Krazy About Kale

Well, not really. At least not until I discovered these two great recipes! Kale falls into the family of cruciferous vegetables that includes broccoli, collard greens, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. I'm sure we could all identify cruciferous vegetables blindfolded from their distinctive foul odor or bitter flavors that can result from improper cooking that have made some folks steer clear. The chemicals that create those sensory characteristics, specifically isothiocyanates, sulforaphanes, dithiolethione, and indole-3-carbinol, are what empower cruciferous vegetables to fight cancer by slowing or even reversing the growth of tumors. If cooked too long, these vegetables release sulfur, which causes the stink, and the texture quickly changes to unappetizing mush.

Christina Regon recently shared with me a great cancer-fighting recipe for Kale Walnut Pesto. Although basil and pine nuts are wonderful, I love the substitution of kale and (less pricey) walnuts that are rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, which may also play a role in slowing tumor growth. You don't have to worry about cooking the kale perfectly because it gets ground up. This pesto is SO flavorful with the addition of lemon and Parmesan cheese. It tastes wonderful on crackers, on pasta, slathered onto the base of a pizza, or spread onto sandwiches. I had bought too much kale for the recipe so I used the leftovers to make kale chips. You won't believe how easy both of these recipes are.

Kale and Walnut Pesto

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 1/2 lbs. Lacinato kale, stems removed, chopped coarsely (note that curly leaved kale works fine too)

2 tsp salt

Juice of 1/2 lemon

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup olive oil

1/2 - 1 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

Salt & ground black pepper

Directions

1. Toast the chopped walnuts in a dry, heavy skillet over medium-high heat stirring constantly, until they start to brown (this will keep them from absorbing moisture from the pesto and becoming soggy). 
2. Bring water to a boil. Add 1 tsp or so of salt, then add the kale. Cook, uncovered, until tender (about 10 minutes). Remove from pot and drain.
3. In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic, walnuts, drained kale and lemon juice and mix well. Pour in the oil at a steady stream so it will integrate, and pulse until combined. 
4. Add 1/2 tsp of the salt, pulse, then taste. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt if necessary.
5. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the cheese and pepper.

To make a thinner consistency for pasta sauce, add some olive oil or broth

 Kale Chips

Grown-up comfort food: PB & J (with blueberry-pomegranate jam) and crispy kale chips

Who would guess these could taste thin and crispy like potato chips? Experiment with your favorite spices and seasonings!

Ingredients

1 bunch of kale (either Lacinato or curly leaved works well)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt to taste

Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse and dry the kale. Remove the thick stems from the leaves and tear the leaves into small pieces. In a large bowl, drizzle leaves with olive oil and sprinkle on salt and Parmesan cheese; toss to coat evenly. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crisp and browned on edges. Note: I stored leftovers in a covered container at room temperature and they wilted and lost their crispness. Some blogs have suggested that cold temperatures such as in the refrigerator help maintain the crispness.

Comments

[Kathy]

I've made kale chips many times. They are great and so nutritious!! My kids even love them. I'll give the pesto a try :)

[Sheila]

I've made pesto with spinach and other greens too. They all work pretty nicely!