Kale can go very far

Kale gets too much attention sometimes, and that is not always good for it. It just sounds like everyone is trying to sell you something that is good for you and so probably does not taste good. For many of us, kale was a new ingredient in our kitchens and it has survived not because of the ‘it is good for you’, but because it actually is very versatile and tastes good when cooked right.

As a home gardener, I have been growing kale in my vegetable garden over the last 3 years and during the winter months, that is what is available for my family to eat. I have used it in anywhere I can add it, giving us the extra healthy leafy greens even when no one is noticing. I have even managed to get my 82 year old mother who told me she would never eat it, to finally admit that she is surprised that it tastes so good. If you ever meet my mother, you will know she is the most difficult person to convince about anything she has decided about, so this is important to share. Spinach that is more familiar, and easier to ‘sell to your picky family’ is not easy to grow in the home garden. It will often ‘bolt’ (flower early and taste bitter) due to the increasing warming winter temperatures in the Bay area. Trust me - I have thrown out so many spinach plants over the years.

The farmers are currently supplying two kinds of kale - curly kale and dino kale. I have made some fun new recipes to try them out, because the kale from the farm looks so much better than my home garden version, it just needed that extra touch. Thanks to my friend’s recommendation from my connecting over this project, I tried out a simple one pot coconut rice recipe from New York Times - it was YUMMY. Strongly recommended.

- Contributed by Sheena, Tera Farm