Use basic kale recipes and learn to change it up!

Don’t turn your face up at kale until you learn how to make it.  Kale can be sauteed, steamed, boiled, baked and even fried (although I would not be an advocate for that!).  But if you are new to using kale let’s start with something very simple – like a sauteed kale recipe.

STORAGE: 

• Kale can stay stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

PREP:

• Rinse kale well in a bowl of water.
• Discard any brown or yellow leaves.
• Trim off tough stems.
• Chop or slice leaves by rolling up the leaves of kale and slicing into thin ribbons.

Don’t turn your face up at kale until you learn how to make it.  Kale can be sauteed, steamed, boiled, baked and even fried (although I would not be an advocate for that!).  But if you are new to using kale let’s start with something very simple – like a sauteed kale recipe.

Basic Sauteed Kale Recipe

Kale is great a sautéed dish – generally with onion, garlic and olive oil.  Here is a general, basic kale recipe by Chef Bobby Flay for sautéed kale:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds young kale, stems and leaves coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock or water
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, but not colored. Raise heat to high, add the stock and kale and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add vinegar.

Now the key is learning how to take this simple little kale recipe and change it up or use it multiple ways.  Because plain ole’ sautéed kale can get pretty…….boring!!

By using the FLAVOR COMBOS you can:

• Look at the list.
• See what you may have on hand.
• Choose a basic recipe to make kale.
• Mix and match a few items on that list.
• Add them to your main ingredient – in this case it’s “kale”

KALE FLAVOR COMBOS

Red Bell PeppersParmesan CheeseChicken or vegetable stockRoasted chicken, meatsCoconut milkGarlicGinger

LemonNutmegNutritional YeastOils; olive, grapeseed,OnionsWhole wheat pasta, orzoBrown Rice

Potatoes; white and sweetRed pepper flakesShallotsSoy sauce or Braggs Amino AcidThymeTomatoesVinegar, Red wine

NOW…. CHANGE IT UP!!

Option #1 – Let’s say you have sweet potatoes……you can roast diced sweet potatoes and add them to your sautéed kale mixture.  This gives more flavor and substance to just sautéed kale.

Maybe you have a nice turkey sausage or chicken sausage – you can grill those, slice them up and add them to the mix as well.  Now you have a complete meal!!

Option #2 –  Let’s say you have some multigrain wraps  – you can put some sautéed kale in a wrap.  Maybe you have some leftover grilled chicken or turkey?  Or any protein really….add some sliced chicken, for example to the wrap with maybe a slice of avocado.

Option #3 – Kale for breakfast?  Absolutely!!!  Heat up your sautéed kale and add a sunny side up egg on top or an over easy egg.  Maybe a side of fruit salad for a complete breakfast J

Option #4 – Kale in soup?  Delicious!!! Kale, white potatoes and ground turkey go terrific!! A quick and easy broth – I like to use Trader Joe’s Organic Cream of Tomato soup as the base (since tomatoes is one of the Flavor Combos – tomato soup works perfectly).  Then I cook the diced potatoes and turkey separate and add it to the soup.  Then I add the sautéed kale at the end just to warm it up.

Options are endless…..but the key is to use what you have on hand in your fridge instead of a recipe.  Recipes get expensive….but if you know what foods works well together then it is easy to whip up meals based on what you have rather than relying on ingredients in a recipe.

BASIC KALE CHIPS

BASIC KALE CHIPS recipe courtesy of All Recipes.com

• 1 bunch of kale
• 1 TBSP. Olive Oil
• Sea Salt

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

CHANGE IT UP!!

First…..rather than drizzling the olive oil on the kale which leaves clumps of oil on some pieces and leaves the other pieces dry (which then leads to using more olive oil and = more calories) I use a MISTO which cuts down calories CONSIDERABLY – plus I can then save money by refilling my MISTO with my own olive oil rather than buying a spray can of olive oil which can be QUITE expensive.

This is a MISTO…..

I found mine at Marshall’s one day and was SOOOO excited because I really hate spending so much on those little aerosol cans.  I think I bought the MISTO for $7.99 and I add about 2-3 TBSP of Olive Oil in it – and it lasts A LOT longer. 

I spread the kale pieces on a baking sheet and spray the leaves with my Misto.

Then….I sprinkle some Nutritional Yeast which has a cheesy like flavor AND it is super high in Vitamin B.

Maybe I use some sea salt and pepper too if I choose.

Then proceed with the DIRECTIONS of the baking part.

VOILA!!! Two easy Kale Recipes!!

Bon Appetit!!