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Quick, tasty kale/greens recipe (not vegan)

TreeLuvr87TreeLuvr87 Veteran
in Diet & Habits
Just wanted to share my recipe for tasty cooked kale! You can do this with any leafy greens, but kale is my favorite. Plus, I buy a bunch each week to use in smoothies and have to use the rest at the end of the week before it wilts. Friday has become kale night!

Grab a pretty big saucepan/pot. Chop an onion and cook it in a tablespoon of butter. My partner likes to use leftover bacon grease, mmm.
While it's cooking, break your kale leaves from the stems (or keep the stems on for more nutrients! they're just a little tougher than the leaves to chew) and rinse them well, shaking excess water.
Cook the onion until it's transluscent.
Toss your kale leaves in the pot and shake a few red pepper flakes over them. More flakes for more spice!
Pour about a cup of water over it all.
Cover and cook for at least twenty minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Your kale will start to wilt but will retain the beautiful curly appearance (we're talking curly kale, here). If the water dries up and you're not ready to eat the greens yet, pour another half cup of water in as needed.

Plop some kale on a plate and enjoy! I like to drizzle a little bit of vinegar, usually balsamic, before eating.

Just wanted to share this random, delicious weekly tradition we've been developing.

Anyone else have tips on preparing yummy greens? We're always looking for improvements!
evolve

Comments

  • tmottestmottes Veteran
    That sounds yummy, I will pick up some kale this week. Thanks for sharing.

    I would suggest trying this with radishes (you might have to vary cooking time). Yep the whole thing green and bulb. Cooked radishes are something I stumbled upon on accident, and are a bit like a cooked turnip. It reduces the bitterness and allows an unknown sweetness to be tasted.
  • SileSile Veteran
    edited September 2012
    Mmmm. I add turmeric, garlic and black pepper to mine - turmeric is amazing in bringing out flavors.

    Mmmm. The kale thread ;)
  • BunksBunks Australia Veteran
    edited September 2012
    Hey @TreeLuvr87. Thanks for this. My wife has grown some Kale in our garden but we didn't really know what to do with it....I'll try this out.
  • TreeLuvr87TreeLuvr87 Veteran
    Ohhh... I want to try cooking with radishes now. And turmeric in a ton of things. Thanks yall :-)
  • zombiegirlzombiegirl beating the drum of the lifeless in a dry wasteland Veteran
    edited September 2012
    I can't seem to make turmeric work for me, which is a shame because it is one of the healthiest herbs available with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-angiogenesis properties (Check out this TED Talk about anti-angiogenesis as the new super cancer treatment!) .

    The flavor is too hard for me to mask... or maybe compliment. Can I get some suggestions without derailing this thread? @Sile or anyone?
  • tmottestmottes Veteran
    @zombiegirl I have found that the longer you cook it ... the better it tastes. Just personal experience. Maybe I am doing something wrong too ;-)
  • zombiegirlzombiegirl beating the drum of the lifeless in a dry wasteland Veteran
    tmottes said:

    @zombiegirl I have found that the longer you cook it ... the better it tastes. Just personal experience. Maybe I am doing something wrong too ;-)

    At my massage school (which also taught herbalism, nutrition, and all sorts of different alternative health classes) they were crazy about turmeric. They even recommended preparing it with just some water (or maybe a tincture?) for super anti-inflammatory purposes. I wish I could remember the proper amounts though because at 19, I was more like, "Yeah yeah, whatever, inflammation... I feel fine." Sigh. :shake:
  • tmottestmottes Veteran
    edited September 2012
    zombiegirl said:

    tmottes said:

    @zombiegirl I have found that the longer you cook it ... the better it tastes. Just personal experience. Maybe I am doing something wrong too ;-)

    At my massage school (which also taught herbalism, nutrition, and all sorts of different alternative health classes) they were crazy about turmeric. They even recommended preparing it with just some water (or maybe a tincture?) for super anti-inflammatory purposes. I wish I could remember the proper amounts though because at 19, I was more like, "Yeah yeah, whatever, inflammation... I feel fine." Sigh. :shake:
    I remember listening to somebody talk about the benefits on the radio. He said that in India they actually manufacture sterile bandages with it. I never checked up on that, but I thought it was interesting.

    I bet you can find a tincture recipe online :)
  • RebeccaSRebeccaS Veteran
    Yummmm.

