Kale, a member of the Brassica family (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower), is high in beta carotene, vitamin K & C, has strong antioxidant properties and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. Kale’s nutritious properties are best preserved by steaming, microwaving or stir-frying as opposed to boiling.
Recipe List:
Braised Kale with Diced Tomato (gf, vegan)
Crispy Kale Chips (gf, vegan)
Eggs in Purgatory
Greens and Cheese Vegetable Lasagna (vegetarian)
Kale and Gruyere Panini (vegetarian)
Kale and Potato Soup (gf, vegan)
Massaged Kale Salad with Strawberries and Pine Nuts (gf, vegan)
Pineapple Cucumber Kale Smoothie (gf, vegan)
Raw Kale Salad with Lemon, Pecorino, and Currants (gf, vegan)
Squash and Kale with White Bean Stew (gf, vegan)
Sweet and Savory Kale
Turkey, Kale and Oat Meatballs with Quick Tomato Sauce (gf)
Sweet and Savory Kale
A CSA member shared this recipe, saying even her kids liked it.
Squash and Kale with White Bean Stew
from “Farmer John’s Cookbook”
Ingredients:
1 pound white beans, soaked overnight and drained
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 whole head garlic,
1 bay leaf
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbs minced fresh sage
1 tsp cumin
Pinch dried red pepper flakes (or fresh!)
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 2-inch cubes
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water
1 pound kale, thick stems removed, chopped or coarsely torn
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Place beans in a large soup pot. Add enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. Add 2 Tbs of olive oil, the head of garlic, and the bay leaf; bring to a boil, partially cover and reduce to simmer. Simmer until the beans are very tender, 1-3 hours. Drain, rinse and drain again. Remove garlic head.
2. Heat the remaining 2 Tbs of oil in a deep baking dish or Dutch oven. Add the onion; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sliced garlic, sage, cumin, and red pepper; sauté for 1 minute more.
3. Add squash; stir to combine. Add the stock or water, bring to a simmer. Add the kale; cook until the squash and kale are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Stir in the beans; simmer until the beans.
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Crispy Kale Chips
From “Eating Locally” by Janet Fletcher
CSA Farmers who grow kale say that many of their shareholders lack recipes for this highly nutritious leafy green. Kale chips to the rescue. Roasted in the oven, the leaves crackle when you eat them and dissolve like snowflakes on the tongue. No matter how many batches you make, they will disappear in an instant. The DeLaney Community Farm blog credits Bon Appétit magazine for the idea.
Ingredients:
½ pound Tuscan kale or curly kale
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
Kosher or sea salt
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 250°F. With a knife, separate the kale leaves from their tough central rib and discard the ribs. Wash and thoroughly dry the kale leaves. Put them in a large bowl, drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat them evenly with the oil. Arrange them on baking sheets in a single layer.
2. Bake, in batches if necessary, until the leaves become fully crisp, 25-30 minutes. You can serve them immediately or let them cool. They will stay crisp for at least a couple of hours.
Massaged Kale Salad with Strawberries and Pine Nuts
Ingredients:
1 bunch kale, hard stems removed and torn into pieces
3 oz strawberries, sliced
2 tbsp pine nuts, raw or toasted (optional)
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp salt
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Place kale pieces in a large bowl, add olive oil and salt.
2. Massage kale until it turns a darker shade of green and becomes soft.
3. Combine lemon juice and honey in a smaller bowl and add to the massaged kale.
4. Add salt and pepper.
5. Drizzle with more EVOO and add more honey if a little bit more sweetness is desired.
6. Add the slices strawberries and pine nuts.
7. Chill in the fridge for a few minutes and serve cold.
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Kale and Gruyere Panini
From Eating Well magazine
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsps balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
8 cups chopped kale
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
8 slices country bread, preferably whole wheat, 1/4 inch thick
Olive oil cooking spray
1 cup shredded Gruyere or fontina cheese
1 medium tomato, cut into 8 thin slices
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vinegar and cook until almost evaporated about 1 minute. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add kale, water, and salt (the pan will be full). Stir, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is wilted and the water has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. To prepare panini: Preheat panini maker to high. Coat one side of each slice of bread with cooking spray. With the sprayed side down, spread the kale mixture on 4 slices of bread (about 1/2 cup per sandwich). Top each with 1/4 cup cheese and 2 slices tomato. Top with remaining bread, sprayed side up. Press in the panini maker until crispy, 3 to 5 minutes.
