Kale: Get Your Green On!

Most of the time when kale comes up in conversation (like always, right?) people tell me they’ve heard of it but haven’t used it.  And what do you do with it, anyway?  Really I’m still somewhat new to this green, but I’ve quickly become a convert.  Jim planted seeds in last year’s garden, and it grew so well I had a hard time keeping up with it.

Mostly we put it soups and casseroles. I’ve attempted kale chips (yum) and raw kale salad (make sure those leaves are young and tender).  Kale adds color, flavor and mega-nutrition.  But quite possibly my favorite way to eat it is as a simple saute.  I keep it on hand, in the fridge, for use all week.

It’s terrific piled on a sandwich.  Use it in creative lasagna or enchiladas.  Serve it topped with scrambled eggs or just serve it–alongside whatever else you’re having.

Garlicky Kale Greens

• 2 T. olive oil
• 2 bunches of kale (about 1 lb.)
• 2 cloves of garlic (or more if desired)
• 1 or 2 large tomatoes, chopped (or half a 15 oz. can of chopped tomatoes, more if desired)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• fresh ground pepper

Begin by removing the thick kale stems.  There are a couple of methods.  I use a knife to trim the stem out.  Find where the stem starts to get thick near the top of leaf.  At this point, place your knife close to the stem and slide downward, separating the leaf from the stem.  Do this on both sides.  Then chop the stem away at the top.

Alternatively, you can simply rip the leaf away on each side of the stem with your hands. I tried it this way.  It works, but as a creature of habit, I went back to my knife method before I finished.  It’s a matter of preference.

With so much kale, I find it easier to divide and conquer.  I chop only half at a time.  Place half of the kale in a pile lengthwise in front of you.  Cut crosswise in approximately 1/2″ strips.  Then cut the opposite direction.  And yes, I use the largest chef knife I have!

Prep the other ingredients.  Chop the tomato (or use canned).  I like the garlic sliced thinly, but you could certainly mince or put it through a press.

Film a large skillet with olive oil.  Heat to medium and put in half the kale.  Use a wooden spoon to carefully mix the kale and the olive oil.  It’s going to seem like quite a bit, but it will cook down considerably.  Now add the second half and do the same thing.  Toss on the garlic and mix again.

After a minute, add tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.  Mix well and cover.  Turn heat down to low and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.  You want the greens very tender.

Check the seasoning.  I’ve also made this with thinly sliced onion.  Put it in the pan and saute for 5 to 10 minutes before adding kale.  And fresh herbs make a nice addition.  Try finely chopped rosemary or some oregano or thyme.  A splash of fresh lemon juice to brighten or a little white wine could be nice too.  We’re straying into improv cooking waters. Lots of possibilities.  Go Green!

Pita pocket stuffed with hummus and garlicky kale for lunch.

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Thank Goodness for Gout

“What’s vegan?” Sam asked after he found out he had just devoured a large helping of vegan lasagna.  Lasagna consisting of whole wheat noodles, pasta sauce, cashews, tofu, and a ton of vegetables.

It’s a plant-based diet.  No meat.  No dairy.  No eggs.  A strict vegetarian if you will.

Seriously?  Why the sudden interest in preparing vegan food you ask.

Well, Jim discovered he had a (non-life threatening) diet related disease.  And he was fed up.  He decided to make a change, and this was it.  A vegan diet.

We know it’s serious because he’s the original “it’s not a meal unless there’s meat” man.  He bought a juicer.  He’s making green drinks.  He’s shaking ground flax-seed on just about everything he eats.

So, as the primary architect of dinner (and loving, supportive spouse), I’m pulling out all the stops to prepare surprisingly delicious plant-based meals–like that lasagna among other things.

Polenta pie with cashew cheese and maple glazed brussel sprouts.

Honestly, Jim is looking good. While he’s rid himself of the instigating medical issue, he’s still determined to lose those last ten pounds.  The troublesome ones that cling on for dear life. But it’s more than his weight.

His eyes and skin look fresher and brighter.  With his doctor’s supervision, he’s hoping to get his blood pressure under control without medication when he reaches his desired weight.

But let’s be perfectly frank here.  Sam and I are not vegans.  Jim is only adopting this as a temporary measure.  Disclaimer: I am not promoting veganism.  It’s been a useful tool for him to learn to live without all that meat he used to consume.  In the process we’re learning about other healthy food choices and exploring a myriad of new vegetable dishes and other protein sources.

It’s not a forever change–completely.  But we believe food is medicine.  The best kind. And the side effects are all good ones.  It’s a wake up call.  A little less meat and dairy and a lot fewer processed foods.  And (tah dah….) a lot more fruits and vegetables.

Good-bye gout.

For a more comprehensive look at all the many types of vegetarian and vegan diets, check out this noteworthy article at MedicineNet.com.

