The Incredible, Edible Green: 15 Recipes with Hearty, Healthy Kale
Eat more kale. Got kale? I love kale! Kale is more than a green leafy vegetable. It has come to be a symbol of healthy, whole food-focused eating. But kale can be a daunting vegetable. Those stiff curls of deep green, the straight-backed ribs, the chew-chew-chew of raw leaves. But that very heartiness is what makes kale such a satisfying green in soups, stews, baked breakfast casseroles, and quiches. The greens retain a pleasurable chew, a solidity where their flimsier cousins like spinach wilt away to rags.
Today we celebrate kale’s heartiness in all its forms: Baked into crispy, light kale chips. Shredded into a salad softened with peanut dressing. Tender underneath baked egg and chickpeas. Simmered into a turkey chili. Here are 15 reasons to, yes, eat more kale, and love it.
PASTA & BAKED DISHES
• 1. Artichoke, Kale & Ricotta Pie – A simple eggy pie full of kale. Great for any meal of the day.
• 2. Kale and Potato Gratin – A stripped-down gratin without any cream.
• 3. Kale, Chickpeas, and Sausage with Oven-Baked Egg – A fabulous meal for one: Bake an egg on top of chickpeas, kale, and sausage.
• 4. Kale and Goat Cheese Frittata Cups – Mini frittata cups you can make ahead of time and grab on your way out the door.
• 5. Kale Chips – The famous kale chips! Have you ever tried these?
• 6. Kale and Potato Puree – Two simple foods together become really sublime.
• 7. Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale – Pasta toss with handfuls of kale and sausage.
• 8. Orzo Caramelized with Fall Vegetables & Ginger – Kale plays a supporting yet important role in this gingery, tasty dish.
SOUPS & STEWS
• 9. Kale and Potato Soup – A quiet, satisfying vegetarian soup.
• 10. Easy Turkey Chili with Kale – One of our favorite fall meals.
• 11. Kale and Chicken Stew – A hearty, beautiful stew.
• 12. Bacon, Kale, & Turkey Stew – This recipe was created to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey, but you can make it any time of year with turkey or chicken.
SALADS & SLAWS
• 13. Kale Slaw with Peanut Dressing – A fabulous fall salad, colorful and nutty.
• 14. Kale Salad with Apricots, Avocado & Parmesan – Quick, hearty lunch salad for busy days.
• 15. Kale Salad with Quick-Pickled Watermelon Radish – Dramatically beautiful, topped with pickled radish.
(Images: See linked recipes for full image credits)