We’ve been growing kale in our garden for a few years now.  For those of you who have never planted anything for fear of killing it, then kale is for you.  We usually just buy the seedlings in the spring, plant them and water them somewhat regularly and they supply us with their prodigious leaves from summer into late fall.  Growing kale is definitely 20% effort for 80% results.

Kale used to be one of those mysterious things that adorned plates at restaurants.  Mom and I had lunch many years ago when my sandwich platter came with a scoop of coleslaw that was nestled in a green frilly leaf.  Mom saw this leaf and in an awed voice said, “I think that’s kale; it’s very nutritious.”  It was like she had seen a unicorn!  I took a little bite of this strange leaf with high expectations, but was completely disappointed by the tough chewy texture and bitterish taste.  Mom finished off the rest of my discarded leaf.  Little did I know then that she was further fortifying her anti-aging genes; my Mom has always looked young for her age.  But at that time, I had as little use for kale as those plastic green cut-outs that come with your sushi.

How far we’ve come! Kale has now shot out of the shadows and straight into our gardens, our salads, chips, smoothies.   It’s the Susan Boyle of the vegetable world, living a life of obscurity until a spotlight was shone on it and it burst forth in all of its green glory.  It has definitely had more than its share of 15 minutes of fame, and still going strong, though other veggies are trying to vie for its prominence in our fridges and plates.  Besides the conventional curly and heavy textured leafy kind, there is the non-curly and not as chewy kind called locinato, or dinosaur kale, as well as black kale, which really looks purplish.

My favourite way to eat kale is to make them into chips by dehydrating them, which makes them really crispy so they taste just like the kind you can spend oodles of money on in the grocery store.  It’s worth the trouble.  My neighbor has a dehydrator that she generously let me use, but she just moved and I might have to get one for myself.  Here is my go to recipe for dehydrated kale chips.  http://goneraw.com/recipe/cheesy-kale-chips

With the abundance of kale in my garden, I thought I’d make pesto with it.  One night I had a craving for comfort food, and what’s more comforting than breakfast for dinner.  So I roasted some sweet potatoes and potatoes, added the kale pesto and a fried egg, read my Vanity Fair magazine and settled in for the night…heaven.

Superfoods in this recipe:
Kale – High amount of calcium and vitamin K. In the Brassica oleracea family which is known to have a protective effect against cancer, because they contain Indole-3-carbinal (IC3) , which promotes a healthy balance of good estrogen to toxic cancer causing form of estrogen, it also has an anti-tumour effect.
Garlic – The major player in the allium family ( includes, leeks, onions, shallots, chives, green onion) contains sulphuric compounds that may help with lowering blood pressure, destroy cancer cells.  Allicin, one of these compounds in garlic is not only anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal, but research has shown that as allicin helps your body to neutralize dangerous free radicals.
Pine nuts – This seed has the highest amount of protein found in any nut.  They are the only source of pinoleic acid, an appetite suppressant.  They contain a high concentration of oleic acid which is good for heart health. Pine nuts are also rich in iron and packed with antioxidants.
Olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil has a distinctive taste and is high numerous antioxidants which are anti-flammatory and may protect the heart.
Sweet potatoes – Contains vitamin C, B complex, calcium and beta carotene. This is a complex carbohydrate, which means the carbs get released slowly in our body, so we don’t experience a dip in our energy levels, so our blood sugar remains stable.   B vitamins support our nervous system, which help us to feel calm and improves sleep.
Eggs –Nature’s near perfect food. Contains a wide range of vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E, choline, B12, as well as protein, lutein and zea-xanthin. Try to purchase Omega 3 eggs, to make it even more of a superfood.
Breakfast for Dinner serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 potato
• 1 sweet potato
• ½ T. olive oil
• ¼ t. salt
• Kale pesto (recipe below)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• Cut both potatoes into wedges then drizzle with olive oil and salt.  Place on baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes, turning once.
• Just before the potatoes are done, fry the eggs and set aside.
• Once potatoes are cooked, divide them between two plates, put about 1-2 Tablespoons of pesto onto each plate and top with fried egg and parmesan cheese if desired.

Kale Pesto makes about 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups kale (chopped)
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Puree kale, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor, or blender.
• Then stream olive oil into the mixture with machine on low.
• Then add cheese and salt and pepper at the end.

To store leftover pesto, pour olive oil over the top to create a seal, so the pesto does not oxidize.  It can be refrigerated for a week, or frozen for 3 months.  But if freezing, do not put the cheese into the pesto, but add when serving.

Eat healthy, live  great! {Kake}