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Saturday, March 10, 2012

Farmer's Market Item of the Week: Kale



Many people think of kale as that green garnish that sits on the side of your plate not to be eaten or that dresses up the meat case at the grocery store.  In reality though, kale is a great leafy green vegetable that is super healthy and can be super tasty.  Even better, it's available in the winter and is extremely inexpensive at the farmer's market.  Kale is an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin C (something people might not know since it's not orange or a citrus fruit) and can be prepared in a number of different ways.  It's great in soups and stews, but my favorite way to eat kale is as homemade kale chips.  This is an awesome side dish that is perfect for weekdays because it's really easy and only takes about 15 minutes to cook.  I have two variations, one savory and the other a little sweet, that I like depending on what else we're serving and what kind of taste I'm going for.  Try these for a great way to add in some leafy greens to your dinner plate any night of the week...and check out the Addie's Eats page for my favorite baby-friendly kale recipe.

Parmesan Garlic Kale Chips 

4 cups uncooked chopped kale (will cook down considerably)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until all the leaves are evenly covered with garlic powder and parmesan.  Spread out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until crisp.  

Brown Sugar Kale Chips

4 cups uncooked chopped kale
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp brown sugar
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until all the leaves are evenly covered in brown sugar. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until crisp.  

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