Best kale recipe you've ever had

amusedmonkey
amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
edited November 23 in Recipes
Today I will be trying kale for the first time. I'm generally an avid lover of leafy greens, and I crave them often. I've discovered a whole range of leafy greens that I've never tried and decided to embark on a mission of trying anything green at least once, no matter how much it costs.

Yesterday I tried swiss chard and I fell in love with that grassiness in the taste. It paired well with white beans and italian sausage in a dense broth-based soup. I loved the fact that it's not as delicate as spinach so it's not easy to ruin your first recipe. I also loved the fact that I did not have to discard the stems. Chopping them and sauteeing them with onions before adding the rest of the ingredients worked well.

Googling recipes only yielded recipes that have the label "healthy" attached to kale. I'm looking for a good first impression, even if it's floating in a tub of margarine. Something beyond simple nearly dry sauteing to preserve calories or hiding and camouflaging the taste inside a shake. What kale recipe have you've had that left a craving inducing taste imprint in your mind, healthy or not? Something that highlights the flavor of kale.

Replies

  • Ultima_Morpha
    Ultima_Morpha Posts: 892 Member
    We love kale salad made with dried cranberries/sour cherries, some type of roasted and salted nut, red onion, chopped apple, shredded carrot, and a citrusy vinaigrette mixed with a bit of mayo or yogurt for creaminess.

    It can also work really well in a white bean and sausage stew.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Kale is like a sturdier version of Swiss Chard. I would interchange the recipes. It can replace spinach too if you parboil it.

    This is a family favourite.

    http://pinterest.com/pin/361132463845704981/
  • kellycasey5
    kellycasey5 Posts: 486 Member
    My hands down favorite is kale chopped with leeks, tossed with olive oil salt and pepper and some feta. Roasted in a shallow pan at 350 degrees until done to your liking, tossing every 10 minutes with tongs. Tops get crispy, bottoms are ooey gooey, serve it over pita or flatbread.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Kale is not as tender as Swiss chard.
    I like kale in a soup with quinoa or sweet potatoes.
  • BekahC1980
    BekahC1980 Posts: 474 Member
    Kale is delicious in zoppa toscana
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    I like kale served like country - style beans-n-greens: steam til soft, then serve with white or pinto beans, garnished with a couple of tbsp of Tennessee Hot Chow Chow Relish. (Pickle relish with finely diced onion and a hot pepper or two will do in a pinch!)
  • mrdoescher
    mrdoescher Posts: 1 Member
    Hey! My favorite kale recipe is the most simple and well-worth investment (food wise) ever! Just get a few cups of chopped fresh kale (i like mine without the stems), juice of two lemons, salt and pepper to taste (i like a lot), and an avocado or two and mash it together with your hands to make the best kale salad ever! Have fun smashing! :-)
  • Jelaan
    Jelaan Posts: 815 Member
    I like it in salads, but recently tried a recipe from our gym magazine where it was cooked with coconut oil, onions, garlic, black mustard seed, ginger root, jalapeño, turmeric and a chopped tomato. It was delicious - even my husband who reluctantly eats dark green veggies enjoyed it.
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,535 Member
    I love it in my protein shakes. Add a banana and it kills the "green" taste. Pour it in a dark covered cup & don't see the nasty color of it, either. It's Good Stuff Maynard!
  • RaeBeeBaby
    RaeBeeBaby Posts: 4,246 Member
    edited September 2015
    I love kale and put it in just about everything! Egg and veggie scramble, zuppa Toscana, beans and greens, quinoa tabouli (to name a few). Here's a favorite recipe that I tweaked after going to a cooking class at our local hospital. It is so lovely with the dark kale and red pomegranate seeds. Everyone says it looks like Christmas. Also, perfect for a summer BBQ. No matter the season, you will enjoy!

    (Not your grandma's) Christmas Salad

    For the salad:
    4 cups finely shredded Lacinato kale
    4 cups finely shredded (or chopped) Brussels sprouts
    1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted (or other nut)
    1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    Seeds from one pomegranate

    For the dressing:
    1 minced shallot
    2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
    Juice of one large lemon
    Zest from the lemon
    2 tsp honey or agave nectar
    3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    Pepper to taste

    Whisk the dressing together and pour over salad. Chill before serving!

    Rae's tips -
    • I use a food processor (old school Ninja) to chop the Brussels sprouts, otherwise it was very time consuming.
    • I also use the Ninja to make the dressing.
    • I have used different varieties of kale, but Lacinato is my favorite for this salad. I strip the leaves from the stems, stack a few on top of one another, roll them up and then cut the roll into ribbons.
    • I have made this for a big dinner party using a whole large bunch of kale and doubling the Brussels sprouts and dressing.
    Yield as written is 6 servings @ around 160 calories per serving.

    Buon Appetito!

  • isyvanek
    isyvanek Posts: 1,039 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »
    Kale is like a sturdier version of Swiss Chard. I would interchange the recipes. It can replace spinach too if you parboil it.

    This is a family favourite.

    http://pinterest.com/pin/361132463845704981/

    That sounds really good! I'll have to try it.

  • janmoulder2
    janmoulder2 Posts: 86 Member
    I lightly steam torn up leaves, pile on plate, top with tomatoes, sliced black olives or kalamata olives and a creamy garlic dressing. YUM!
  • janmoulder2
    janmoulder2 Posts: 86 Member
    Oh, I also make a slaw type salad. Kale and cabbage chopped in food processor (this really beats up the kale so it's nice and soft). Add a shredded apple or carrots, some dried cranberries maybe some nuts. Then poppy seed dressing. Note that raw kale is much more palatable if it is massaged or beaten until the gray-green turns a bright green.
  • isyvanek
    isyvanek Posts: 1,039 Member
    janmoulder2 wrote: »
    Oh, I also make a slaw type salad. Kale and cabbage chopped in food processor (this really beats up the kale so it's nice and soft). Add a shredded apple or carrots, some dried cranberries maybe some nuts. Then poppy seed dressing. Note that raw kale is much more palatable if it is massaged or beaten until the gray-green turns a bright green.

    Jan, I just read somewhere recently to "massage" the kale but they didn't really explain what they meant so thanks for the info.
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