I've always heard kale being touted as a superfood but I never jumped on the bandwagon...until now. I'm not a huge fan of sautéed greens, and that's the only thing I thought of when I envisioned kale. Boy was I wrong! Kale, as it turns out, is super versatile! Seriously, you could use kale every day of the week and it wouldn't taste the same. Here are just a few of my new favorite kale recipes.
KALE PESTO
Thanks to Sweet Peas & Saffron for this great, nutty recipe.
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch kale, rinsed and stems removed
1/4 C pepitas, raw
1/4 C sunflower seeds, raw
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated
1 garlic clove
2-3 T olive oil
2 T fresh lemon juice, optional
1/4-1/2 t salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add kale and simmer one minute. Drain in colander; run cold water over kale. Squeeze dry.
Heat pepitas and sunflower seeds in dry skillet (no oil) over medium heat. Cook until seeds are lightly browned; stirring frequently.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until blended, scraping the sides as necessary.
Serve with your favorite noodles, gnocchi or as a topper for tomatoes or fish. The possibilities are endless. I have recently discovered Organic Edamame and Mung Bean Fettuccine and I love it! Find it at your local co-op and serve with this nutty pesto.
Bean & Veggie Soup
Thanks to The Wanderlust Kitchen for this recipe.
INGREDIENTS
2 T olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/4 t dried thyme
1/2 t dried rosemary
32 oz. vegetable broth
2 (14 oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
3 C kale, chopped and ribs removed
3 t salt
1 t pepper
1 T sugar
1 T white wine vinegar
Parmesan cheese
Crusty bread
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion, celery, carrots, zucchini and squash. Cook 4 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme and rosemary. Cook 30 seconds. Stir in broth, beans and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Add kale. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Use immersion blender, leaving some beans and veggies whole. Stir in remaining ingredients. Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.
NOTES: I prefer to avoid canned foods whenever possible, and if I have time I will prepare dried beans and use fresh tomatoes in this recipe. However, if time is tight, using the cans makes this meal ready in a snap. You can pour small amounts into a blender if you don't have an immersion stick. Just make sure you leave an air hole in the lid, covered with a towel, to allow steam to escape.
Kale Chips
This healthy snack is super easy to make. Preheat oven to 300 F. Wash kale (any amount) and let dry. Use a salad spinner to get off excess water. Remove ribs and cut into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle olive oil over; then use fingers to rub oil into leaves so that you reach into each crevice. Add more oil if needed. Sprinkle with garlic salt or whatever seasoning you like. For one bunch of kale, you'll want approximately 1 teaspoon of seasoning. Spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving room between the leaves to allow for even drying. Bake for 10 minutes; then check to see how well done they are. Each oven bakes differently and kale can burn quickly, so you'll want to monitor the chips every minute or so from here on to make sure they don't burn. Remove from the oven when the chips have reached their desired doneness - crispy but not burned. Allow to cool on a baking rack. Eat immediately. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container and reheat at 300 F for 5 to 10 minutes.
