Holy Kale!

Confession time... the first time I got a CSA box I had to look up what the mysterious, bumpy, green-leafy thing was!!!??? I'd like to say I fell in love quickly with kale, but it took a while for us to become "friendly" with each other.  Now, thankfully, we are well acquainted, and I can say that my week never feels the same without a bit of kale.  I'm thinking that the folks at Join the Farm! heard my heart longing for kale and decided to play a joke on me and give me three weeks worth!  Good thing I love this stuff! :)

Kale is now the "in" food... every food publication on the planet features some sort of kale recipe, food television programs tell about the benefits of kale, and even movie stars are singing it's praises.  I'm concluding that I am super "hip" because I am totally down with kale.

The easiest place to start is kale chips, but if you don't cook them right they can taste slightly like old shoes.  I prefer to saute it and throw it in all sorts of pastas and casseroles.  It really is a simple veg to add to anything to give it a nutritional boost! (Haven't tried it in brownies yet, but thinking I might soon!) Today I'm enjoying it chopped up into tiny pieces in my egg-white egg salad sandwich. YUM-O!  But my new comfort food is creamed kale.  Super easy and the recipe can be used for spinach and Swiss chard.

Creamed Kale and Brown Rice

1 bunch kale de-stemmed and chopped
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 TBSP olive oil (or more, depending on your dietary needs
2 TBSP flour
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. 1/2 and 1/2
salt to taste
(additional flavor options... curry powder, red pepper flakes for kick, zatar seasoning for more middle eastern flavor)
Brown Rice - cooked (I cheat and use the Organic frozen cooked brown rice from TJ's)

1. First, put olive oil and minced garlic in a skillet (I like to use a deep one with a lid), cook on medium heat until garlic is sizzling...
2. Next, sprinkle the flour over the oil/garlic and, using a wooden spoon, saute the flour for about one minute.  (This process helps to make your milk thicken in the next step.)
3. Pour the cup of milk and 1/2 and 1/2 (you can do a whole cup of milk of you don't have any 1/2 and 1/2, the 1/2 and 1/2 just makes it slightly richer), and whisk briskly until four is combined.  Simmer over medium heat until it starts to thicken.  This is a good time to add additional herbs and/or seasonings. 
4. Add chopped kale and stir to combine.  I like to put the lid on my skillet at this point to let the kale wilt and cook into the sauce.
5. Serve over brown rice, add salt to taste!  I hope it becomes your new comfort food!

Spring Boxes Have Arrived!

Welcome Spring!

I don't know about you, but this week's box blew me away!  Sometimes I feel like the Join the Farm! folks are in my head (which may be a scary place to be, they may want to get out quick!) :)... Before I get into all the exciting things I am (hopefully) going to make with this week's box, I thought I'd take this opportunity, since it is the beginning of a new season, to tell you how I eat an entire box each week, by myself. 

First, you need to know that I do have people over for dinner frequently, so that helps me out, and when I have an abundance of something I do try to gift it to someone I know will use, need, or appreciate it.  I use those "abundance" times as an opportunity to feel giving, and less wasteful.  Also, I do a lot of preserving and pickling to make sure I have some items on hand for when they are not in season and I get a craving for tomatoes in April, or broccoli in July.

Each week when I get my box, I treat it like a present that someone has given me, (and really it is!).  I never peek inside until I get home, get into my comfy clothes, (read put on standard yoga pant uniform), and make sure that my kitchen and sinks are clean,and clear of dishes/garbage.  I find that when there is less chaos, I can really enjoy and appreciate the box.  The other thing I do is block time on Wednesdays for ME. It is my time for me to prep my veggies and it is VERY important.  No meetings allowed.  (It's also a great time to do other things for myself, like a pedicure/manicure, face mask, or television show that is a guilty pleasure (Dance Moms!). 

I begin by filling my sink with cool water and placing dish towels on the counter.  I always being with the greens and the lettuces.  Separating the leaves and soaking for a few minutes.  I recently learned a trick from Rachel Ray about how to separate the tough stems from the leaves of the kale and Swiss Chard.  In one hand hold the bottom of the stem and then with your other hand put the stem between your index and middle fingers and pull quickly.  It really works and saves TONS of time.

I then wash and prep everything for cooking that week.  This saves lots of time and I actually use the items when they are ready.  I use ziplocks, and some really great veggie keepers made by Progressive, but the trick is to use freezer ziplocks with the slider closure, these can be rinsed, turned inside out and dried to be used again.  I can use the same baggie for an entire season.  This cuts down on cost and waste.

Another thing I do to limit waste s to make veggie stock with my cuttings.  I simply fill a large stock pot with the cuttings, add a roughly cut onion, a few cloves of garlic, some salt to taste and perhaps a few dried hers if I need to.  Then add water and simmer on medium low for about 30-45 minutes.  When the cuttings are cooked down pretty well, you can strain the liquid and you have the most delicious organic veggie broth!  I haven't bought veggie broth in years, and it's saved me TONS of money.  I found some plastic (BPA free) containers made by Ball that are for the freezer.  They come in many sizes and stack nicely in the freezer for veggie broths.

Here is a great recipe from budgetbytes.blogspot.com that I LOVE!
http://www.budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2012/03/kale-swiss-tomato-pizza-522-recipe-131.html
Kale Pizza
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Pizza Dough (either homemade or store bought)
2TBSP Olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic (minced or paste)
6 oz Mmozzarella cheese
2 oz. Parmesan cheese
1 large bunch of kale
1-2 tomatoes or a handful of dried tomatoes (if using dried tomatoes, rehydrate by pouring boiling water over them and letting them steep for a few minutes)

1. Begin by rolling out dough into pizza shape you prefer.
2. Brush pizza dough with combination of olive oil and minced garlic.  (I also add 2 frozen basil cubes from TJ's)
3. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese on the pizza.
4. Saute kale (de-stemmed) in a skillet with a spray of olive oil and, if you want, more minced garlic.  Saute until wilted, then place on the pizza.
5. Cover kale with remaining cheeses and top with tomatoes (or other veggie toppings you enjoy).
6. Bake until crust is golden.
ENJOY!

It really is delicious!!!