About Kale

Common CSA kale varieties:

Redbor or Red Russian, Green Curly, and Lacinato (Dino)

Kale comes in lots of varieties- all of them are super stars, each delivering incredible amounts of healthy goodness! Lacinato is often called Dino kale, as it has the appearance of dinosaur skin. The tender blue-green leaves are long and firm, and it has an earthy, nutty, and slightly sweet flavor. Curly Green is the most common type of kale, and has the most "bite"; red varieties are usually mild.

Storage

Remove ties and rubber bands. Wrap unwashed kale in a paper or dish towel and store in the refrigerator in a loose plastic bag for 5-7 days. Keep dry; moisture will cause it to spoil.

To freeze: Wash leaves, then dry thoroughly. Hold stalk in one hand, push leaves off stem with other hand and place in a ziplock freezer bag. Squish flat so all air is out, and so bag lays flat in the freezer. Will keep at least 9 months.

Preparation

Fold the kale leaves in half lengthwise and snip off the tough stem rib before cutting into desired serving size. Or hold onto the stem base with one hand, and push the leaves off the stem with the other hand. Then tear or chop the leaves as desired. Instead of tossing the nutritious stems in the compost or garbage, chop them up and save for a fun, crunchy addition to a pizza or salad.

Knead Your Kale!?! Indeed!

If you find kale to be a bit chewy and hearty for your palate, or if you have a recipe -such as a pasta dish- that would benefit from a more silky kale texture, this is a nifty trick! Kneading or “massaging” your kale will help it to relax and become less tough.

It’s easy: Remove kale leaves from stems, wash and dry. Tear or cut them into the piece size of your choice and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil (not too much, about 1 tsp. is enough for a bunch), and massage kale with your hands for about a minute. You will feel it become tender. If you aren’t using right away, cover and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days

Nutrition

The hype is true! Kale is a super food that packs an especially powerful punch. It’s off the charts in antioxidants, vitamins, omega-3 fatty acid, minerals, and is an excellent anti-inflammatory food. Kale has more than 130% or your daily requirement of vitamins C, A, and K; more calcium per calorie than milk. It is a great cleansing vegetable; it contains 5 grams of fiber, but just 35 calories. As a noted nutritionist said- when you eat kale, it's like cleaning your intestines with a pipe cleaner!

Liz Talley, Urban Graze

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