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Tuesday 2 March 2021

Curly Kale : Stanley enjoys it too !

At the moment due to Covid restrictions we can only see the grandchildren thanks to the wonders of the internet, for which I am grateful. So although we don't meet up in the flesh, we are still fortunate to be able to talk, see them, exchange news, funny stories etc. Talking with them recently they were eating a snack, well nothing unusual with that I hear you say! What was perhaps a little unusual was that their snack was slices of carrots, peppers, cucumbers! Not a chocolate bar or a packet of crisps in sight! In fact I am told that they now also enjoy eating curly kale. Yes, this wonderful vegetable is currently the grandchildren's favourite and I can see why! Apparently Stanley likes it too! (see picture below)

Curly Kale
A staple of veggie boxes and local food companies as well as Farmers Markets, curly kale is becoming much more prominent in the supermarket. It has been grown in Great Britain for centuries and was once a frequent nutritious addition to the dinner plate in the 50s and 60s. The good news is, it seems to be coming back. Sales have rocketed in the last couple of years!

Kale is packed full of vitamins, iron and calcium and tastes delicious. It couldn’t be easier to cook as it just requires steaming, boiling or stir frying although it is great added to pasta dishes, risottos, stews and soups. You can use it wherever you may have used spinach or cabbage.


Buyer's guide
Curly kale leaves should look fresh and crisp, with no sign of yellowing. Reject any with leaves that look bruised or slimy. Curly kale is available from September to March. Other varieties of kale include Red Russian kale, cavolo nero (or ‘black kale’), and thousand-head or hungry-gap kale.

Storage
Curly kales deteriorate more quickly than green cabbages, and will keep for only a few days before turning yellow. Store, loosely wrapped in plastic, in the fridge or larder.

Preparation
Cut away the tough central ribs of curly kale before you chop or shred the leaves. For best results, either cook very briefly in a large volume of ready-boiling water or stir-fry as a side dish. Add a small amount to soups, pasta sauces, bean dishes and colcannon.
Read above and more here and here

How to Cook Curly Kale
Boiling
Sautéing
Make Kale Chips
Good guide here

Also How To Make Kale Chips In Air Fryer
Perfectly crispy kale chips in less than 10 minutes, start to finish. These make a great nutritious snack. See more here
Do you like curly kale?

This is our youngest grand-daughter with Stanley … he is a Hermann’s Tortoise

apparently Stanley enjoys a little curly kale too
(they have both grown a little since this picture was taken)
you can read more about him here

Dear reader, you will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan

39 comments:

Laura. M said...

Así es amigos. Demos gracias a los móviles y toda clase de pantallas que nos estás haciendo en este año un gran servicio. Al menos las imágenes nos quitan un poco la morriña de no poder vernos. Como deseamos ahora los abrazos que no podemo dar.
Buen Martes para Todos. Cuidaros.
Un abrazo.

Lowcarb team member said...

Laura M

google translation

That's right folks. Let's give thanks to mobiles and all kinds of screens that you are doing us a great service this year. At least the images take away from us a bit the homeiness of not being able to see each other. As we wish now the hugs that we cannot give.
Good Tuesday everyone. Take care.
A hug.

pam nash said...

I always think of kale as being very bitter. I have a friend that grows it in his garden so I'll have to rethink trying it.

JFM said...

Your granddaughter is so pretty and so is Stanley 🐢
Another wonderful posting...very informative.
Thank you.

Tom said...

...something that I've never had.

Elephant's Child said...

And what wonderful snacks to enjoy - though they are welcome to my share of the cucumber.

Valerie-Jael said...

Kale is a wonderful food. Valerie

Kay said...

I tried to make crispy kale here in Hawaii but it wouldn't crisp. It did in Illinois, but not here. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Maybe the humidity. Hmmmm...

Ananka said...

Gorgeous tortoise <3 and only tried kale a few times :-D

Snowbird said...

