Kale-ing Me Softly: Roasted Kale and Kale Smoothies

I have a confession to make. [Big breath.]

I have not, historically, enjoyed my leafy greens. 

I know, I know!  It's embarrassing!  They are so incredibly nourishing, so healthful - how could I turn up my nose at such a nutritionally perfect food?  And so many foodies gush over their favorite steamed/sauteed/squirted with lemon/tossed with bacon/stewed with garlic versions.  But I just simply did not enjoy them.  I found them unpleasantly bitter and chewy, the flavor too assertive.  

But, oh, how I wanted to love them!  They were all so lovely, beckoning at the farmer's market.  The chard with its stems in a brilliant rainbow of jewel-tone colors, the kale with its frilly, curly leaves.  I wanted to be the one at the market with those gorgeous greens lounging across the top of my basket.  Yet I always walked on by, and anytime I saw a new recipe involving a leafy green, I sighed and turned the page.  It wasn't meant to be.

Until now! 

I have seen the light!  In the past month, I have been eating kale like it's going out of style, thanks to two of my dearest girlfriends/cooks, Heather and Sarah.  (And with a little help from the amazing kale from Be Wise Ranch, here in San Diego.)  So here are the two recipes that have turned me from kale-phobic into kale-fanatic.  Now that I'm head over heels for these two versions of kale, I'm ready to venture forth and try some of those kale (and chard, beet greens, mustard greens, collard greens, etc.) recipes I've been ignoring.  I'll let you know how it goes . . .

HK'S ROASTED KALE

Heather is one of my college girlfriends and although we don't get to see each other very often, I get the joy of "hearing" her voice when I read her blog, Stumptown Sisters.  And despite me never mentioning my love for Orangette to Heather, she gave me Molly Wizenberg's book, based on that blog, as a gift.  So, obviously, I trust that Heather's cooking style and tastes will dovetail with mine.  When I did my recent post about roasted cabbage, Heather left a comment suggesting I try roasting kale.  Well, given my intense love of all roasted veggies, I knew that this was my big chance to finally fall in love with a leafy green.  And, wow!  This is so good.  It makes an excellent snack -- Heather says it's as good as popcorn, but to my mind, it's more like eating potato chips.  I've eaten an entire bunch of kale while my kids were snacking on buttered popcorn and I never even once had the desire to dip into their popcorn bowls.  It really is that good.  (And if you aren't convinced yet, let me tell you that my mom, who, God love her, is not exactly a health food or veggie lover, thought this was delicious!)

• 1 bunch kale (I've used both green and purple curly-leaf kale, but I'm sure any of the varieties of kale would work fine)
• olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Wash and dry your kale leaves.  Pull the tender leaves off of the tough stems and put them on a rimmed baking tray.
2. Drizzle the leaves with some olive oil.  You want enough to just coat them, so that they are all glistening, but not so much that they are drowning in a pool of oil.  Generously salt and pepper the leaves.
3. Roast at 400 (or 425 or 450 -- it doesn't much matter what temp), tossing them around every now and again, until the leaves are starting to get crispy.  I like mine fairly close to being burnt -- darker than depicted in the photos below.  The leaves get papery and crispy and as addictive as potato chips.  I also like mine with a pretty hefty dose of pepper, but use your own taste as a guide, here.  I serve them piled high on a platter.  And I'm not ashamed to say that I just use my fingers, if I'm snacking. 

Note:  I think that this has the potential to be a kid-pleasing veggie preparation, with one caveat:  go easy on the pepper!  I called it "leaf chips" and got my 5 yr. old to take a bite (always the biggest hurdle with a new veg), but she spit it out, saying it was too spicy -- and now she won't try it again.  I wish I had given it to her with just a lot of salt, and then added pepper to the portion on my plate. 

SARAH'S SUPER SMOOTHIE

My next great kale adventure came in the very surprising form of a smoothie.  My friend Sarah has been touting the deliciousness and health benefits of her "green smoothies" ever since I met her two years ago.  And I've even seen her kids drink them down.  But a smoothie made with kale?  Seriously?  It just never sounded appealing to me.  And then my son got a nasty cold just 5 days before his third birthday party and I wanted to try anything and everything I could to boost his immune system and get him healthy in time to enjoy his birthday.  Well, I wasn't lucky enough to get him to fall in love with the smoothie -- he refused to try it because it was green (which makes zero sense, since he adores guacamole and eats salad).  But I fell in love, instead.  Here is the basic recipe.

