Kale & Quinoa Rolls

I spied this recipe in "Fresh Juice" magazine and decided to whip it up one evening expecting mixed results from the family.  As expected, India didn't even want to try the kale (she only likes it in chip form), but loved the quinoa.  Devon had 3 rolls and Greg and I finished up the rest!!  This is similar to cabbage rolls and I have pictured the dish without the sauce topping the rolls, so you could see how they look in the baaking dish. This is not only super nutritious, but easy and tasty too!

KALE & QUINOA ROLLS

Ingredients:

12 large leaves of kale

2 tsp grapeseed oil

1 onion, diced

1 cup diced mushrooms (I used porcini as they're "meatier" in texture and have great flavour)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

1 cup quinoa (rinse to remove the bitter coating called 'saponin')

2 cups low sodium vegetable broth

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 zucchini, diced

1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

1 large egg, beaten

2 cups no salt added passata di pomodoro (crushed tomatoes)

• Remove the stems from the kale by grasping the base of the stem in one hand and running the thumb and forefinger up the stem.  It will break off where the stem is more tender.  Discard the stems.  Add kale to a large pot of salted, boiling water.  Cover and cook until the leaves are softened - 2 minutes maximum.  Place leaves in a sieve and run under cool water.  Remove leaves and lay out flat to drain on paper towels.  Set aside.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, add oil.  Saute onions, mushrooms, garlic, oregano, and thyme for 5 minutes (or until onion is softened)  Stir in quinoa.  Add broth; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.  Stir in carrot, zucchini, salt and pepper.  Let cool to room temperature.  Stir in egg*
• Preheat oven to 350F.  To assemble the rolls, spoon approximately 1/3 cup of the quinoa mixture onto each kale leaf, just above where the base of the stem would have been.  Fold bottom up over filling, tuck sides in and roll up.  This is quite a bit trickier I found than using cabbage leaves for traditional cabbage rolls.  Take your time!
• Line the base of a 13"x9" baking dish with half of the passata.  Arrange the kale rolls on top of it and cover with the remaining passata.  Cover the dish with foil and bake for one hour.
• Remove and ENJOY!

Kale Caesar Salad

As you know I'm always on the look-out for recipes that are not only quick and tasty but also nutritious, so when Greg saw this in his "Men's Health" magazine I pounced on it!  All the family loves Caesar salad and by adding kale the nutritional quality of this salad goes through the roof!  Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, and rich in calcium.  It also contains potent anti-cancer properties and chemicals that boost DNA repair in cells.  Since cooking kale does somewhat reduce all these nutrients, eating it raw in this recipe ensures you receive the maximum benefit..all good stuff and a great way to start off the new year!!!

KALE CAESAR SALAD

Ingredients:

1 egg yolk*

Juice of 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp anchovy paste (optional)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 - 3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)

1 large bunch of kale

• In a food processor, blend the egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and anchovy paste;  gradually add the oils with the food processor running, until the dressing becomes thick and creamy.  Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper.
• Holding the stem of the kale leaf, pinch the stem with your thumb and forefinger of your opposite hand and run it from the bottom to the top of the leaf, stripping the leaf from the stem.  Do this for each leaf.  Roughly chop or tear the leaves to bite-sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl.  
• Toss the kale with the dressing, top with more cheese and crumbled bacon, if using!  

*Ensure when eating raw egg yolks that you get your eggs from a trusted source to minimize your risk of foodborne illness.     

Kale with Crispy Salami

This is a super quick as well as super nutritious side dish ... not to mention super tasty!!!  ENJOY!!

KALE WITH CRISPY SALAMI

Ingredients:

1 tbsp honey or maple syrup

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Pinch cayenne

3 tsp sea salt

5 cups of kale leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces

2 tbsp olive oil

3 large shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings

8 thin slices of salami, cut into narrow strips (Italian or Hungarian are our faves!)

Black pepper

• In a small bowl, whisk together honey, vinegar and cayenne.  Set aside.
• Add about 3" of water to a large pot, add salt and bring to a boil.  Toss in kale and parboil about 3 minutes.  Drain, and let kale dry out in sieve.
• In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add shallots and stir-fry until they start to colour (approx 5 minutes).  Remove to a small dish.  Increase heat in skillet to medium high and add salami strips.  Cook until crisp.  Transfer the salami to another dish.
• Add kale to skillet and toss quickly.  Kale should just be heated otherwise it will overcook and become soggy.  Remove from the heat, add honey mixture and shallots and toss.  Season to taste with pepper.  Transfer the kale to your serving bowl or platter and garnish with the salami.
• ENJOY!

Wheat Berry, Kale & Cranberry Salad

With the weather getting much cooler, I must admit that a salad sounds far less appealing than a bowl of warm soup, however this one was too good to pass up!  The chewiness of the wheat berries is nice with the crisp kale and sweet cranberries.  If you don't want to use wheat berries, substitute 2 1/2 cups of quinoa, green lentils or brown rice!

