Friday Foodie Fix
This week’s Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix is Kale. I find kale to be a polarizing food. People seem to have strong reactions when you mention it. Some rave about and love to use it in soups, salads, smoothies and many more ways. Actually they will share an endless supply of ways to use it. Then there are others who will scrunch their noses and give you that whiny voice, kale. I believe those folks have either not tasted it or have had a bad experience. That used to be me. Kale was what I used to garnish the salad bars and trays I used to make while catering, not something I ate. Boy was I missing out!
For instance if you hang on to your kale for a more than a few days the taste starts to become very strong and leaves become limp. Not pretty. Kale really has a mild cabbagey flavor and comes in many colors and varieties. It, unlike me, likes the colder climates but is grows in warm climates too.
Kale can be used in just about any way you would use spinach.
Kale is a good source of Vitamin A and C, folic acid, calcium and iron. It is also has powerful antioxidant properties and is considered to be an anti-inflammatory.
Here’s something else I find fun about kale. It freezes well and it actually tastes sweeter when exposed to a frost.
1 pound of fresh kale = about 3 cups of cooked kale.
Now I use it in my green smoothies and slip it into soups and such but I really want to increase the amount of kale I consume. It’s just so good I hate to pass that up. So I’m hoping you will share your recipes here. If you see something similar to you please share yours too. The more options the better! PLEASE remember to only link recipes that include this Secret Ingredient, use the link to your specific recipe not your home page and link back your recipe to this post. Check the Friday Foodie Fix page for all the rules.
Next week’s Secret Ingredient is …..Rice!
Thanks for the info on Kale, it basically grows itself in my garden (I have little plants growing in my lawn at the moment) and even though it’s summer here it is going crazy right now. I’d love more ideas of what to do with it as I only tasted it for the first time a few years ago.
Kazzles- wow, cool thing to grow around your garden. I hope you live someplace not covered in 4 feet of snow.
Oh I am excited to see all the recipes that people post! I have tried kale chips and wasn't a huge fan, so am definitely looking for other ideas on how to use kale!
Jenn- I'm seeing there are tons of ways to make Kale chips. May need to try again. Best tip I read was don't let them turn brown. They will taste bitter.
I am a HUGE fan of lacinato kale. Who wouldn't be? I mean, look at it – so beautiful, so different, so weird looking, but so fun to cook. I make kale salad with it – agave, lemon juice, olive oil, dried cranberries. One of our faves!
Ellen- This sounds great. I have all of those ingredients on hand and might have to make that tonight!
Hmm ok maybe I will give them another shot, with one of these recipes!
Jenn- If you give it a try let me know. I will pass along the tip of not salting it before it goes in the oven. That can make the kale lose water and make it soggy instead of crispy.
Definitely not in snow (it doesn't snow here anyway in Auckland) but the end of summer. My dad scoffs at growing Kale in summer as it's not meant to be as nice, but it grows itself and I'm living on a tight budget so I let it.
Kazzles- well I think it sounds brilliant. Keep on growing and share what you making with us even if it's later down the road. You can always find past Friday Foodie Fix on it's own page at the top of this blog.