No panini maker? To make on stovetop, heat 1 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 sandwiches in the pan. Place a medium skillet on top and add four 15-oz cans to weigh it down. Cook the sandwiches, turning once, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
Serves 4, 1 panini each.
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Raw Kale Salad with Lemon, Pecorino, and Currants
Ingredients:
16 cups very thinly sliced curly kale (from about 1 pound, stems removed)
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup dried currants
½ cup Pecorino-Romano cheese, finely shredded (about 2 oz.)
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
Directions:
In a large serving bowl, combine all ingredients. Toss thoroughly to combine, and allow to rest 5-10 minutes. Toss thoroughly again before serving, adding more cheese, salt, or pepper, if desired.
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Kale and Potato Soup
From Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse Vegetables
This recipe is SO simple. Feel free to enrich the basic ingredients with other vegetables and herbs. She recommends to stew shallots and garlic separately and then purée them with the kale and potatoes at the end.
“A Portuguese recipe, called caldo verde (green broth) in Portugal, where cabbage is often substituted for the kale.”
Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
2 pounds potatoes
2 quarts water (or chicken/vegetable broth)
1 teaspoon salt
Optional: 1 garlic sausage
Extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Remove stems from kale, wash the leaves, and cut them into a chiffonade. Peel the potatoes and chop them up very fine. Bring the water to a boil with the salt. Add the chopped potatoes, return to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes, covered. Add the kale and cook 2 minutes more. Taste for seasoning. If desired, serve with sliced garlic sausage heated briefly in the soup and a splash of the olive oil. You can also serve it as a purée, moisten it with chicken stock or enrich it with other vegetables.
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Braised Kale with Diced Tomato
Ingredients:
2 Tbs olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 1/2 cups diced fresh tomatoes or one 15-oz can
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 pound chopped fresh kale
Directions:
In a Dutch oven or large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook while stirring for about 1 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, cumin, salt, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Add the kale and toss with the tomatoes. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until the kale is tender.
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Turkey, Kale and Oat Meatballs with Quick Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
6 ounces kale, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped (about 4 packed cups)
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 large egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup skim milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound 99 percent fat-free ground turkey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
One 28-ounce can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes!!)
2 sprigs oregano
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
12 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta
Directions:
Pulse the oats in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add the kale, 1 teaspoon of the minced garlic and 1/4 cup of the chopped onion, and pulse until finely chopped and the texture is crumbly. Add the egg, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, milk, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and pulse until just combined. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, add the turkey and mix with your hands until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Heat the oil in a large, straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the remaining onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining garlic, and cook until softened, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups water, 2 tablespoons of the remaining Parmesan, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes. Stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove the turkey and kale mixture from the refrigerator. Shape level tablespoonfuls into round meatballs (about 36), and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
Remove the lid from the sauce. Use a metal spatula or 2 spoons to add the meatballs, one at a time, to the simmering sauce in a single layer. Cook, covered, until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the mixture sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Discard the oregano.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water according to package directions. Drain well.
To serve, divide the pasta among 6 plates or bowls. Top each serving with 7 meatballs and 1/2 cup tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
Greens and Cheese Vegetable Lasagna
Bon Appetit has made the holy grail of recipes. I ALWAYS trust a BA recipe. This is one of the most reliable cooking resources on the internet. I would highly recommend watching some of their vlogs on youtube as well. They have wonderful staff who are incredibly passionate about cooking. It’s hard to mess up one of their recipes… Good Luck!
Recipe link: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/greens-cheese-lasagna
Ingredients:
Béchamel
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk, warmed
2½ cups grated Parmesan
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Lasagna and Assembly
12 ounces lasagna noodles
Kosher salt
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for pans
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 bunches collard greens, thick stems removed, coarsely chopped
2 bunches Tuscan kale, thick stems removed, coarsely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds ricotta
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces
Instructions:
Béchamel
Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium until foaming. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, about 1 minute. Add milk 1 cup at a time, whisking to incorporate after each addition. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and add Parmesan, whisking until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth; season béchamel with salt and pepper.
