I knew it wouldn’t be long before Trader Joe’s brought in this super-healthy and delicious green. Maybe you’ve heard about how good it is for you and maybe you’ve seen it appear at your local Trader Joe’s vegetable section recently but aren’t sure what to do with it. I became acquainted with it when making “Autumn Vegetable Ragout with Soft Polenta” in Sunset magazine years ago. Yum! I’ve used in many different ways since then.
Here are some suggestions.
What to Do With Kale
Take the leaves off the stems before using.
Add it to salads.
Kale is wonderful added to green salads. Chop it finely and add it any grain-based or vegetable salad.
Add it to soups.
Coarsely chopped kale is a welcome ingredient in hearty winter soups such as minestrone or bean or lentil soup.
Stir-fry it.
Add chopped kale to your favorite stir-fry about 5 minutes before it’s finished cooking. For a quick side dish, simply stir-fry 2 cups of chopped kale with a clove of minced garlic for 5 minutes; top with toasted sesame seeds and a drizzle of sesame oil.
Add chopped kale to a non stick skillet and stir fry for a few minutes before adding other greens, such as spinach, and spices and then egg whites or eggs for scrambled eggs or omelets.
Juice it.
Combine it with carrots and beets in your juicer and add a little fresh ginger root for a healthy and delicious juice.
Add it to cornbread.
Add 1/2 cup finely chopped kale and 1 minced jalapeño pepper to your favorite cornbread recipe for a tasty twist.
Make kale chips.
Baked kale chips are all the rage recently! Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and spin-dry one bunch of kale; tear leaves into bite-sized pieces. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the kale and sprinkle with one teaspoon of salt; bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are just beginning to brown.