And here’s to Jim!

Kids in the Kitchen–He Does it Again!

Long day.  I’ve washed dishes three times.  Done two loads of laundry.   Cleaning floors was harder than usual considering all the Thanksgiving food that ended up underfoot. Not my favorite way to spend the day, but since the big event was at our house this year, the place was a disaster after all the merrymakers disappeared.  So yes, I’m tired.

A little help with dinner, please.

But dinner is already almost done, and I do have help.  Leftovers in the fridge–plenty of turkey for sure.  I whipped up a salad, and Sam volunteered to roast the cauliflower I picked up at the market.

If you’re not already familiar with roasting as a cooking technique, then you’re in for a treat.  Fall and winter are the perfect seasons for roasting all sorts of seasonal vegetables. Roasting concentrates flavors, and the resulting caramelization banishes bitterness by bringing out the natural sugars in vegetables.

Roasted Cauliflower

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 5 or 6 cloves of garlic still in paper
• 1 yellow onion, cut in wedges
• olive oil
• fresh ground pepper and salt to taste
• a couple of sprigs of rosemary (optional)
• small lemon, sliced (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Wash and chop cauliflower into pieces of approximately equal size after trimming off leaves and removing the core.  Dry and place in a single layer in a roasting pan.

Add garlic and onion wedges to pan.  Pour a drizzle of olive oil over vegetables.  Grind fresh pepper over the top, and sprinkle with coarse salt.

Toss in pan with your fingers until evenly coated with oil.  Tuck in rosemary sprigs and top with lemon slices if using.  *This is where younger kids can help.

Sam’s Special Cauliflower Ready for the Oven

Roast for approximately 30 minutes or until cauliflower is soft and has plenty of browning.  Remove from oven and toss once again.  Serve.

Rules for roasting:

1. Cut vegetables into similar sized pieces for even cooking.
2. Create a single layer in your metal roasting pan.
3. Coat your veggies evenly with oil.  They say about 1-2 Tb. per pound of vegetables.  You can mix this right in the pan with your hands to really coat everything.
4. Use high oven temperatures–400 to 500 degrees.

Cauliflower is a member of the cabbage family, related to broccoli.  This is a great way to get your vegi-averse children (or spouse) to eat and enjoy their vegetables.  And Leftover roasted vegetables are a welcome addition to the lunchbox.  So make lots.  The kids will willfully eat them.

I promise.

Antidote for Strung Out Children

Halloween night.  The kids are as high as kites on candy and the intoxicating freedom of running out on the streets after dark.  Late night and, if you live in our school district, school the next morning. (What were they thinking when they came up with that calendar?!) 

Some parents limit candy consumption others not so much…  In our house, the sweets eventually get sucked into some black hole or other, and we can get back to life as usual–without all the sugar-coating. 

Several years ago we joined our home school group for a Halloween potluck before heading out for treats.  This is my take on the recipe given to me by the party host, and it has been a fall favorite ever since. 

Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup with Yogurt “Cream”

• 2 Tb. olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 butternut squash, halved and seeded
• 3-4 carrots, chopped
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 3/4 tsp. turmeric
• 3/4 tsp. coriander
• 5-8 cups stock or water, whatever will just cover all the vegetables
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup plain, low fat yogurt
• 1 Tb. water
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• a good squeeze of fresh lime juice to taste

For simplicity’s sake (lazy cook that I am) I roast the squash in the oven at 400 for about 30 minutes or until a fork slides easily into the flesh.  Put it cut side up in a roasting pan in an inch of water.  Then it is simply a matter of just scraping the squash out when it’s soft.  Doing this early in the day or even the night before will make things even easier.  If you prefer, you can peel and chop–or get the pre-cut kind at the market, and cook with the carrots in the next step.

Saute onion in olive oil until soft, maybe 5 minutes or so.  Add carrots and saute for 5 more minutes.  Add spices and saute for yet another 5 minutes.

Add water/stock and bring to boil.  If using water, I’ll often throw in a bouillon cube.  Reduce heat and add roasted squash at this time. Simmer until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool until you can safely blend soup. 

Puree until desired texture is achieved.  For me, that means slightly chunky. Transfer to a pan and thin to desired consistency with additional water if needed.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in cilantro and lime juice.

For yogurt “cream” whisk water into yogurt and season with salt.  Add some  finely minced jalapeno for added flavor if you like.  To serve, ladle into bowls and drizzle with yogurt.  Garnish with more cilantro.

This beautiful, colorful soup is loaded with vitamins A and C and is a good source of beta-carotene, magnesium, manganese, calcium and potassium.  Serve this, or any other wholesome, vegetable laden soup or stew, the night after Halloween to counteract the sugar demons.  A good night’s sleep wouldn’t hurt either.