All Hail the Kale!

Kale: King of the Greens

Kale is an easy and pretty green to grow in your garden and heaps of it are on offer at farmers' markets. But even vegetarians shun it sometimes and it was thought to be fit for only cattle to eat (lucky cows!). 

In the past few years, we're growing and eating more kale. I was intrigued when my colleague Linnea Bjorkman gifted me a few large leaves from her beautiful garden. So I went to my bookshelf and pulled out Grow, Cook, Nourish by Darina Allen, a compendium of gardening advice and more than 500 recipes. 

 

I imagine you're thinking, "but what does kale taste like?" Granted, a leaf that's been hanging on the plant for a month might be bitter and fibrous, but the large leaves given to me were fresh and tasty. I could imagine them mixed with other greens in a salad, but for this first foray into kale eating, I wanted to cook them. 

Allen's book did not disappoint, with six recipes for kale. "Kale Stir-Fry with Asian Flavors" caught my eye and I selected the recipe to make as a side dish. It's easy, has few ingredients, and cooks up fast! 

If you don't have Darina's book, go to this link of easy vegan recipes for a similar one: https://www.glueandglitter.com/easy-kale-recipe/

However, the book's recipe adds sliced scallions, a chili pepper, a pinch of palm sugar, and a teaspoon of sesame oil at the end. Or you could omit the chili and use spicy sesame oil. 

It's a nice, simple recipe that invites you to experiment. I have made it into a full main dish by adding cubed tofu or chicken and vegetables. It is good over rice or scooped up in chapati or a tortilla. It shines alongside squash or stirred into a soup. 

Best of all, kale's benefits are many: it is packed with vitamins, phyto-nutrients, fiber, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, folate, niacin, and antioxidants. You'll be hale if you eat kale--it truly deserves the title of superfood, as well as super tasty food!