Food

Vegetable of the Month – Kale

After kale became a superstar in the health food industry a few years ago, it’s practically a household name. Here are some ways to get it on your kids plate.

Kale is considered a leafy cabbage related closely to wild cabbage. It hails from the Mediterranean and was probably eaten as early as 2000 B.C. Despite its bitter taste, kale is a rich source of vitamins A, C, and B6, folate, and manganese.

Recipes:

Super Kale Pops by Natalie Monson at SuperHealthyKids.com

Ingredients:

  • 8 – 10 ounces 100% orange juice
  • 1 1/2 cups baby kale
  • 1 cup frozen berries
  • 1/2 frozen banana

Directions:

  1. Blend orange juice and kale together until well blended. Blend rest of the ingredients until smooth. Pour into pop mold and freeze.

Kale Chips by David Lebovitz at DavidleBovitz.com

Ingredients:

  • 7 cups kale leaves ; if large, tear them into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • sea salt

Directions:

Remove the tough stems from the kale and wash and spin dry the kale thoroughly. This recipe can easily be doubled. Just be sure to rotate the baking sheets in the oven for even cooking. As mentioned, some people cook them at a higher temperature, California-style, which makes a crunchier, drier kale chip than those cooked at lower temperatures. I like them both ways. If you wish to roast them in a 425ºF (218ºC) oven, they’ll take about 12 minutes to cook.

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC.)
  2. Put the kale on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil, then massage it into the leaves.
  3. Spread the kale leaves in an even layer on the baking sheet and put in the oven. After about 5 minutes, use a spatula to separate any leaves of kale that are clumping together.
  4. Continue cooking the kale for about 20 minutes, until the leaves are crisp. Remove from the oven and sprinkle fairly generously with salt.

Kale Brownies by Jeanne Fratello at JollyTomato.com

Ingredients:

  • 1 large bunch kale
  • 1¼ cup flour
  • 2 T. cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 3 ounces dark chocolate
  • 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 4 eggs at room temperature, beaten
  • 1½ tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Wash the kale and pat it dry. Gently tear the leafy portion away from the thick stems. Place the kale leaves in a steamer and steam for 5 minutes or until wilted. Place the wilted kale in a food processor and puree the kale. Drain any excess liquid and set aside the kale. You should have about 1 cup of kale.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix until thoroughly combined.
  3. In the top of a large double boiler, melt the butter, the chocolate chips, and the dark chocolate together, stirring until evenly melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let it sit until it cools to room temperature. Add the eggs, kale, sugars, and vanilla and mix with the chocolate mixture until combined. Gently fold in the flour mixture until just barely combined, taking care not to over-mix.
  4. Prepare a 13″x 9″ pan by greasing it with butter and then lining it with parchment paper. Carefully pour the brownie batter into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Yield: 24 brownies.
  5. Note: As soon as possible after they come out of the oven, carefully lift the brownies up (by holding on to the parchment paper) and out of the pan (if they sit in the hot pan they may continue to “cook” and may get dry). Allow the brownies to cool while sitting on the parchment paper before cutting them.

One Pot Kale Pasta by Kristy Hegner from ChocolateSlopes.com

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 (24 ounce) jar pasta sauce
  • 3-4 cups kale, chopped
  • 5 cups water
  • 10 ounce penne pasta
  • Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet add olive oil and garlic over medium heat.
  2. Add onions and peppers and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender (about 10 minutes).
  3. Add pasta sauce, kale, water and bring to a boil.
  4. Next add pasta and let boil for about 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.
  5. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Cheesy Bakes kale Bites by Amy Palanjian at YummyToddlerFood.com

Ingredients:

  • 2 bunches kale, stems removed (about 6 lightly packed cups or 4 ounces of leaves)
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed OR roasted almonds OR sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon pizza seasoning

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat, foil (sprayed with nonstick spray) or parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Place the kale into a wide skillet with 1 cup water. Cover and heat over medium for about 5 minutes or until the kale is wilted. Drain, let cool briefly, then squeeze dry. You should have about 1 cup blanched kale when slightly packed into a measuring cup. (You can also steam the kale on the stovetop if you prefer.)
  3. Place the kale and the rest of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Process, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely ground. Use a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon to portion out the mixture, scooping it up and gently pushing it out of the spoon with your finger onto the prepared baking sheet.
  4. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until firm to the touch and just starting to turn golden brown on the bottom. Serve warm with salsa or ketchup.

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