Lately, Hiram and I have been enjoying free veggies, one of the perks of being parents of an organic farmer. First, our new daughter stir fried kale, one of the main crops produced on the farm where Allen works, during a recent visit to their house. Once they saw I liked it, packed a big grocery bag full for me to take home the next day.
Not being the most adventurous vegetable eater around, I was surprised at how delicious kale is. Allen said it’s very nutritious, which a quick trip to Wikipedia confirmed. Their entry says,
“Kale is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties; kale is considered to be anti-inflammatory. Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical believed to have potent anti-cancer properties. Boiling reduces the level of the anti-cancer compounds; however, steaming, microwaving, or stir frying do not result in significant loss.[2] Along with other brassica vegetables, kale is also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. Kale is also a good source of carotenoids.
I left in all the links partly so you could check all the scientific words out for yourself, but mostly because I’m too lazy to take them out. And because laziness provides the perfect segue into how to stir fry kale, which is really, really easy. Here’s the recipe, which we enjoyed as part of Thanksgiving dinner with our daughter and new son yesterday.
Stir Fried Kale
Six cups kale
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
salt
Wash kale and set in a strainer to drain. Pat dry, if needed. Pull leaves off the center rib. Throw away ribs and tear or chop kale leaves into bite-sized pieces. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil heats to a glossy sheen, add kale and stir constantly with a spatula for 3 – 5 minutes. (Allow it to cook down only a little.) In the last minute or two, add garlic. Continue stirring until garlic is mixed in. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, if desired. Serve immediately.
Like I said, the recipe is easy enough for a lazy person like me. Though the same can’t be said of finding kale. Anybody seen it in the supermarket lately?