I love kale and still have lots growing. I love your grand-daughter and Stanley.xxx

Jeff said...

When I was living in South Georgia, Kale season started in November and ran through May (and I grew it all)... in a few weeks, here, it'll be time to start a garden.

https://fromarockyhillside.com

DVArtist said...

The only way I can do Kale is in my smoothies. Your grand daughter is a cutie.

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

That's so cute, Stanley eating kale.
Making kale chips on purpose is a dream of mine. :)

My name is Erika. said...

Love the photo of Stanley. And I must admit I like kale a lot also.

Christine said...

It's wonderful your grandkids eat so healthily. I just checked that is a word haha.

Magic Love Crow said...

I love this post so much! Good for your grandchildren and Stanley too! LOL! I love kale too! Big Hugs!

Rose said...

Kale chips sounds delicious....

Jenn Jilks said...

I love kale chips!
Hopefully, things will settle soon. I'm getting so irritated.

J.P. Alexander said...

Linda tu nieta tambien es muy bonita la tortuga. Adoro la col de todo tipo . Te mando un beso

aussie aNNie said...

Beautiful post love the gorgeous photo of your grand daughter, we only see ours 16hrs away by face time at the moment...xx

William Kendall said...

Admittedly I'm not a fan of kale.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Stanley is a cutie and so is your grand daughter. I love to make kale chips. They are far better for me than potato chips.

Linda said...

That's awesome. Good for them!

Phil Slade said...

Eating veggie sticks! What strange grandchildren you have. LoL

last time I saw a Hermanns it was walking across a Menorcan road. They live there in the wild.

Jo said...

We enjoy curly kale too. You don't see many tortoises here these days, they were quite common as pets when I was young.

mamasmercantile said...

I am so thankful for technology keeping us in touch with family. I am a great fan of kale, it is a regular on our dinner plates.

linda said...

I love curly Kale and will put a handful of it in whatever I'm cooking delicious in stir fry's.

Jeanie said...

I was never big on kale (curly or otherwise)till I discovered a wonderful salad recipe. Now it's a favorite!

Sami said...

The Portuguese are very fond of kale and among others we have a typical soup "Caldo verde" made with kale.
I love kale chips :)

R's Rue said...

I love kale chips

Stevenson Q said...

Hello there Stanley! O so cute! I love lettuce and I know Kale is different from it but hopefully I can also try Kale :)

sheila 77 said...

How nice to read a post on the pleasures of kale and if you grow it in the garden it can be available all year round (with successive sowings).
Great that your grandchildren enjoy healthy food.

PerthDailyPhoto said...

I really must come to grips with kale Jan, I love spinach, broccoli etc but as yet kale hasn't quite made it into the grocery trolley. My grandchildren love all the healthy snacks also, with the odd sweet thrown in now and again 😉

Conniecrafter said...

I hope it isn't long before you all can get your vaccine's so that you can be with your grandkids once again!

Sue said...

To the best of my knowledge, I've never eaten kale. Well done to your grandchildren on eating the healthy snacks. I bet you can't wait to give them a hug xx

Debbie said...

i am not a fan of kale...but i am a fan of granddaughters feeding it to stanley!!

i received my first does of the pfizer vaccine and felt so emotional, so lucky. even as i sat in the chair i was a little unsure, i felt quite honored to be receiving it and hope i made the right decision!!

Marleen said...

It’s called ‘boerenkool’ here and we eat it regularly in Winter.

sandy said...

Oh your granddaughter is so cute ... I wish my kids had eaten healthier than they did growing up in the 80's. We were so busy with baseball, etc...we often just had time to grab a bite at the snack bar.

i always find it amazing when young kids will eat things I wouldn't think of serving..meaning it just wouldn't come into my head.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

I am eating more kale than I have in the past, although I confess that it is not my favourite veggie by a long shot. My daughter says that I have to try it as a substitute for romaine in Cesar salad. Apparently, I am supposed to massage the kale first! Who knew?