Kale!

Curried kale with chickpeas

Recipe adapted from 1,000 vegetarian recipes

Kale, a type of cabbage (who knew!), is very rich in vitamins, calcium and indole-3-carbinol, a chemical involved in DNA repair. It's also really, really delicious! I came across this recipe in the book "1,000 vegetarian recipes," by Carol Gelles (a gift from my lovely sister-in-law, Bridget) and it has quickly become a go-to recipe. Try it once and you'll see what I mean!

Things I've learned along the way:

1. When cooking with greens (collards, spinach, kale etc), it is best to only cook them for a short period of time to preserve nutrients, color etc. Click here to read more.

2. When using canned beans (such as in this recipe) be sure to thoroughly wash them in cool water.

So, how do you chop kale?

   

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

Garlic, 4 cloves minced

3 cups of Kale, chopped

3 cups of cooked chickpeas, thoroughly washed

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

1 cup of vegetable broth, or as needed

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon of curry powder, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Salt, as needed

2 cups of brown rice, cooked according to package directions

Directions:

In a sautee pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions and cumin and cook 2 minutes, until softened.

Stir in the curry powder, ginger and coriander until it is well absorbed. Add broth and bring to a boil. Once the broth has boiled, add tomatoes, chickpeas and salt. Bring to a boil again and let it boil for a few minutes. Then, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. If the liquid has absorbed too much, add another quarter cup of vegetable broth.

Add the kale and cook, on low heat, for 5 to 10 mintues until the kale is cooked through (it will turn limp) but still retains its color.

Let the curry sit for another 20 minutes (off the heat) before serving.  Ladle over a bowl of brown rice and enjoy!

Till next time, To Life!