Kale Recipes

Kale From kale chips to massaged kale salad, kale can be used in so many dishes. Here on the farm, we grow green, red Russian, lacinato, and Nash’s own red kale. Try them all in soups, salads, casseroles, sautees, or any other delicious concoctions.

In the cold months, kales get sweeter. For this hardy brassica, sugar acts as an anti-freeze. Historically, kale has been particularly important in the cuisines of the colder regions of Europe due to its resistance to frost.

Kale has been cultivated for over 2,000 years. In Europe. It was the most popular green vegetable until the Middle Ages when cabbages took the lead. In nineteenth century Scotland, kail was used as a generic term for ‘dinner’ and all kitchens featured a kail-pot for cooking.

Today, kale is enjoying a tremendous resurgence, and small wonder. At just 33 calories, one cup of raw kale has nearly 3 grams of protein; 2.5 grams of fiber; vitamins A, C, and K; folate, a B vitamin that’s key for brain development; alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid; plus phyto-chemicals that give kale its dark green coloring and protect against diseases of the eyes like macular degeneration. Minerals include phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and zinc. It’s a SUPER FOOD!

Kale is very simple to sauté. Pull the green, leafy parts off the stems and break into bite-sized pieces. Lightly sauté in olive oil, with minced garlic, and salt and pepper. You can also coat with oil and bake in a very low oven for kale chips. Add kale to your juice for a real nutrient hit.

Kale & Triticale “Risotto”

Risotto isn’t just for rice anymore — make your risotto with one of Nash’s whole grains, like our nutty triticale.

1 pound Nash’s triticale berries
2 bunches lacinato or red kale leaves, ribs and stems removed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 cups veggie broth
2 medium shallots, sliced
1/2 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic, sliced
6 ounces Parmesan cheese

Wash berries and soak them overnight. Cook as you would rice (1 part grain to 1 1/2 parts water) for about 1-2 hours or until tender. Drain and coat with a bit of olive oil. Coarsely chop kale and put aside. In large sauce pan, warm oil on medium head and add shallots. Cook about 2 minutes, then add kale and wilt together for 2 minutes, then add garlic. Saute 30 seconds, stirring occasionally, then add 4 cups of the broth and simmer. Simmer about 10 minutes or until broth is mostly absorbed, then add butter, 4 ounces Parmesan cheese and cooked triticale. Adjust to remaining stock, and more butter, salt and pepper. Garnish with chives and Parmesan cheese as desired.

We thank Mike Shethar, formerly of Nash’s, for this recipe.

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Posted on February 20, 2014

Sweet Orange Slaw

This isn’t your typical kohl slaw — add some orange and sweeten it up!

1 cup green shredded cabbage
2 apples, chopped small
1 cup shredded red kale
1/3 cup walnut pieces
1/3 cup raisins
2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
Juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)

Combine cabbage, apples and red kale in bowl. Add raisins, walnuts and fennel seeds. Squeeze orange juice on top and mix. Let sit for a few minutes while you combine honey, yogurt, orange peel and salt in separate bowl. Mix until blended, pour over vegetable mix, and stir well. Serve chilled.

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Posted on February 18, 2014

Kids’ Favorite Kale Chips

Lacinato is also called dinosaur kale because of its bumpy texture — so tell your kids they’re eating dinosaur skin!

12 large Lacinato kale (or other kale) leaves, rinsed, dried, cut lengthwise in half, center ribs and stems removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss kale with oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange leaves in single layer on 2 large baking sheets. Bake until crisp, about 15 minutes for flat leaves and up to 20 minutes for wrinkled leaves. Transfer leaves to bowl to cool. Enjoy!

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Posted on February 18, 2014

Winter Salad

Triticale berries add a nutty flavor and chewy texture to this salad.

1 cup cooked triticale berries
1 cup cranberries
1 cup kale, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts
Handful of Italian parsley
Balsamic vinegar
Butter or oil

Soak the triticale overnight, then cook it as you would rice. Sauté the onion and carrots in oil. Add kale and cook until dark. Toss sautéed veggies in remaining ingredients. Season with salt, pepper and vinegar.

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Posted on February 18, 2014

Poached Eggs with Garlicky Kale

Garlic up your kale and eggs, mmmmm!

2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped roughly
1/2 onion, sliced
2 bunches kale, stems removed, leaves finely sliced
1/2 pound pancetta
1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
6 eggs, poached

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add pancetta, onions, and garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant. (Note: this is a good time to begin your egg poaching).

Add kale, stir well to combine with onion mixture, and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the kale wilts and onions soften. Remove from heat. Divide the kale between 4 bowls and top each with a poached egg.

We thank Annie McHale for this recipe.

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Posted on February 18, 2014

Death By Garlic (Revived by Kale)

10 minced cloves of garlic lightly browned in olive oil and tossed with parsley, Kale, red pepper flakes, hot penne pasta and freshly grated Romano cheese makes a heady and flavorful dish.