Lasagna and Assembly
Preheat the oven to 350°. Cook lasagna noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes less than package directions; you want them to be very al dente so they won’t become mushy when baked. Drain noodles and transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet; turn noodles to coat (this will prevent them from sticking to one another and make them easier to handle).
Meanwhile, heat ¼ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add a few handfuls of greens and cook, tossing and adding more greens as they wilt, until all greens are tender, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
Combine ricotta, eggs, thyme, and lemon zest in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper.
Lightly oil a 13×9″ pan. Arrange noodles to cover bottom of pan, cutting to fit as needed. Spread one-third of ricotta mixture evenly over noodles, then top evenly with one-third of cooked greens. Spoon one-quarter of béchamel over greens, spreading evenly to cover. Add another layer of noodles. Repeat layers 2 more times, starting with noodles and ending with béchamel. Top with a final layer of noodles, then spread with remaining béchamel. Scatter mozzarella over top.
Bake lasagna until bubbling and beginning to brown on top, 45–50 minutes. Let cool at least 20 minutes before serving.
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Pineapple Cucumber Kale Smoothie
Recipe link can be found here! https://minimalistbaker.com/creamy-pineapple-cucumber-smoothie/
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sliced cucumber (skin on // organic when possible)
1 heaping cup cubed pineapple (if frozen, omit ice)
1/2 large ripe, peeled, frozen banana
1/4 cup light coconut milk*
1/2 cup filtered water
1 medium lime, zested + juiced (~1 tsp zest // 2 Tbsp (30 ml) juice per 1 lime)
1 large handful greens (spinach or kale // organic when possible)
2-4 ice cubes
Instructions:
Add cucumber, pineapple, frozen banana, light coconut milk, water, lime zest, lime juice, greens, and ice cubes to a blender and blend on high until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
For a thicker smoothie, add more ice. For a thinner smoothie, add more liquid of choice. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lime juice or zest for acidity/brightness, banana or pineapple for sweetness, coconut milk for creaminess, and greens for more intense green color.
Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator up to 24 hours, though best when fresh.
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Eggs in Purgatory
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/eggs-in-purgatory
Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
5 garlic cloves, smashed
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
20 ounces cherry tomatoes
1 bunch Swiss chard/Kale/Collards
6 large eggs
4 thin slices country-style bread
1 lemon
Flaky sea salt or kosher salt
Handful of basil leaves
Instructions:
Heat ¼ cup oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. When it just starts to shimmer, add garlic and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is just turning golden around the edges, about 2 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes, then add tomatoes and cook, tossing occasionally, until tomatoes look plumped and some of the skins start to split, about 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium. Cover pan and cook, stirring tomatoes every couple of minutes and lightly smashing them with a wooden spoon to encourage them to release some juices, until mixture is saucy and tomatoes are slightly deflated but still hold some shape, 5–7 minutes.
Meanwhile, strip leaves off chard/kale/collard stems and tear into bite-sized pieces (or bigger, your call). Reserve stems for your next sauté. Transfer leaves to a medium bowl.
Reduce heat under tomatoes to medium-low (sauce should be bubbling gently). Carefully crack eggs into a large measuring glass, then slip one at a time into tomato mixture, spacing them evenly apart around perimeter of pan. Season eggs with salt and pepper, cover pan, and cook until whites are set but yolks are still runny, 4–6 minutes.
While eggs are cooking, toast bread until crisp. Drizzle with oil, then firmly rub outside of lemon onto toasts to release aromatic oils from peel (you’ll smell it!). Sprinkle toasts with sea salt.
Squeeze about 2 Tbsp. lemon juice over greens, then toss in basil. Drizzle some oil over and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Toss again to combine.
Scoop an egg out of pan, spooning it up from underneath to keep the yolk intact, and transfer to a small shallow bowl. Spoon extra sauce around egg and sprinkle with sea salt. Repeat with remaining eggs. Serve with salad and toasts alongside!
UK-CSA 