Organic Kale

Organic Kale

This week we decided to try another green, leafy veggie... Kale!

Kale is high in vitamins K, A, and C and has been shown to lower the risk of breast, colon, prostate and ovarian cancer.  In addition, Kale can be also be useful for detoxification purposes.  Kale is recognized for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits and can help lower cholesterol.  All in all, Kale is good stuff! (source: whfoods.org)

First, I used it to make a green smoothie via the VitaMix.

AFTER

BEFORE

The flavor was better than the Rainbow Chard!  The kids and I were pleasantly surprised. :)

 In the future, I may use a small amount of kale, in addition to a larger portion of spinach, which is almost tasteless when blended.

The second recipe was:

Crispy Kale Chips on the Food Network

These tasty little chips were easy to make and just fine to snack on while dinner was in the works.

Here's the verdict....

Denise (That's Me) - They're tasty...they remind me of pumpkin seeds...kinda.

J (Husband) - He tasted two Kale Chips "Not good, but not nasty." (I'll take that as a no.) 
 

Miss J (Daughter - 15) -"They're OK...better than I expected."
 

JB (Son - 10) - "They're pretty good. They remind me of pumpkin seeds." (scary) (He didn't eat any more of them.)

Nobody loved them.  Nobody hated them.  So...

I decided to try the Kale one more time with this recipe:

Red Kale - Before

  Kale with Garlic, Sauteed Onions, and Cranberries

Recipe info:  The best way to prepare Kale to get the biggest bang for your body is to steam it for 5 min.  So, I steamed the kale in a steamer basket.  Next, I sauteed onions, and Better than Bouillion - Organic Vegetarian (for more flavor) in a separate sauce pan.  Finally, I tossed everything together gently.  The texture of the Kale was really nice.  It was quite a bit firmer than cooked spinach, which I really liked.  In the comment section of the recipe, someone added sauteed onions, so I thought I would give it a try.  Personally, I didn't think they were necessary.  In my opinion, the recipe would have been better without them.  The cranberries added a great chewy texture and the sweetness was nice. 

This recipe is a Winner!!!

 The Verdict...

Me - I liked it...pretty much...considering what it was.  I would eat it again and will add it to our diet.  The health benefits are phenomenal and I found myself going back for more....after a really small first taste. :)

J (Husband) - J liked it as well.  He said it was really good and he'd like to have it again.  He thought there was too much garlic in the recipe, so I will include less next time.  He was pleasantly surprised and thought it was way better than the Rainbow Chard.  
 

Miss J (Daughter - 15) - Didn't go for it.  She said the cranberries were good, (blank stare) and that was it for her.  Thumbs down...(big surprise)

 JB (Son - 10) - He liked it.  After waiting for me to taste it, he cheerfully ate his portion and gave it a thumbs up!!