• 2-5 leaves kale (start with 2 and work your way up from there)
• a handful of parsley (Sarah says about 1/4 of a bunch;  I just cut a handful from my garden)
• 1 apple
• 1 orange
• 1 banana

1. Wash all your produce.  Pull the tender kale leaves off of the tough stems and put them in the blender.  Pluck the leaves of parsley (and some small stems are fine, too) and add them to the blender.  Add a splash of water and blend the greens. 
2. Core and chop the apple; peel and chop the orange;  peel and chop the banana.  Add all three to the blender and mix.  This makes a very thick smoothie, but you can thin it with water to your desired consistency.  I thin it just a bit and serve with a spoon.  This makes enough for at least two servings, although I often eat the entire thing over the course of a morning (or afternoon, if I'm having it for lunch). 

Note:  As I said, Sarah's kids drink this, so if your kids can get past the green color, this could be a great way to get in a bit of veggies.  You could start with just one kale leaf and all their favorite fruits, even.  Also, you can play with the recipe quite a bit.  Sarah has added mangoes, berries, and other fruits that she has on hand.  I have tried it without each of the three fruits listed above and, although I like the combo of all three best, I think the only essential one is the apple.  It just wasn't quite as tasty without the apple. 

Enjoy!
M

PS  Lyn, that title pun was for you! ;-)

Learn To Cook, Pt. 2: The Pasta Toss

Time for another installment of our monthly "Learn to Cook" series.  Last month, we talked about simple, "assembly only" dinners -- both sandwiches and salads.  This month, we're going to take another baby step forward and try pasta tosses.  Everyone can make a big bowl of pasta with jarred marinara sauce, right?  And that is certainly comforting and can be delicious.  But if a jar of marinara is the only treatment you ever give your pasta, then you are missing out on a world of possibilities.  You can break the red sauce rut by tossing your noodles with a variety of pantry/fridge staples.  Jarred roasted red bell peppers, pine nuts, capers, tuna, spinach, feta cheese, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives . . . There are lots of items living in your kitchen right now that are divine tossed in a bowl with some pasta. 

When you move beyond the basic pasta-and-marinara combo, you'll get two rewards.  First, you won't be bored.  Having just one taste experience for dinner -- let alone having that same dinner many times a month -- is boring, boring, boring.  But if you your noodles are tossed with other ingredients, then you get one bite of pasta followed by a bite of, say, feta cheese, then a bite of kalamata olives, then artichoke hearts . . . you get the picture.  Lots of tastes in one plate, which is much more exciting and satisfying.  So you'll have more variety in any given meal -- but you'll also have more variety over time, as you can change up your ingredients and achieve completely new pasta dishes every time.

The second reward is that you are very likely to eat less.  Most people, when they have just one taste experience (big bowl of red sauce) for dinner, tend to go for volume in order to achieve satisfaction.  (How many times have you reached for another slice of pizza even though you were already rather full, because you just didn't feel satisfied yet?)  But if you have lots of flavors in a meal, you can actually eat less but walk away from the table feeling much more satisfied.  After a dinner of pasta-with-marinara, many people end up feeling stuffed.  After a pasta toss with lots of flavors, you are more likely to feel full and satiated -- but not unpleasantly stuffed. 

I'll give you one complete pasta toss recipe and then a few different ideas for combinations that my family enjoys.  Let me know how your experiments go!  One last note:  I often like to serve pasta tosses as meatless meals, but if your family eats meat every night, you could always add bits of leftover chicken, turkey, sausage or whatever you've got. 

Angel Hair with Herbed Goat Cheese and Tomatoes

Source: adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Time:  about 15 mins. (after water boils)

• 1 package fresh angel hair pasta (from refrigerated section)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes (mix of heirloom types is nice)
• 3 oz. herb-flavored goat cheese
• 1 TBSP olive oil + more for drizzling
• 1-2 cloves garlic (or 1-2 tsp bottled, minced garlic)
• salt and pepper
• fresh basil
• about 3/4 c chicken broth

1. Bring some water to a boil and then cook your angel hair according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes in half, lengthwise.  Mince the garlic. Cut the goat cheese into chunks. Cut the basil leaves into thin strips.

3. Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.  Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes start to soften up a bit (about 2 mins.)  Add the chicken broth and cook another minute or so. 
4. Meanwhile, when the pasta is done, drain it and either return it to the pot or put it in a large serving bowl.  Add the goat cheese, basil, a little salt, and a lot of pepper on top and then gently toss it together just a bit.  Then add the tomato mixture and toss more thoroughly.  I like to drizzle individual servings with some extra olive oil and basil, then.  Taste and add more salt, pepper, oil, or chicken broth, if needed.

Other Pasta Toss Ideas:

Italian Peppers and Sausage:  Saute some Italian sausage (either links -- whole or cut up -- or bulk sausage, hot or mild) in some oilive oil.  Meanwhile, slice an onion and some bell peppers.  Add the veggies to the pan.  Toss with penne and some more olive oil -- and maybe a splash of balsamic or red wine vinegar.  (You could also add a can of diced tomatoes, but then let it cook all together a bit -- about 10 mins.)  Salt, pepper, and cheeses (mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, romano) as you please.  I've also used this general idea to use up leftover pasta-with-marinara sauce.  For that meal, I make the sausage and onion/peppers as described, then mix it with the leftover pasta, cover with mozzarella, and bake until warmed through and the cheese is melted.

Greek Pasta:  Chop some sundried tomatoes (the jarred kind packed in oil) and toss them in a big bowl.  Add some kalamata olives, feta, garlic, parsley, and penne or spaghetti.  Toss with some olive oil and maybe a splash of vinegar.  Other possible add-ins:  onions (cooked for a bit or not), artichoke hearts, capers.  If you want to get fancy, saute some scallops with some chopped onion and garlic in olive oil and a splash of wine.  (Adapted from Desperation Dinners.)

Ricotta Pasta:  Put some ricotta cheese and parmesan or romano in a big bowl.  Add some chopped parsley.  Cook an onion in some olive oil and then add a bit of garlic and some halved cherry tomatoes.  When it's all soft, toss it with penne.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Other add-ins:  bacon, peas, sausage, zucchini, cooked spinach.  Ricotta is also great added to leftover pasta-and-marinara and baked (as discussed above). 

Tortellini With Sausage:  For a change of pace, use a filled pasta -- like tortellini or ravioli -- in a pasta toss.  My favorite is from adapted from Desperation Dinners.  Brown some bulk Italian pasta with a chopped onion.  Add a little garlic.  Chop some jarred, sun-dried tomatoes and them to the skillet, along with a handful of pine nuts.  (If it starts to get dry, add a splash or water.)  Toss with tortellini and serve with lots of romano or parmesan.

Pasta Pomodoro:  This is a classic that never seems to get tired -- but it is only great during the summer, in peak tomato season.  Chop some amazing, perfect tomatoes (I love the way a bunch of different colored heirlooms look and taste)  and add them, with their juice, to a big bowl.  Chop some garlic and add it, too.  Chop some basil and stir it in.  Add a LOT of oil -- start with at least a 1/4 c if you're making the standard 4 servings.  Toss with angel hair.  Taste to see if it needs salt, pepper, or more oil or basil.  Serve with lots of romano or pamesan. 

Tuna Toss:  We call this "Al Fresco" pasta in our house, as it is almost always served outside.  It is adapted from Desperation Dinners.  Again, wait til summer, when the tomatoes make this divine.  Chop up a bunch of tomatoes and add to a bowl with their juice.  Chop a bunch of parsley and add it.  Chop and add a few cloves of garlic.  Add a handful of kalamata olives.  Add a few spoonfuls of capers.  Add some tuna (canned or in the pouch, as you please).  Add a few handfuls of romano or parmesan.  Drizzle with a lot of olive oil.  Toss with fusilli.  Add salt, pepper, and more oil, to taste.

Spinach and Prosciutto Toss:  While you're boiling your noodles, heat some olive oil in a skillet and some minced garlic and a big punch of red pepper flakes.  Take a few ladles of water out of the pasta pot and add it to the skillet.  Put a bag of baby spinach in your colander.  When your spaghetti is done, drain it over the spinach -- this will cook the spinach.  Add the noodles and spinach to the skillet.  Add some sliced prosciutto, the juice of a lemon, salt, and lots of pepper, and romano or parmesan.  (Adapted from Rachel Ray's 2, 4, 6, 8 and Cooking Light magazine.)

