Other uses for kale

In an earlier post we talked about using kale in a kale and goat cheese dinner. Kale is one of those veggies that is good either hot or cold. Last night we made a salad using some black kale that we got at Mother's Market. The first thing I do is to pull the pieces of kale from their stalks. After rinsing them in warm water (warm water helps soften the kale up) I place them in a bowl and marinate them in an Raspberry Merlot Vinaigrette. The reason you have to marinate the kale is to soften it up a bit. So you need to massage the dressing into the kale and then let it sit for awhile. Here's a little bit about the dressing I use. It has multiple uses in our house.  



Kale salad



The Bolthouse Difference

Our Raspberry Merlot Vinaigrette combines the refreshing taste of sun-ripened raspberries and merlot grapes for a distinctly delicious and vibrantly colored dressing.

 

40 mg/Serving ALA Omega-351% Fewer Calories and 88% Lower Fat than the leading brand*Great Savory TasteNo Preservatives, No Artificial Flavors, and No MSGAll Natural IngredientsGluten FreeMade with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Flaxseed OilVersatile – Use as a Dressing, Dip, or Marinade! *Leading brand: 62 calories; 4g fat. Bolthouse: 30 calories and 0.5g fat  



While the kale is marinating, I go to work on the other ingredients. I wanted to use the purple kohlrabi from our CSA box up so I cut that up. Kohlrabi is a lot of work because it's like cutting up a pineappple. You have to cut the outer layer off and then cut the inner core out. The three green kohlrabi that we got at Whole Foods had more useable portions than the large purple one I used last night. I mixed it in with the kale to soften it up a bit too. I cut up some grape tomatoes that I didn't use in last weekend's salad. I cut up an apple. I prefer any green type of apple but you can use any variety of apple. The green ones just don't turn brown as fast. (One of my co-workers told me that she adds lemon juice to the apples until she uses them to keep them from turning brown.) I added some dried cherries but any dried fruit could work. I set those aside until we were ready to mix them with the kale.

After we finished grilling the squash (another post) I mixed the kale with the other ingredients and then added some almond slivers. Ideal on green and fruit salads, especially with spinach and nuts. It is also a wonderful marinade for chicken, pork, and fish. With less than half the fat and calories of the leading brands, you’ll appreciate the delightful flavor even more. 

  



Apples, tomatoes, dried cherries





Kale and kohlrabi marinating in dressing