Kale has always been mysteriously difficult to find in Stockholm, which I find strange. It's a cold weather crop, this is a cold country, why is kale so dang hard to find?! The food situation has really improved in the years that I've lived here. Things that were previously impossible to find have started to turn up in the regular grocery store. Almond milk! Hazelnut milk! Quinoa flour! But lo! Kale remains a challenge. At this time of year there is a farmer's market in my neighbourhood and I buy up as much kale as I can while it's ongoing. Here's a little selection of what's been happening with it.
For some reason the hits on my Kale Chips post have been through the roof lately. It's a good reminder of how quick and easy this healthy snack can be, and what I'm planning to do with the remaining kale in my fridge tonight so I can justify buying more.
I made a huge batch of this Tomato Spinach Lentil Soup earlier this week, subbing about 10 cups of chopped fresh kale in for the frozen spinach. It's been feeding me lunch all week, and is nutritious and delicious!
This Garlicky Kale Salad with Mustard Croutons is like a supremely healthy Caesar salad. It only takes a few minutes to bring together, especially if you've done the croutons in advance.
The temperatures dropped dramatically in Stockholm this week, from balmy temperatures on the weekend that saw Paul and I enjoying cold beers in the sunshine outdoors, to yesterday waking up to 1°C. One! What the heck?! Warm salads are great for cooler weather, so don't forget about this Roasted Kale and Sweet Potato Salad.
I seriously can't believe it'll be October next week! Pumpkin recipes have started flying around the interwebs already, and although I haven't cooked any pumpkin yet, I know it won't be long. This Roasted Pumpkin and Kale Frittata is an oldie but a goodie.
Kale and Lentils with Tahini Sauce is possibly the least photogenic thing I've ever made, but it really is delicious, and a powerhouse of nutrition.
And don't forget about these delish Kale and Black Bean Breakfast Tacos! They're so quick, easy, and delicious!
A few other kale recipes from around the web:
Pan-fried Tofu and Kale Bowl from The Pancake Princess
Quinoa with Squash, Kale, and Pecans from Inquiring Chef
Kale and Three Cheese Macaroni Cheese from London Bakes
Green and Black Forest Smoothie from Food to Glow
Kale Salad with Pecorino and Walnuts from Smitten Kitchen
Kale Rice Bowl from 101 Cookbooks
Lemony Kale Pasta from Annie's Eats
All text and photos © The Muffin Myth 2013
Niki, unifiedspace
I love the look of your soup, just the kind of thing I love to eat in the Autumn. I see you are getting a vitamix, I've just bought a small one and I ADORE it. I learnt about it from my friend Kellie at Food to Glow...now, off for some warm cashew butter on oatcakes...
themuffinmyth
The Vitamix is kind of still a distant dream at this point, but it's very high up on the wish list. Hopefully I'll have one in the next six months!
Oh My Veggies (@ohmyveggies)
Ha--I just spent half of a Saturday seeking a grocery store around here that sold quinoa flour! And nope, no one has it. Sigh. Anyway, on topic: kale. I'm glad I can get THAT here because it's definitely my favorite green. Thanks for linking to my recipe!
themuffinmyth
Do you need me to send you some quinoa flour? I wish kale could be shipped! You're most welcome for the link, the recipe looks all kinds of delish!
Jess
Oh yum - I love the stuff and am always looking for new ways to use it! We get so much Chinese kale in our CSA box every week that I can practically sneak it into something every day. Great round- up and thanks for including one of mine (we eat that quinoa with squash, kale, and pecans every couple weeks)!
themuffinmyth
That quinoa dish is definitely on my radar now! Is Chinese kale different from other types of kale?
Tessa
Dennis is on his second planter box harvest of greens. We are inundated with them! I was trying to think how I could use or freeze so much. Soup? Seeing this group of recipes together was good timing. Why have I not made kale chips yet???
themuffinmyth
Soup is great, and you can always blanch, squeeze, and freeze the kale for soups, lasagnas, or smoothies over the winter. And definitely try the kale chips!
kellie@foodtoglow
That does sound weird, but take heart as here in Scotland we were the same until last year. This is despite the fact that we grow it year round nearly and export it. I am able to grow some in my garden but most larger supermarkets stock a couple of varieties now. Thanks for including my smoothie in your esteemed list!
themuffinmyth
You're most welcome! My little blender can't handle fresh kale (frozen is fine), but I've decided to get my self a Vitamix for my bday (in January). Can't wait!
Caroline Blundell
Trying to eat more kale, this is great
Do you have ideas on brussel sprouts?
themuffinmyth
Hmmm. I'm not a brussels sprouts fan, really, but I'll have a think about it!