Eat More Kale

You've all seen the t-shirts and the bumper stickers, right? So what's all the hype about kale?
This slogan originally began as a t-shirt to promote local business, however, aside form the controversy that surrounds it (http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9REGSB00.htm), you really SHOULD eat more kale-it's one of the most nutritious vegetables on the planet.
I'm not going to list all the great vitamins and minerals in kale, but trust me when I tell you that it's a powerhouse.

Here's a recipe I'll be making many times this week:

Crispy Kale Chips  
Ingredients

• 1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Lay on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. Bake until crisp, turning the leaves halfway through, about 20 minutes. Serve as finger food.

Some people say these take the place of potato chips for them, I won't go that far, but they are definitely yummy! 

I'm told if you use less oil, you can crush these up into a powder and mix them into popcorn with a bit of parmesan cheese. I might have to try that too.

I also use kale almost every time I make soup. Wash it, take out the stems (I saute them in olive oil and eat them separately) and throw them in whatever soup you are making. Just make sure you let them simmer until they are tender or they can be a bit bitter.

How are you making kale this week?

In health and haste,

~Mari-Chris