Meal Monday
Everyone knows we should all eat more leafy greens. They are high in fiber, low in calories and are awesome sources of Vitamins A, C, and beta carotene (although cooking destroys much of the Vitamin C), as well as a decent source of some important minerals, including calcium and iron.
And kale is at the top of the heap, even better than spinach. Plus, we get the benefits of sulforaphane, another one of those miraculous cancer fighting compounds. Bottom line: this plant will make you live forever and your children geniuses. Really.
The problem, of course, is that lots of people think they don't like kale. Too chewy, too bitter, too hard to cook (and too bland and overcooked when you encounter it in most restaurants). So here it is, how to make delicious kale that you will love in less than ten minutes:
What you need:
1 large bunch kale
3-4 tbsp dark sesame oil
1-2 tbsp soy sauce (I use low sodium, which still has plenty of salt)
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
1) Buy some kale. There are many different varieties of kale. I'm growing red russian in my garden, which is pretty and kind of prickly (although not when you cook it!). The kinds you usually see at the grocery store are curly green or lacinato (also known as dinosaur or tuscan kale).
Nutritionally and palate-wise there's not much difference; I like lacinato, maybe because it's a bit softer. Your local farmers' market might have all kinds of crazy varieties. Go local! It doesn't matter what kind you use.
2) Take your kale home and wash it if you think it needs it (I always buy organic and am way lazy about this step).
3) If it's kale from the grocery store or very mature kale, it'll be yummier if you peel the leaves off the chewy stems (just rip the leaves off starting from the base of the stem), but it's totally a matter of personal preference.4) Roughly chop the kale.
5) Heat the sesame oil in a wok or large skillet on high heat (I wouldn't recommend using nonstick cookware at high heat, or at all if you can avoid it-- I use cast iron or an anodized steel wok for just about everything).
6) Toss in the kale. Immediately begin mixing (I use tongs) until the kale is thoroughly coated with oil (1-2 minutes).
7) Ready a lid for the pan. Dump in the soy sauce and immediately put the lid on. Reduce heat to medium-high.8) Let kale cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle on sesame seeds, if using. Enjoy!
My husband and I fight over who gets the leftovers, really. For a different take, replace the sesame oil with some olive oil and garlic (sauté chopped garlic in oil for a few seconds before tossing in the kale), or add some chopped tomatoes.
Children will eat kale! My 2 year-old son will eat steamed and ground kale with a spoon, but mostly I mix it into his food. You can chop raw kale very fine and mix it into just about anything!
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