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 20 Minutes
Servings: 4

1/2 cup olive oil
10 cloves Polish hard-neck garlic, minced
1 bunch Nash’s kale, torn from the thick stems in bite size pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 pound dry penne pasta
1/3 cup grated Romano cheese

Cook pasta according to directions on package.

In a pan, brown the garlic in oil for 2 minuets, then add kale and stir for 5 more minuets until the kale is wilted. Add salt, pepper and parsley and remove from heat.

Toss penne pasta with garlic mixture and add Romano cheese and serve!

Note: Add sliced Polish kielbasa at the same time you brown garlic for a special treat.

We thank Walt Wielbicki (Garlic Breath) for this recipe. If you love garlic too, check out his Lebanese Garlic Sauce and Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce for Ice Cream.

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Posted on February 18, 2014

Sweet Potato and Kale Chicken Patties

Here is a tasty way to combine kale, sweet potatoes, and chicken into gluten-free, paleo-friendly patties.

2 green onion
1/2 medium sweet potato
2 1/2 cups kale
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 egg
2 tablespoons coconut flour

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with 1 teaspoon coconut oil or avocado oil (or bacon grease), add green onions, and cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add sweet potatoes and cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, until barely tender. Add kale and cook until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

Add chicken to a food processor and process on pulse until ground. Transfer meat to a large mixing bowl. Add salt, garlic, paprika, Dijon mustard, rosemary, egg, coconut flour, and sweet potato mix. Mix together with hands until well combined.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or, even better, overnight.

Divide your chicken mixture into 6 to 7 even patties.

Coat a large non-stick pan with coconut oil or, even better, bacon grease to just coat the bottom (not a lot). Add patties and cook until golden crust forms, about 5 to 6 minutes, then flip to the other side and cook until golden and cooked through.

Serve as is, with a side salad, or with guacamole.

We thank MultiplyDelicious for this recipe.

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Posted on February 12, 2014

Kale Detox Salad

This is a refreshing salad to make after a rich feast like Thanksgiving dinner.

Salad
2 12-ounce bunches kale, stems removed, leaves cut into thin strips or chiffonade
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup whole pecans or hazelnuts
1 medium turnip, peeled and grated (1 cup)
1 medium rutabaga, peeled and grated (1 cup)
1 medium carrot, grated (1 cup)
2 green onions, cut thin on diagonal
1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
2 tablespoons organic canola oil or vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Dressing
2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons agave nectar or honey

Massage olive oil, vinegar and half of the salt into kale for a minute or two and then set aside for about 20-30 minutes. Gently toss turnips, rutabagas, carrots, nuts and onions with the maple syrup or honey, oil, cayenne and remaining salt.

Make the dressing by whisking the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, soy sauce and agave or honey. When kale is softened, combine it with the root mixture, and then toss everything with the dressing.

We thank the Vegetarian Times for this recipe.

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Posted on November 24, 2013

Sweet Potato/Squash & Lacinato Kale

1 large sweet potato OR 1 small winter squash
1 bunch lacinato kale
2 cloves garlic
Juice of one-quarter lemon
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive, peanut or organic canola oil

Peel the sweet potato/squash and cut into bite-sized pieces. Cook in 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just brown on all sides and soft. While they are cooking, wash kale, remove the ribs, and cut the leaves into thin ribbons. Mince or press the garlic and set aside. Once the potato/squash is fully cooked, add the cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper and then set aside.

Heat remaining oil in the pan and saute garlic and chili flakes for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Add kale to the pan and stir often until it’s cooked down significantly and is tender. Season the greens with salt and pepper to taste. Combine the potato/squash, honey or maple syrup, and lemon juice with the greens, stir and serve.

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Posted on October 22, 2013

Fettuccine with Kale Pesto

Who knew you could make pesto with kale?

Here’s a recipe shared by one of our fantastic customers at the Ballard Farmer’s Market. This kale pesto is great with or without cheese, and also as a veggie dip.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6

Unlike pesto made with basil, this delicious kale version doesn’t lose its bright-green color. It also has more micronutrients and protective phytonutrients.

Pesto
4 cups stemmed chopped kale (about 1 bunch)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Experiment with a variety of kales to find your favorite flavor and texture. We here at Nash’s are harvesting lacinato kale and red Russian kale.

Pasta
1 lb fettuccine or pappardelle pasta
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

Make the Pesto
Bring large pot of water to a boil. Fill large bowl with ice cubes and cold water. Plunge kale into boiling water and cook 3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer kale to ice bath. (The cold water allows the kale to keep its bright-green color.) After 3 minutes, drain kale in colander, then squeeze it firmly to press out excess water.

Put kale, remaining pesto ingredients, and 1 teaspoon salt in food processor and puree until smooth. (Makes 1 cup.) Transfer to a container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. (Keeps up to 3 days.)

Prepare Pasta
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook until al dente, per package directions. Just before the pasta is done, remove 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water and add it to the pesto. Add cheese and mix well.

Drain pasta and toss with pesto. Serve with extra cheese, if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)
549 calories, 20 g protein, 63 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 25 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 717 mg sodium

We thank Prevention.com for this recipe.

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Posted on August 28, 2013