Eating your Greens! A Focus on Kale
The deepfreeze season that many of us find ourselves in certainly dictates our meal choices, with the draw towards soups and stews. That often means making larger pots of something that can then sustain us for multiple days or meals. I think it’s great! Sometimes the pot gets divided up and frozen for later, which is helpful for many reasons beyond variety. Other times it is just too good to freeze and we enjoy it day after day and decide to share with a neighbor.
With continued focus on specific vegetables in my blogs, today’s recipe posts (yes, several!) are focused on green kale. Years ago, kale was only an odd plant included in some public gardens, or, as a leafy base to hold a scoop of slaw on the side of your soup and sandwich plate in a casual restaurant. Since then though, it has been deemed delicious and a great source of fiber, and now is a common item filed among salad options. I’m telling you, you need more kale in your life.
While kale benefits from being cooked in terms of overall digest-ability, it is great raw in a salad as long as it is chopped fairly fine. Truly, it is a good work out for your jaw and that’s not a bad thing. Over the past few weeks, I’ve enjoyed it added to sautéed mixed vegetables, stewed among the eggplants of eggplant parmesan, loaded into soups and as the main component of a big salad. I hope you enjoy some choices for your next big bag of kale!
Kale Minestrone Soup (pictured above)
Makes 5+ litres
3 strips of thick-cut bacon (optional)
1 white onion, small diced
1 red onion, small diced
2 carrots, sliced thin
3 stalks celery, sliced thin
1 zucchini, small diced
8 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 tsp basil
1 Tbs oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika
water to cover
5-6 cups of canned diced tomatoes
2-3 cups canned hominy, drained *see photo below (or sub with canned white kidney beans)
1 pound washed and finely chopped kale
3 oz prepared pesto
Directions:
Finely chop up the bacon and place it in a soup pot over medium low heat to render. Alternatively, you can chop already cooked bacon and add it to the pot with 2Tbs olive oil. If opting out of the bacon, use 3Tbs olive oil, and increase the smoked paprika later on in the recipe, to 1Tbs.
Add the onions, and turn up to medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are nearly cooked through.
Add the garlic, stir well, and then the carrots and celery. Stir for a few minutes before adding the zucchini. Add seasonings (excluding the pesto) and stir well before adding enough water to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked with some bite remaining.
*Canned hominy is a grocery store item I’ve discovered this year, found in amongst the ‘taco’ section or regional aisles. It has an amazing ‘pop’ and while salty on its own, absorbs the delish flavours around it, and is a perfect addition to this soup!
Add the hominy, tomato and bring to a simmer again for another 5 minutes. Adjust liquid and seasoning as needed.
Add the prepared kale, and cook for another few minutes, stirring, and then add the pesto. I had made lots in the summer time with the fresh basil load of the garden, and froze it in 3oz portions. You can still make some fresh or buy it ready to go in the refrigerated dressing section of the produce department of many grocery stores.
Drizzle a few drops of extra virgin olive oil on top of each bowlful before serving along with some crusty bread, or maybe open faced broiled cheese toast. Or cheese biscuits. Endless options.
This soup freezes well, or best served within 5 days of production if cooled quickly and kept refrigerated. Or share with a friend, that’s always a good idea.
*Canned hominy is a grocery store item I’ve discovered this year, found in amongst the ‘taco’ section or regional aisles. It has an amazing ‘pop’ and while it has a different taste on its own, it absorbs the flavours around it, and is a perfect addition to this soup! This is the hominy I used, I found it at Sobey’s.
Kale and Corn Chowder
Makes about 5 litres
Ingredients:
1-2 red onions, diced small
1 1/2 inches of ginger, sliced in half
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
2 carrots, diced small
2 sweet potatoes, diced small
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
1/2 kaffir lime leaf (or 1 Tbs lime juice to finish)
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1/2 tsp garam masala or curry powder
1/3 cup dry quinoa
3 cups corn kernels (frozen or canned)
1 tomato, diced
2 cups chicken stock (optional)
water, about 6 cups or to cover
4 cups cleaned and chopped kale
salt and pepper
1 cup (about half a 400ml can) premium coconut milk unsweetened
Directions:
Prepare the vegetables as directed.
Place a large soup pot on your stovetop, on medium heat with about 2 Tbs olive oil.
Add onion, ginger and garlic, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Then add the seasonings, as well as the carrot, celery and sweet potato. Stir well then add water and stock.
Bring to a boil, then add the quinoa, corn and coconut milk.
Cook on medium low temperature, for about 15 minutes before adding the tomato.
Cook another 15 minutes, then remove the sliced ginger and lime leaf, and add the kale.
Just cook a few more minutes to soften the kale and taste for seasoning and adjust liquid levels as needed to make a good broth-garnish ratio. Add the lime juice now if you didn’t have the lime leaf.
Serve immediately, or cool quickly and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Share a litre with a neighbor, or freeze 2-cup portions for future meals.
Sweet tones from the coconut milk combined with the corn & sweet potato can’t be beat in this chowder!
The final recipe today is a classic kale salad that really can utilize what you have on hand. Lots of different textures, it is soo good!
Kale salad with toasted pecans, apples and chokecherry vinaigrette
Makes two servings for a meal portion, or serves 4 as a side dish
Ingredients:
3-4 handfuls of cleaned and finely chopped green kale
1/4 apple, sliced fine
1 roma tomato, diced (optional)
1/4 cucumber, sliced (optional)
1/4 cup toasted pecans or slivered almonds
2 Tbs toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds
2 Tbs chokecherry vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
1 tsp cider vinegar
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs fresh cilantro, finely chopped (or any fresh herb bits you have to use up)
2 tsp green onions, sliced fine
salt and pepper
Directions:
Prepare the vegetables as directed.
Place into a large salad bowl, drizzling the garnishes and dressing components overtop.
Toss well and taste for seasoning. I kind of like it if this salad sits for about 10-15 minutes, to soften the kale. So, give it a toss with the dressing just as you’re starting to get the table set and dinner plated up and it should be just right.
“Eat your greens, every day, you won’t regret it! See you in the kitchen.”
