Kids Dish

Kale is a super veggie. It’s full of fiber, iron, potassium, vitamins K, A and C, and studies have shown it has cancer fighting properties and promotes lung health. As a bonus it is very much in season right now, judging by the myriad varieties offered through my CSA.

To prepare kale before cooking, rinse it several times in very cold water to wash away any remaining dirt or sand. It can be eaten with or without the ribs, depending on what your recipe calls for.

If you’re looking for a quick recipe, you can saute kale, ribs removed, until tender (about 10 minutes) and add to cooked pasta with feta, olive oil and pine nuts. Sam picks around the cheese and pine nuts, but he eats the greens and pasta.

If you happen to have a kid like mine who needs to gain some weight, you can also add sauteed kale to mashed potatoes. It’s wonderful, which is a shame since I do not need to gain any weight and it’s currently taunting me from the kitchen.

My all-time favorite kale recipe is White Bean, Kale and Roasted Vegetable soup. It’s also my favorite soup recipe. It’s a bit time consuming, but it’s well worth the effort because the soup is amazing. The roasted vegetables give the soup a creamy sweetness which complements the kale well. The recipe calls for butternut squash, but yams make a good substitute.

White Bean, Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 medium carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise
2 large tomatoes, quartered
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups (or more) canned vegetable broth
4 cups finely chopped kale
3 large fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, drained

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with oil spray. Arrange carrots, tomatoes, onion, squash and garlic on sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake until vegetables are brown and tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Transfer carrots and squash to work surface. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside. Peel garlic cloves; place in processor. Add tomatoes and onion; puree until almost smooth. Pour 1/2 cup broth onto baking sheet; scrape up any browned bits. Transfer broth and vegetable puree to large pot. Add 5 1/2 cups broth, kale, thyme and bay leaf to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until kale is tender, about 30 minutes.

Add beans and reserved carrots and squash to soup. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before serving.)

recipe from Epicurious

kale, soup, recipe, super veggies