    I like making kale chips! But I prefer to use spinach :)
  • evolveevolve Explorer
    edited September 2012
    the first time i made kale chips,what a disaster they were soggy and burnt at the same time i think cause i used too much oil then i just forgot about them in the oven so they were deteriorating and all these pieces and steam were like coming out of the oven and then they were basically nothing when i opened the oven and i had started out with like half a bag of kale. so that's another mystery i guess they just imploded on themselves into some weird substance, anyway who knows

    i will try this recipe though, i think was part of my problem, i was kinda wingin' it and i'm not naturally good with cooking. thanks for sharing! i love kale
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    MMMMMMM!! Just made myself a good portion of this amazing salad!
    Home-made mung~bean starch "noodles" with a spicy dressing! it's wonderful!
    Who's for the recipe....? ;)
  • RebeccaSRebeccaS Veteran
    evolve said:

    the first time i made kale chips,what a disaster they were soggy and burnt at the same time i think cause i used too much oil then i just forgot about them in the oven so they were deteriorating and all these pieces and steam were like coming out of the oven and then they were basically nothing when i opened the oven and i had started out with like half a bag of kale. so that's another mystery i guess they just imploded on themselves into some weird substance, anyway who knows

    i will try this recipe though, i think was part of my problem, i was kinda wingin' it and i'm not naturally good with cooking. thanks for sharing! i love kale

    The spinach definitely shrinks... I think when I did it with kale it shrank too, but not as much. I would guess that you used too much oil, and maybe put the oven too high? Cook them on a low heat for a longer period. My first batch were kind of manky, too - I used waaaay too much oil and they were all soggy and gross, but they make such a great snack I tried it again. If you can't spray the oil, put just a tiny bit in a container with a lid, add your greens and shake it. I find that is pretty effective.
  • tmottestmottes Veteran
    federica said:

    MMMMMMM!! Just made myself a good portion of this amazing salad!
    Home-made mung~bean starch "noodles" with a spicy dressing! it's wonderful!
    Who's for the recipe....? ;)

    ooo... me! :wave:
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    zombiegirl said:

    tmottes said:

    @zombiegirl I have found that the longer you cook it ... the better it tastes. Just personal experience. Maybe I am doing something wrong too ;-)

    At my massage school (which also taught herbalism, nutrition, and all sorts of different alternative health classes) they were crazy about turmeric. They even recommended preparing it with just some water (or maybe a tincture?) for super anti-inflammatory purposes. I wish I could remember the proper amounts though because at 19, I was more like, "Yeah yeah, whatever, inflammation... I feel fine." Sigh. :shake:
    My neighbours, when I lived in Greater London, were from pakistan. The mother (Fiaz) always kept a bottle of Lavender essential oil in the kitchen for burns and scalds, and obviously had copious amounts of turmeric for her cooking - but if ever she cut herself, she would just take a pinch and sprinkle it in the cut. It stings like billy-ho, but is immediately effective in stemming the flow of blood and sterilising the wound. Then she'd put a plaster on and just carry on cooking.
    Made of stern stuff, was Fiaz....
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    Recipe for turmeric tincture:

    Make your tincture from fresh roots if you can.
    It just won't be as high quality if made from an old dried powder.

    Required:
    Blender
    100% proof alcohol (if you can't get it, a good quality, high oercent-proof alcohol, such as Grappa or vodka (at least 42%) will have to do....
    Glass jar
    2 - 4 pieces of good-quality turmeric root.
    Wooden spoon
    Fine kitchen strainer or cheese cloth
    Bottle to put the finished tincture in.

    Note: Make on the new moon; strain on the full moon.
    (No, I don't know why - it's just what the recipe said.)

    It's really easy:
    Put herbs in blender, add 100proof alcohol and blend well. Make it a
    soupy consistency and put in glass jar. Let herbs settle for a day to
    see how much liquid is on top. 3/4 herbs to 1/4 liquid on top is best.
    Screw the lid on and let it brew in the dark for months if you wish (at
    least 4 weeks) but remember to strain on the full moon. SHAKE WEEKLY. To
    strain, pour the whole jar through your strainer and press all liquid
    out of soaked herbs with a wooden spoon. Keep finished tincture sealed
    as the alcohol will evaporate if left uncorked. of tinctures is very
    simple, but can be time consuming as it takes months to brew a strong
    tincture.
    zombiegirl
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited September 2012
    tmottes said:

    federica said:

    MMMMMMM!! Just made myself a good portion of this amazing salad!
    Home-made mung~bean starch "noodles" with a spicy dressing! it's wonderful!
    Who's for the recipe....? ;)

    ooo... me! :wave:
    @tmottes,

    Sent!! ;)

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