All About Kale

Here in QC, we have a super short growing season. Summer is bountiful, don’t get me wrong, but it’s those hardy crops that pull us through to the edge of autumn. So here I am, getting cozy with all things kale. Turns out, fall is actually the perfect season for kale-the cooler temps and frost sweeten the taste of the superfood, cutting into the traditional bitterness that the plant is known for.

The first year that I planted kale, I grew way too much. I also knew squat about preparing kale, so that didn’t help. But it grew on into November, sticking out it through the frost, forcing me to come to terms with it. Turns out, kale is resistant, regenerating within weeks. It’s also mega-healthy-which everyone knows by now (thanks, Queen Bae). If you want to take things to the next level, kale can also be grown indoors throughout the winter (or outdoors via greenhouse or cold frame).

If you’re just getting started with kale, try using it in a salad, but be sure to massage the leaves with oil as you prepare-this little bit of love makes all the difference in the world.

Need some ideas? Here are a few that we live by over here in our corner of the world.

Kale Chips

This recipe is adapted from Whole 30. Anyone who has been here before knows I’m huge into Whole 30, so many of the recipes that I’ll propose here will be W30 friendly.

Potato chips always seem like a good idea until you’re half a bag in, right? It’s not even that they’re not good for you-they just make you feel like a sack of farts. It’s the worst. Good news, though. If you like BBQ chips, this kale version is pretty darned close. As in so close that you could probably eat the entire tray in one sitting.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale (about 1 lb)
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp chili powder (adjust this according to your spicy sensitivity, 3/4 being the hottest)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. First, wash the kale leaves, and be sure to dry both sides of each leaf. Remove the leaves from the stem, tearing them into small pieces (you can compost the stem).
3. Using a large bowl, thrown in the kale along with the oil and salt. Massage the oil and salt into the kale, arranging the kale leaves in a single layer on the baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes.
4. When the 20 minutes is up, stir the kale and bake for 5-10 more minutes, until the chips are dry and crisp.
5. While you’re waiting, combine the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl.
6. Once you’ve cooked the kale chips,  immediately sprinkle them with the seasoning mixture, tossing gently to coat. Cool the chips and then go crazy.

Green Eggs

My kids LOOOOVE eggs. Kale, not so much. But blending kale into eggs and scrambling them seems to be a bonafide hit! It’s so simple. Wash and chop two cups of kale, and combine the kale and six eggs in a blender along with salt and pepper. Scramble and serve it up!

Fall Kale Salad

This salad is a dream. The secret with eating kale salad is to massage the dressing into the leaves and let it sit for a bit. Use a couple of teaspoons of the dressing and massage it into the kale add salt and pepper and put to the side while you prepare the rest of the salad.

Ingredients

• 4-6 cups of chopped kale
• 2 Honey Crisp apples, sliced thin
• A handful of grated aged sharp cheddar cheese

Dressing

• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 ½ tbsp honey
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 diced shallot
• 1 diced clove garlic
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ⅓ cup olive oil

Topping

• Toasted pumpkin seeds

Toss it up and enjoy!