My favorite color is green. I like this color because it reminds me of spring, sustainability, and one of my favorite vegetables, kale.
For a long time I thought kale was bitter and was only edible to small herbivorous rodents. Fortunately, I gave it a second chance…and learned how to properly cook it in the process.
Some kale recipes I’ve experimented with:
My latest adventure in kale was inspired by 101 Cookbooks.
If you’re a pesto lover, you will approve of this easy recipe [20 minutes tops!]. I opted to use feta cheese and whole wheat penne, but I’m sure the original recipe is delicious as it stands.
Nutritionally kale is pretty fantastic:
- contains phytonutrients that may help prevent cancer
- increases production of enzymes involved in detoxification
- excellent source of pro-vitamin A
- excellent source of antioxidant vitamin C
- good source of fiber (1 cup cooked = 10.4% DV)
- very good source of calcium (1 cup of kale supplies 93.6 mg of calcium, 9.4% of the daily value for this mineral)
- good source of copper, vitamin B6, and potassium
Read about raw vs. boiled kale nutrition here.
All that green also justifies homemade blueberry ice cream.
What’s your fave way to eat kale?!
My favorite color is green too! And that pasta looks amazing... I have actually been craving pesto lately. Your homemade blueberry ice cream looks insaaanely good!!
ReplyDeleteLove that pasta and the sauce in it. Till date Kale adorned my salad plate only. Thanks to those links, shall try to transform this lovely green into a few more healthy edible recipes.
ReplyDeleteI've only really used kale in my smoothies, but I've seen so many massaged kale salad recipes that everyone says are amazing. I'm really going to have to branch out one day!
ReplyDeleteI love kale! I prefer Swiss Chard though. Is there any difference in nutritional value?
ReplyDeleteKale is most definitely a super food. Saute it in garlic and EVOO and you can add it to most anything. I need to make some kale chips!
ReplyDeleteThat pasta looks so good. I like kale chips the best :)
ReplyDeletei hate greens. hardcore hate. but i have a friend who loves 'em. i'll try your recipe because you promise it'll only take 20 minutes. and maybe i can redeem my "i'm a healthy person" status ;)
ReplyDeleteI love greens in food too... they just make me happy!!! :D
ReplyDeleteI like kale chips and steamed is good too.
Green is my favorite color as well! It reminds me of preppy kelly greens, fresh grass, and mint.
ReplyDeleteI love kale chips that I buy from the farmer's market (taco flavor is awesome.) I haven't succeeded in making my own kale chips yet, but I did succeed in creating a batch of really yummy kale soup.
Your pasta looks great by the way!
my favorite is to steam kale for 2-3 minutes! so yummy.
ReplyDeletei used to live in ann arbor (for the past 9 years!) because i went to UM and then lived there after i graduated :). i love the farmer's markets in michigan!! you have to try a korean sweet potato! they are amazing. sometimes they are labeled as a japanese yam, but you usually have to go to a korean supermarket to get them! so glad i found your blog. next time i visit michigan (later this year), maybe we can have a blogger outing hehe.
never would have thought to make pesto with kale! just bought a whole bunch of red kale the other day & gotta find something different to do with it!
ReplyDeleteI tried kale chips the other day, and they were pretty disappointing.
ReplyDeleteI like steamed and stir-fried kale. Not chips!
I'm saving this post. I still have never had kale. GASP. But I am looking forward to trying all of these recipes!
ReplyDeleteI feel so complete after eating GREEN veggies!! Love it! Your pasta looks delicious!!!! You never need an excuse for ice cream do you?!!
ReplyDeleteKale and white bean soup is delicious. :)
ReplyDeleteI love kale chips, and I just made massaged kale salad with honey and Korean red bean paste. I also like it in soups. The pasta dish sounds great!
ReplyDeleteI love kale and definitely need to put it in my pesto now! And in ice cream?? How awesome is that?!
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Yum! I love kale chips-they're so freakin' addicting!!! That pasta looks ridiculously good...although I feel like my family would give me some weird looks;)
ReplyDeletei've never thought of making pesto out of kale! ah ha!
ReplyDeleteI just added kale into a pasta dish the other day with white beans and soy sausage!
ReplyDeleteWhoa kale bagels...that's so creative.
ReplyDeleteI adore pesto! I'm sure it's awesome with kale.
Chop up kale add to rice during the last few minutes of cooking add a little olive oil and your spices...mmmm!
ReplyDeleteI like to sautee it! Just made some past night with spaghetti squash!
ReplyDeleteoo la la...kale! I discovered this green 1 year ago. I haven't been very adventurous, but often add it to soups or stir fry it into a wilted greens dish (with plenty of garlic and onions). Take care Emily!
ReplyDeleteGreen is actually my favorite color! Well, a pale sage green, but I love kale too! I think my favorite way to eat it is in chip form. That ice cream sounds soooo good right now!
ReplyDeleteOooh, I'm glad I stumbled across your blog! I've always been a hardcore hater of kale.. just too bitter and bleh.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm going to have to try some of your suggestions I think. Perhaps there is hope yet for a great love story between myself and kale.
I think I arrived here from a comment of yours over at HEAB.. I hope you don't mind a new reader, 'cause you've got one! :P
xxx
oh! that 101 cookbooks recipe looks to die for! i do love kale and i'm a pesto 'liker' haha so i miiight just give this a whirly!
ReplyDeleteI love kale! One of my favorite ways is making kale chips. They are very tasty!
ReplyDeleteThat recipe looks great!!
I love most green things, but for some reason I just can't do kale. I have a hard time with too much spinach too, but that is because I got sick once when I was eating spinach and so I tend to associate it with that, so the smell of cooked spinach at times makes me not feel so well. I know I should give kale a try again soon.
ReplyDeleteI love that pasta sauce idea; I'm gonna try that with some spaghetti squash! I don't use my juicer much these days, but I used to love juicing kale with some apple, carrot, & lemon, mmmm :)
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