Hands down, the number one produce item most frequently placed on the “do not like” list is kale…followed by other good-for-you greens, eggplant, and beets. I’m not sure if it is a taste preference or because folks just don’t know how to prepare it. If it is a taste preference though…you should be eating it anyway.

My first experience with kale was after I had left home. It certainly was not a vegetable I was familiar with or grew up knowing of. I was having some health challenges because my diet was awful. Long story made short…kale was on the short list of things I should eat recommended by my doctor.
List in hand, I was off to the store to stock up on things I could eat. I didn’t even know what kale was or what it looked like. Two grocery stores later and a knowledgeable produce manager, I finally found the elusive kale bunch.
It came highly suggested to eat it raw in salads or to juice it with other greens for one of those nasty cocktails kids would gag on. I assumed you just tore off big leaves like my salad greens. Biting into it I now recall it being extremely bitter and concluded that it would ruin any salad it ever managed to sneak into.
I later learned that cutting it off the stem and into tiny little ribbons made a world of difference in it’s addition to salads. I’ll admit that my palate, at the time, was unaccustomed to things that actually tasted good, were fresh, or good for you. Most of my meals previously had either passed through a drive thru window or had been a culinary wonder that came from a box.
Kale has since become a staple in our household. It’s actually quite versatile and it’s health benefits outweigh any objections picky eaters might have. My kids have actually grown to like it but not after cleverly disguising it for many meals.

Kale is one of THE best known cancer fighting vegetables on the planet. When statistics show that 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will develop some form of cancer, I could end my plea for you to eat it right there, but I won’t. It is high in lutein, a phytochemical that scientists believe may be more protective than beta carotene. Speaking of beta carotene, kale contains twice as much as spinach, thus making is beneficial for eye health. Kale is a relative of the cabbage family. It has a high sulpher content, and like cabbage, when juiced, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers. Kale, like many greens, is rich in calcium and in this form is more absorbable by the body than the calcium in milk. Ounce for ounce, kale contains more calcium than milk and its easy assimilation makes it protective against bone loss, osteoporosis, and arthritis.
Kale contains calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, zinc,copper, manganese, vitamins B’s, C, E & K. Kale is fiber rich and loaded with a wide range of phytochemicals. The slight bitterness of this green powerhouse stimulates the production of bile acids in the liver. The high fiber content of kale binds with these bile acids to break down fats and cholesterol in the body. This coupling of fiber and bile acids work to protect your cardiovascular system from the toll of high cholesterol. All that fiber is also going to keep things in your digestive system moving right along too, if you catch my drift. Want to know how fiber goes hand-in-hand with weightloss? Read my friend Suzie’s blogpost.
If you want to derive any of the benefits from this plant, you will have to eat it on a regular basis.

Kale should be kept chilled in your crisper. The leaves should be dark green and hardy. You can rinse and use whole leaves and stalks in a juicer for a phyto-cocktail. To prepare for raw or cooked dishes, run the blade of a knife along the stem and the leaves should come off with ease. Wash in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel or utilize your salad spinner. From here you can stack up the leaves and cut small ribbons for salad or you can wilt larger leaves in your soup or sauté them with olive oil. It makes a great stand in for spinach in many recipes. Even though a recipe calls for what might seem like a lot of kale,the leaves wilt down to more manageable portions during cooking.

These are some great recipes using kale.  Happy cooking adventures!

• 1 pound pizza dough (I like the pre-made kind available at Whole Foods)
• 1 large Kula Onion, thinly sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced (use small amt. of fennel leaves as a garnish)
• 1 cup of shredded Manchego cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 cup cornmeal
• 1 tsp. Black Truffle Oil (optional)

If pizza dough has been refrigerated, allow to rise and come up to room temperature. Divide dough into half. Apply a small amount of olive oil to hands to help shape the dough. Stretch and shape each half into circles. Sprinkle a pan with cornmeal and place dough onto pan. Set aside.
Slice onion & Fennel bulb, reserving the leaves as a garnish and store the rest for later use.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, fennel and salt.  Saute until tender.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Brush dough with remaining olive oil.
Add an even layer of fennel and onion mixture to dough. Add a layer of Manchego cheese.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until dough is crisp. (I like to pull mine off of the pan at about 8 minutes and cook directly on the oven rack for another couple of minutes)
Top each pizza with fennel leaves & a drizzle of black truffle oil. Enjoy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

This is my “go to” recipe for easy preparation of chard. Mighty tasty too!

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 cup green onions, chopped
• 1 1/2 cup garbanzo beans, cooked
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1 pound chard, rinsed and chopped into little ribbons
• 1 1/2 cups tomato, sliced or chunked
• 1-2  lemons, juiced

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Stir in garlic and green onions; cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft and fragrant. Add salt and peppers. Stir.  Add garbanzo beans.  Allow the spices and seasonings to mingle with beans and heat through. Place chard in pan, and cook until wilted. Add tomatoes and squeeze lemon juice over greens. Plate, and season with salt and pepper to taste. You can add Parmesan cheese, if desired.

I love making this simple pizza with goat cheese & fresh strawberries. I sometimes use arugula instead of spinach and like using fresh herbs like thyme or oregano to give it extra flavor. This recipe also works well with cream cheese if you’re not a fan of goat cheese.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°.
Place crust on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and lightly salt. Bake at 425° for until cooked through. Remove from oven; arrange goat cheese evenly over crust.
Combine strawberries, baby spinach, olive oil, juice, salt, and black pepper; toss gently to coat. Arrange strawberry mixture evenly over goat cheese. Sprinkle pizza with Parmigiano-Reggiano and nuts. Cut into 12 wedges. Serve immediately.

This is ALWAYS a hit and made without corn syrup.

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 local eggs
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla soymilk (plain cow’s milk works just fine too)
• 1 Maui Vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 1/2 c. shredded coconut
• 1 – pre-made pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy, and stir in melted butter. Stir in the brown sugar, white sugar and the flour; mix well. Last add the milk, vanilla bean, macadamia nuts & shredded coconut.
3. Pour into an unbaked 9-in pie crust. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until done.

This recipe & photo won the Whole Foods Kahului Farm to Table Photo Contest. So simple!

Chop a pound or more cherry tomatoes in half and place in a baking dish or cookie sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive or mac nut oil. Sprinkle with herbs of oregano, basil, thyme, salt & pepper. Add chopped garlic & onions if desired. (I usually add other veggies like zucchini & black olives.)

Baked at 400 degrees until roasted through. Mash with a fork to combine ingredients.

Serve on fresh toasted French bread.

MMM! Enjoy!