Quick and easy vegetable side that is jam-packed with vitamins and nutrients.  It is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.  I am finding that Kale is a very versatile veggie – flavour and spice to your liking and serve with most any meal.  Here is the braising method of preparing Kale but then you can be creative to how you want to finish up it’s ‘delicious kraziness’!

Prepare Kale for each recipe:

1. Trim tough ends and ribs from 1 bunch of Kale
2. Coarsely chop leaves.
3. Place chopped Kale into pot or deep saucepan
4. Add 1/2 cup water or chicken broth
5. Cover and simmer until wilted – Stir occasionally – approx 10 mins.
6. Follow any of the below delicious Kale recipes:

Lime-pepper Kale

Toss braised Kale in a splash of olive oil, squeeze of a fresh lime, generous sprinkle of sea salt or kosher salt and some fresh cracked pepper!   (Excellent with chicken, pork, lamb or mixed in with cooked linguine pasta).

Balsamic Mint Kale

Toss braised Kale in a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, generous sprinkle of sea salt/kosher salt and sprinkle of white sugar.  Top with freshly chopped mint.  (Excellent with beef, pork, lamb or chicken)

Dijon-Bacon Kale

Cook until crisp 3 strips of bacon.  Crumble and put aside.  Toss braised Kale in 2 tbsp dijon mustard and 1 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle of salt and pepper. Top with crumbled cooked bacon.

Lemon Parmesan Kale

Toss braised Kale in a splash of olive oil, generous sprinkle of sea salt/kosher salt, and grated fresh parmesan (large curls).  This is great as side dish but feel free to toss this into a bowl fun of hot boiled pasta like fettuccine, linguine, large pasta nests or spaghetti.

Prosciutto Sage Kale

Toss braised Kale in a splash of olive oil, sprinkle of sea salt/kosher salt, and chopped strips of cured proscuitto (Italian ham) and top with

chopped fresh sage leaves.  (Great compliment to chicken, lamb or turkey)

Curry Spiced Fruity Kale

Toss braised Kale in 2 tbsp of any Chutney jam (Mango Chutney etc) and a dash of dried curry powder.  Top with a sprinkle of raisins and grapes

cut in half.

Lemon Caper Kale

In a small saucepan, heat a tbsp of olive oil, add 2 tbsp capers, sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Stir the capers until a little browning happens.  Squeeze juice of 1/2 of lemon over the browned capers and pour this mixture over the braised Kale.  Toss and serve.

Apple-Almond Kale or Cranberry-Pine Kale

Toss braised Kale with a splash of olive oil and apple-cider vinegar, sprinkle of salt, and top with some diced apples and browned almond.  Or,

top with a handful of cranberries and browned Pine Nuts.

Be creative.  Toss in flavours that you love!

Regardless how much I love vegetables and how creative I am with cooking and serving veggies to my kids, it always seems that I need to use the art of ‘negotiation’ to convince them to try and eat.  So here an idea I had to not only get vegetable in them but serve them in a fun and ‘Pip-pip’ British manor, wrapped in wax-paper, lined newspaper.

You can cut up one or mix of any of these vegetables:

• Potatoes – any variety
• Sweet potatoes
• Yams
• Carrots
• Beets
• Parsnip

Simple directions:

1. Cut your choice or combo of vegetables as listed – recommended to cut them approximately the same size.
2. Toss cut veggie strips in a generous splash of olive oil (Try some flavoured olive oils ie. lemon-flavoured or truffle-flavoured/basil-flavoured etc.)
3. Sprinkle and toss with a dash of sea salt or kosher salt
4. Spread on tin baking pan (cookie sheet)
5. Brown in 425℉ oven for 20-25 minutes until brown.

I love serving this in a rolled parchment paper lined cone – use white paper (have the kids first decorate the outside of it first before rolling into a cone shape) or newspaper.

Carefully pack them in a paper bag and take to your park and sit on the bench and nibble away of serve them with any dinner.  Here are some great dips to serve with your Veggie Fries:

• Multi-Purpose Lemon Dill Dressing
• Multi-Purpose Honey Mustard Dressing
• Homemade Healthy Ketchup
• Good old malt vinegar & more salt
• Old-fashion Mayonnaise

Did you know trivia:

• The French fry is NOT invented by the French but was the invented in Belgium
• In England, they are called “chips”
• In France “pommes frites” (which means, literally, “fried apples”)
• In Belgium and Holland “patat” (not the word for potato, which is “aardappel”)
• In Quebec, Canada, “Poutine” was originated – French fries topped with fresh cheese curds, covered with brown gravy

Top picture is from http://www.yumuniverse.com/2010/10/11/mixed-root-veggie-fries-and-skrub’a-giveaway/

Being creative with vegetables takes some imagination.

Let’s be creative with some vegetables!  Focus on squash… acorn, banana, winter… and add some flavour so your children won’t turn it down but ask for more!

Directions:

• Cut squash into wedges.  Remove and discard seeds.
• Mix some ‘Flavour options’ (See below)
• Brush ‘Flavour’ over the inside of the wedges.
• Place on aluminium baking sheet or pan (or a foil-lined baking sheet)
• Roast at 400℉ oven until fork-tender (approx 25-30 mins)

6 Diffferent Flavour Options – try any one of these…or make one up yourself.

Tip: balance the flavours – something salty, sweet, spice and oil.

1. Mix 2 tbsp olive oil with 1 tbsp liquid honey, 1 tbsp minced ginger (or lemongrass), sprinkle of salt
2. Mix 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Madras-curry paste, pinch of salt.
3. Mix 2 tbsp olive oil with 2 tbsp white sugar, juice of 1/2 lemon, pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Mix 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tbsp soya sauce, 1 tbsp liquid honey, juice of 1/2 small lime.
5. Mix 2 tbsp vegetable oil with 2 tsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp soya sauce, sprinkle of salt and whole sesame seeds.
6. Mix 2 tbsp olive oil with 2 tbsp brown sugar (or honey), 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, pinch of salt, squeeze of lemon or lime.

Another tip:  Roasting anything is best in the old-fashion Aluminum pans or sheet.

Ideas:

• Try this with cut pumpkin wedges
• Add cut up onions and/or other ‘root veggies’ around wedges when cooking

Go ahead.  Get messy! Be creative. Have fun with flavour and veggies!