WHEAT BERRY, KALE & CRANBERRY SALAD

Ingredients:

1 cup dried wheat berries

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup EVOO

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

5 cups chopped kale

1/2 cup diced red or white onion

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

• Rinse the wheat berries.  Combine with 8 cups water in a medium pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-high.  Cook, covered, until wheat berries are tender (approx. 30 to 35 mins).  Stir in cranberries during the last 2 minutes of cooking.  Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
• Whisk olive oil with vinegar and salt in a large bowl.  Season with black pepper.  Stir in wheat berry mixture, kale, onion and bell peppers.  Serve immediately.  Keeps really well refrigerated for up to 1 day!
• ENJOY!!! 

Kale Chips

This was introduced to me by my friend Cindy who made them as a snack for one of our scrapbooking retreats, and it was love at first taste!!!  Strangely enough everyone in the family loves them except Devon - and this is a kid who eats ANYTHING...oh well, more for us!  Anyway, it occurred to me that there are plenty of people out there who are looking for a healthier snack food that helps them achieve their 5 - 10 a day, and who don't know about this.

This is a simple, healthy and satisfying snack (especially for someone like me who LOVES chips and could easily eat a bag in a sitting!!!)  They're crispy but seem to almost melt in your mouth after that first delightful bite?!  Next time you're having a snack-attack, grab a bunch of kale and make your own chips!

KALE CHIPS

1 bunch of kale, ripped into 'chip' sized pieces

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp seasoning salt (can also use lemon pepper, cajun seasoning, sea salt...the sky's the limit!)

• Toss the kale with the olive oil and seasoning salt.  Spread evenly out on a rimmed cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Place the pan into a 350F oven for 10 to 12 minutes - keep an eye on the kale as it can go quickly from crispy to burnt! 
• Remove from oven and let cool slightly (although this doesn't take long!) and enjoy!!

**Kale is a superfood - it contains phytonutrients which help the liver neutralize potentially hazardous cancer causing substances.  Also kale is a great source of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, iron, manganese, potassium and calcium...delicious and good for you!!!**

Kale Pesto

Last night the kids were planting trees with their Scout troops so I needed to whip up something quick and filling. I have been keeping my fridge pretty lean and mean and trying to use up what I have in my pantry, lately...so I grabbed this recipe from Homemakers Magazine, a bunch of kale, some of my Cooper's garlic that I have roasted and put in a mason jar with olive oil, and an onion. Although India refused to even taste it (probably because it was green...) Devon, Greg and I loved this recipe...3 out of 4 isn't bad!

KALE PESTO

Ingredients:

1 bunch (approx. 1 lb) of kale

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

6 cloves garlic

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup EVOO

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/3 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese

• Grasping the stem of the kale between your thumb and forefinger, strip the kale leaves off the stems. Place the kale, garlic, onion and 1/2 tsp salt in a large lidded saucepan, and fill with 3 cups water. Bring water to a boil; cover and cook over medium heat until the kale is tender (approx. 15 minutes).


• Reserving the cooking water, place the vegetables and 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid in a food processor. Pulse until minced but not smooth.


• Remove the pesto and mix with the EVOO, black pepper, remaining salt and Parmesan Reggiano cheese.


• Stir in to your favourite cooked pasta and serve with some freshly ground cheese and pepper on top!


• ENJOY!

If you add this to 1 lb of cooked pasta, it will serve 6. It also will include 24% of the recommended daily intake of iron, 68% of vitamin A, 88% of vitamin C, 16% of calcium and 15% folate!!!! Yummy AND great for you!!

Kale & Chickpeas!

In an attempt to get more collared greens into our diet, I decided to buy some kale - a great source of calcium as well as a ton of other vitamins and minerals! But what to do with it? That's when I decided to turn to 'Canadian Living' (as I often do!) and found this fantastic recipe...even my father-in-law Allan, who eats very few vegetables, asked for second helpings of this dish!


LEMON KALE WITH CHICKPEAS
Ingredients:

3 tbsp EVOO
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1/4 tsp each of salt & pepper
10 cups packed chopped kale
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1 tbsp lemon juice

• Heat 2 tbsp EVOO over medium heat in a large shallow Dutch oven.
  Saute onion, garlic, salt & pepper for approximately 4 mins. until softened.
  
• Stir in kale and lemon rind and cook, stirring for approximately 2 minutes, until slightly wilted.
  
• Pour in 3/4 cup of water, cover with a lid and cook stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the kale is soft and wilted.
  
• Stir in chickpeas and lemon juise and cook over medium-high for a couple of minutes, or until no liquid remains.
  
• Drizzle with remaining oil and serve.
  
• DELICIOUS!!