kale Archives - Page 3 of 6 -

February 11, 2016

Kale Pesto Spelt Ravioli

I assure you that one year ago ravioli was at the very bottom on my list of recipes to prioritize. With all of the countless supermarket varieties out there, why bother? Lately though as I’ve been feeling rather disappointed with the store bought versions, determination suddenly welled up to make my own. I admit it had been a while since I used my pasta maker, even though after learning how to make my own spelt pasta I promised myself that I would make fresh pasta more frequently. But as I started using my hands to gently knead the dough together, molding it into a smooth round, and then rolling it through the machine, I was reminded of how satisfying and meditative the whole process can be. It’s slow and deliberate and so calming to the soul.

October 1, 2015

Roasted Delicata Squash with Baby Kale and Balsamic Molasses Vinaigrette

Our most recent weekend was filled with visits to the cider mill and apple orchard and the apple pie and crisp baking has begun. It feels good to be settling into these cooler autumn days. Now that squash season is upon us, the number of squash from our CSA have been piling up on our kitchen island and yesterday I decided it was finally time to start doing something with them. I began with the delicata squash– oblong, beautiful, and especially wonderful because you can keep the skin on for eating. It’s roasted to draw out the sweetness, along with some red onions, then tossed together with some tender baby kale, crispy radishes, toasty pepitas, and tossed with a balsamic molasses vinaigrette. Happy fall, my friends!

July 15, 2015

Kale Radish Kimchi

Fermentation is a process that I found intriguing but intimidating, and it took several months before I gathered enough courage to begin trying it for myself. First I read Michael Pollen’s Cooked, next was Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions, and then I dug even deeper in Sandor Katz’s The Art of Fermentation. Still, the idea of leaving food out at room temperature for days, even weeks, seemed frightening to me. Finally one of my best friends got me motivated to give it a try. She has four kids and homeschools but has somehow managed to incorporate fermentation into her regular kitchen routine. After having tried several batches of ferments myself now, I’ve been pleasantly surprised to discover the relative simplicity and ease of the whole process. Since our CSA share has exploded lately with all kinds of fresh produce, fermenting seems to be the perfect solution when there’s a bit more than needed for the week. So far our favorite ferment has been kimchi, usually made with napa cabbage, but this time I used kale and radishes from our CSA share. Turns out kale and radishes make a wonderful kimchi as well. Like a good sriracha sauce, kimchi seems to go with everything and makes great a condiment to accompany a wide variety of dishes.

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