nasty. I’ve included three recipes. All guaranteed to make you enjoy this green super food. Hate the term ‘super food’ by the way. So over used. So I thought I’d use it. Try these recipes. Become a kale lover. Conquer your fear and hatred of kale.

 

BAKED KALE CHIPS

If you are a salt maniac like me you won’t let anyone else near these chips. Thing is you’ll inhale them so fast that no one else will have the opportunity to have any. Not sharing is encouraged.

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt,

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

3 large handfuls lacinato kale, torn into shreds

1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Combine the salt, smoked paprika, and garlic in a small bowl.

Wash the kale. Rinse the kale leaves, then put them in a salad spinner and spin until the green becomes a blur. Round and round, spinning and spinning — let the kale dry. After it comes out, dry it even more with paper towels. Those leaves should be bone dry.

Oiling the kale. Put the kale leaves in a large bowl. Drizzle over 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Massage the oil into the leaves. You might need more. You might have larger hands than I do. Use your judgment.

Bake the chips. Arrange the kale chips onto the sheet try and slide it into the oven. Bake until the leaves are crisp to the touch but still a dark green. (When they turn brown, they turn bitter.) Check at the 12-minute mark, to be sure.

Remove them from the oven. Sprinkle with the garlic smoked paprika salt.

Let them cool a bit. Eat.

Recipe courtesy of www.glutenfreegirl.com

 

MASSAGED KALE SALAD WITH RADISH, APPLE, AVOCADO, AND ROASTED SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Apparently kale enjoys a good massage. That just sounds so very wrong. But it’s true. It essentially changes the texture of the veg to make it more pliable and yummy.

1/2-1 teaspoon sea salt

4 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons lemon juice (one whole lemon)

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1 apple (cored and sliced)

6 radishes (sliced)

1 avocado

1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds

Rinse off the kale, Cut crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces, including stems if using dinosaur kale. Sprinkle on 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and begin to squeeze the kale and salt vigorously with your hands so that the kale softens and moisture begins to sweat out. Taste it to see if you need any more salt, which you probably will. Massage the kale until it’s moist and tender.

Mix together the lemon juice, honey, and ginger, and combine with the kale. Toss together. Slice up the apple into small chunks, the radish, the avocado, add the roasted sunflower seeds and some pepper–toss it and serve.

*to roast sunflower seeds, put into a shallow pan, preheat your oven onto 350 degrees F and bake for 10-15 minutes. For lighter a roast, 10 minutes, for a darker roast, 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of www.food52.com

 

SAUTEED KALE

This is the most basic of recipes. I like to add garlic in the beginning and some pine nuts when I’m done. If you’re feeling fancy, toss some balsamic vinegar on it at the end of cooking.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion chopped

1 bunch kale, trimmed and chopped into 1-inch strips

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat

Reduce heat to medium low and add onion

Sauté for 15 minutes until carmelized

Add kale and sauté for 5 minutes uncovered

Cover pot with a lid and sauté for 1-2 minutes until wilted

Recipe courtesy of www.food52.com

 

---