Kale Recipes

Kale is among the most healthy green grown in the garden. It is rich in Vitamins A, B6, C, K, Calcium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. And, when prepared right, it is pretty tasty. It is great in a smoothie, you can dice the leaves and add to quiches, sauces and salads and you can even use the larger Dinosaur kale leaves as sandwich wraps. Here are some other ways to get kale from the market to the table.

Sauteed Kale
Ingredients
1/2 pound young kale, stems and leaves coarsely chopped
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
1/4 cup vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoons red wine vinegar


Instructions
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. 


Kale Chips

Ingredients
1 bunch Dinosaur or Red Russian Kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese


Instructions
In my experience it takes a little practice to get the baking of Kale Chips just right because the water cooks out of the leaves quite quickly. If you are trying it for the first time, maybe just cook one kale leaf first then taste to see if you need to cook for a shorter period of time.
1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix garlic powder, salt and pepper together with the olive oil in a large bowl. Add Kale leaves and coat as best as possible.
3. Lay out leaves on a baking sheet and drizzle the balsamic vinegar the stick in the oven for 3 minutes. Pull out of oven just before the leaves are browning and the hot oil on the leaves will continue to slowly cook the chips after you remove them from the oven.
4. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese immediately out of the oven.

Toscana Kale Soup
Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package smoked sausage
• 2 potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 6 slices bacon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 cups kale - washed, dried, and shredded
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
• 1 quart water
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. Layer the sausage links onto a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until done. Cut in half length-wise, then cut at an angle into 1/2 inch slices.
3. Place onions and bacon in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear.
4. Remove bacon and crumble. Set aside.
5. Add garlic to the onions and cook an additional 1 minute. Add chicken base or bouillon, water, and potatoes, simmer 15 minutes.
6. Add crumbled bacon, sausage, kale, and cream. Simmer 4 minutes and serve.