Satay Noodles:  Here's a killer one to move your noodles away from Mediterrean flavors. This is (barely) adapted from Rachel Ray's 2, 4, 6, 8.  Saute some fresh ginger, garlic, and a big pinch of red pepper flakes in either canola or peanut oil.  After about 2 mins., take a ladle of the water out of the pasta pot and about a cup of chicken broth.  Add about 1/3 cup of soy sauce (or tamari, if you have it).  Turn the heat to high and let it bubble for a minute or two.  Turn off the heat and add 1/2 cup of smooth, all-natural peanut butter (if you eat the processed, Jiff-type of P.B., that will work).  Whisk to combine.  If it gets too thick, splash a little more of the pasta water in.  Squeeze two limes into the sauce and then toss with the hot noodles.  (Spaghetti or another long, thick noodle works best here.)  This is good just like this, but if you have some roasted peanuts and/or cilantro to put on top, you will be very, very happy. 

Roasted Cabbage: Mon Petit Chou

Can I tell you a little secret?  I love cabbage.  I know, I know.  Poor cabbage has an image problem.  People think cabbage is stinky, bland, boring, cheap.  It's the working-class, hardy, reliable veg that gets overshadowed by its fancy, ritzy neighbors in the produce section.  The leeks, the beets, the fennel, the white asparagus -- they all seem so much more glamorous than the sturdy cabbage. 

But cabbage has so much to offer!  A small, fresh cabbage is surprisingly sweet.  And they keep for days on end in the crisper drawer, which means they are like a little gift near the end of the week, when you've already burned through those frou-frou veggies that couldn't take another day in the fridge.  (Cabbage will wait for you.)  And as long as you don't boil cabbage to death, it is a real pleasure to eat.  And if all that didn't convince you, consider this:  "mon petit chou" is a French term of endearment.  It means "my little cabbage."  And we can all agree that the French know a thing or two about food, love, and life, can we not?  I rest my case.

I love green cabbage braised in cream, red cabbage shredded and tossed in a lemon-pepper dressing, and even a homemade coleslaw with curried mayo, nuts, and dried cranberries.  But all those cabbage preparations have been overshadowed by my new favorite recipe:  Roasted Cabbage with Lemon.  You may already know of my intense love of all roasted veggies.  And yet I had never thought of roasting cabbage until I saw it in the January issue of Martha Stewart Living.  I tried it immediately and we've had it once a week ever since.  I even ate about 3/4s of a small, roasted cabbage as my entire dinner the other night.  (Although, to be fair, that was because the French Vegetable Stew I made to go with the cabbage was completely awful.  So while the French may know a thing or two about food, perhaps I do not.)

This recipe takes advantage of cabbage's natural sweetness, as some of the sugar carmelizes as it roasts and browns.  Then the lemon squeezed over it complements the sweetness perfectly.  Even better, this recipe is as easy as it comes.  Perfect even for the beginners out there. 

So pick yourself up a petit chou this week and get ready to fall in love.

ROASTED CABBAGE WITH LEMON

Source:  adapted from Martha Stewart Living, Jan. 2010 issue

• 1 small, green cabbage
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 lemon

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2. Remove any loose, dirty or bruised outer leaves from your cabbage.  Trim the stem and then cut the cabbage in half.  Then cut each half into four wedges, trying to preserve a bit of core on each wedge, to help hold them together. 
3. Arrange wedges on a rimmed baking sheet.  Brush the wedges generously with olive oil on all sides.  (Martha called for just 1/2 tsp. of oil, but I easily use a full tablespoon or so.  Also, if you don't have a brush, just lightly pat them with oil -- I even let my 2 yr. old do that recently and they turned out fine.)  Sprinkle generously with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.
4. Roast for about 10-15 mins. and then carefully flip.  Roast for another 10-15 mins.  (I like mine to get some good color, so I go pretty long.  But do check every now and again!)
5. Squeeze the lemon over the cabbage and serve. 

Enjoy!
M