Call me crazy, but I just cannot seem to jump on this kale bandwagon. I know it’s supposed to be the equivalent of Superman in the world of veggies, but that still doesn’t mean I have to like its weirdly rough texture and incredibly earthy taste. If you’re pro-kale, you go Glen Coco! If you’re not, I’m here to help. Here are five easy variations that will help make this super food more enjoyable to eat.
1. Baked Kale Chips
Photo by Alex Tom from Spoon – NU
I have yet to actually try these, but my mom claims that they’re delicious, so we’re all just going to have to trust her, okay? The plus side of this recipe is that it’s super easy to make! Just cover a baking sheet with torn kale leaves, cover them with olive oil, and bake them for 10-15 minutes at 350º. Try them for yourself and let me know if my mom was actually lying to me.
2. Kale Tacos
The fact that the kale will be inside of a taco automatically makes it delicious. Instead of using boring old iceberg lettuce, try sprinkling a little shredded kale inside of your tortilla. We all know you’re going to drown the entire thing in hot sauce, so you won’t even notice the difference!
3. Strawberry-Kale Smoothies
Photo by Ben Rosenstock from Spoon – University of Michigan
Ingredients: 1 cup of kale, 1 cup of frozen strawberries, 1 frozen banana, 1 cup of vanilla yogurt and 1 cup of crushed ice. Blend until smooth and enjoy your delicious creation that tastes nothing like kale at all! You’ll still get the health benefits (hello there, iron and calcium), but you won’t feel like you’re chewing on a leaf from your front yard. Win-win!
4. Kale Pizza
Buy kale from your local grocery store. Store it in your fridge and never touch it. Pick up your phone and order a pizza. Eat the pizza and congratulate yourself for actually buying kale. Or, if you are making your own pizza (you fancy, huh?) wilt kale and add as a topping before throwing on a TON of cheese and baking!
5. Kale Pasta
Posted by Elizabeth Tadie from Spoon – University of Chicago
Again, it’s pasta, so you know it has to be good. Similar to the taco change-up (did I just create a new baseball play?), try adding kale to your favorite pasta dishes, like University of Chicago’s rotini with goat cheese, kale and chicken sausage.