KALE!

I didn't realize how scary kale can be until recently. I have friends that shudder at the word alone. Some retreat from it when they spy it at the store. Others say they hate it based on looks alone. Not sure why it is so scary, but our family has grown to love it simply prepared. Preschooler, kindergartener and even finicky grandpa!

Our favourite ways to eat kale are really the most basic. Our kids' first happy introduction to kale was from a friend who passed on a recipe for Kale Chips that her kids loved. Actually it wasn't really a recipe, more of a method. You can experiment with it and make it your own.


We also love to eat kale raw- my kids usually pick away at it in the garden before I can even harvest it! We find a little dressing on raw kale makes it even more delicious. You can experiment with that recipe too- add a touch of honey or experiment with the acid-lemon juice or white wine vinegar taste good too.

Kale Chips

1 head of kale, washed
2 tbsp olive oil

sea salt, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Strip clean kale leaves from stem by running hand down the stem, holding onto bottom of stem with other hand.

2. Place absorbant, clean tea towel on counter and evenly distribute kale over the towel. Roll the towel up and scrunch it up quite a bit to squeeze out any extra moisture. (Excess moisture= soggy chips)
3. Place kale on cookie sheet and drizzle about 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle salt over all the kale. Rub the oil and salt into the kale to evenly distribute.

4. Bake for 14-16 minutes, watching it closely after about 10 minutes. Toss it with tongs a bit to move it around to keep it from sticking to bottom of cookie sheet. You want it mostly crispy, yet watch to keep it from turning black on the edges.

* This recipe can also be done in a food dehydrator for about half an hour on medium setting. You may want to tear the kale into smaller pieces and it doesn't require quite as much oil.

Raw Kale Salad
This salad is good right away but is even better after it has marinated for a day or two. It keeps well in the fridge for several days.

1 head of kale, washed and thinly chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp sea salt

1. Whisk olive oil, apple cider and salt in the bottom of a medium-sized bowl.

2. Toss in kale and massage the kale with the dressing- really get your hands in there and massage it!