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Blue Food Energy: Kale (Brassica oleracea var acephala)

By Gwen Nyhus Stewart

Baked Kale Chips

1 bunch kale

1 tbsp. (15 mL) olive oil

1 tsp. (5 mL) sea salt or Kosher salt

Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Asiago Cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and cheeses if using.

Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Collard Greens and Kale

1 large bunch collard greens

1 large bunch kale

3 tbsp. (45 mL) olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. (2 mL) sea salt

1/2 tsp. (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper

4 tsp. (20 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice

a few dashes hot pepper sauce, optional

Rinse collard greens and kale well in a large bowl of cold water. Drain and cut off tough stems. Cut leaves into 1/4 inch (6 mm) strips (about 8 packed cups).

In a heavy skillet or wok, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add half of the collard greens and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add half of the kale and cook stirring, for about 1 minute, until they begin to soften. Add the remaining greens and cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, until the greens are tender.
Season with the salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a few drops of hot pepper sauce, if desired.

Kale and Spinach with Cashews

1/2 cup (125 mL) salted cashews

3 tbsp. (45 mL) olive oil, divided

1 onion, minced

5 large garlic cloves, minced

1 bunch kale, stems removed

1 bunch fresh spinach, stems removed

sea salt, to taste

white pepper, to taste

Preheat an oven to 350° F (175° C).

Combine the cashews and 1 tbsp. (15 mL) olive oil in a bowl; toss to coat the cashews in the oil. Spread onto a baking sheet.

Toast the cashews in the preheated oven until golden brown and fragrant, shaking the baking sheet occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully so they don't burn. Set aside.

Heat the 2 tbsp. (30 mL) olive oil in a skillet. Cook and stir the onion in the hot oil until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir the garlic into the onion, and cook for 1 minute more before stirring the kale into the onion and garlic mixture. Place a cover on the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale softens, about 7 minutes. Stir the spinach into the mixture, season with the sea salt and white pepper, and continue cooking until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Toss the cashews with the mixture to serve.

Steamed Kale

1 bunch of kale, coarsely chopped, with stems removed

2 - 3 cloves of garlic, chopped

sea salt, to taste

1 tsp. (5 mL) olive oil

1/2 cup (125 mL) water or vegetable stock

In a large non-stick skillet, heat olive oil and add garlic; stir for 30 seconds and don't allow it to burn. Add water or vegetable stock, kale and salt; toss and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until kale turns bright green.

White Bean and Kale Soup

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 2tbsp tbsp(30 mL) (25 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion , chopped1 1oniononions, chopped

2 cloves garlic , minced2 2cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/2 1/2cup cup(125 mL) (125 mL) chopped fresh parsley

1-1/2 tsp ground coriander 1-1/2 1-1/2tsp tsp(7 mL) (7 mL) ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin 1 1tsp tsp(5 mL) (5 mL) ground cumin

1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 1/2tsp tsp(2 mL) (2 mL) pepper

8 cups vegetable stock 8 8cups cups(2 L) (2 L) vegetable stock

2 cans (19 oz/540 mL)2 2cans (19 oz/540 mL) cans (19 oz/540 mL)navy or white kidney beankidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups diced potato 2 2cups cups(500 mL) (500 mL) diced potato

2 cups diced rutabaga 2 2cups cups(500 mL) (500 mL) diced rutabaga

1 tsp salt 1 1tsp tsp(5 mL) sea (5 mL) salt

6 cups shredded deveined kale 6 6cups cups(1.5 L) (1.5 L) shredded deveined kale or spinach

In Dutch oven, heat half of the oil over medium heat; add onion, garlic, parsley, coriander, cumin and pepper. Cook, stirring, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add stock, 2 cups (500 mL) water, beans, potato, rutabaga and salt ; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Add kale; cook until tender, about 15 minutes (if using spinach, cook for 2 minutes). (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until cold. Transfer to airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.) Drizzle with remaining oil.

See Blue Coloured Foods in the Plants, Food Colours, & Recipes section of this web site, and http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca/Recipes.htm for additional information about the healing properties of blue, phytonutrients, and recipes.

(See The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace Chapter 7, Colour and Healing Energy, pages 63 for more information about what the colour blue means and Chapter 8, Colour Energy, Plants, and Recipes pages 80 – 83 for information about using blue in the garden and recipes.)

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