Kale
Lacinato or Winter Varieties.
Please do not be afraid of this amazing vegetable. Kale is very high in minerals and vitamins. Kale is an amazing anti-inflammatory and is great for lowering your pH. But don’t let all that scare you.
We grow two kinds of kale: Lacinato (also known as Dino Kale) is a flatter leaf with wrinkles ( I suppose like dinosaur skin), and Winterbor is the traditional light green kale you have probably seen in the grocery store.
Storage and Preparation:
Kale should be stored like all other greens in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Kale likes to be cold and moist. Kale will store up to 2 weeks in your refrigerator.
Kale cooked:
Great in stir fries and soups ( I prefer to put the kale in at the end of cooking time so it still retains its texture). Steam it and finish off with a little tamari and lemon juice. Saute it in a pan with garlic and lemon juice. Serve it over plain brown rice with black beans.
Kale raw:
This surprises most people. It is a shame that at one time the propaganda was spread that you can’t eat kale raw. My favorite way is to chop it up very small and serve it topped with a sweet vinaigrette such as raspberry, strawberry or blueberry.
Curried Greens:
1 pound greens (such as chard, kale or beet greens or a mix.)
2 cloves garlic
2-3 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, finely diced
3/4 pound potatoes, cubed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1. Wash and drain greens, removing any coarse stems and midribs. Cut into half inch strips.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, curry powder, tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar.
3. Heat oil in a skillet and saute onion over medium heat until it begins to brown. Add the spice and tomato mixture, mix well, and cook for a few minutes.
4. Add the potatoes and 2 cups water.
5. Mix well, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add greens and cook for 10 minutes more, or until potatoes are done.
Other Recipe Ideas:
- Kale is perfect for green smoothies.
- I love kale steamed and then mixed with this sauce: 1 part tahini, 1 part peanut butter, and 1 part maple syrup.
- Don’t forget kale chips. These will store for several days in a sealed container.
