Do you eat Kale?

[RavensGryf]

It's not something I've ever been too familiar with. I know the dark leafy greens are packed with nutrients, and I like to eat healthy at least the majority of the time.
Today I was at Starbucks, and "splurged" for a peach green tea lemonade, and a fairly small Chicken Caesar salad for $10 .

Wow... This was among the best Caesar salads I've ever had! It was a bit different, with sundried tomatoes, and KALE, (I noticed at the market later, it was the Tuscan type - the very dark and bumpy kind) and those big parmesan pieces in it (like a chip of cheese instead of a sprinkle). Mmmmm. I was especially LOVING the KALE in it. So much that when I went to the market after, I bought a bag of precut kale, 'home style' parmesan, and Lite Caesar dressing. I forgot the sundried tomatoes.

I cut some up and added it to the bird food, but I don't know if they even ate any. I bought some before and noticed no one was crazy about it. I hope they like it this time, or learn to like it. Regardless, I'm going to keep buying it for ME! Delicious :32: I love the flavor!

 

[Matt_95]

I love kale, I put it in my nutribullet and blend it up with a few fruits to mask the bitterness since my taste buds seem especially sensitive to anything bitter.
Have you tried dandelion greens? They're even more packed full of nutrients and I quite like them. The smaller leaves are less bitter than the older larger ones. I grow my own .

 

[RavensGryf]

I don't seem to remember seeing dandelion greens at the store. If I do, I might just give it a try and add it to a salad

 

[strudel]

I bought some for my birds and made a huge pile of chop and kept some for myself. With some tomatoey stock, italian mix and the chop veggies, it was the BEST pasta sauce I've ever had. I called it "bird food pasta". I'm sure the kale was yummy in it.

 

[RavensGryf]

Oh! Good idea I bet it's good in pasta sauce.

 

[strudel]

I should have paid more attention to what I used so I could recreate it, but I wasn't expecting it to be so super-yummy. It was very finely chopped in the food processor.... From memory, carrots and parsnips and turnip (soup veges) and celery and kale and... can't remember, probably some parsley from the garden. Yes, it was delicious.

 

[Betrisher]

Put equal quantities of finely sliced kale, grated tasty cheese and crumbled feta cheese in a greased pie dish (with or without crust, your choice). Mix in finely sliced leek to taste and add a wee pinch of cayenne pepper. Cover with eggs beaten to a foam and cook in a medium hot oven until set. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve hot or cold with salad or steamed veg. YUMMO!!!

NB. Quantity of egg depends on quantity of veg and cheese mixture. Generally, you want the liquid part of the egg to come at least half-way up the dish.

You can also use this to make nice crunchy triangles by wrapping spoonsful of the mixture in puff or filo pastry.

PS. Forgot to add that the Beakies and Dommie like the stalks of kale but not the leaves.

 

[thekarens]

Karen and I love kale. We mostly eat it in salads and soups. In fact, we had kale and bean soup last night. I've been meaning to make some kale chips too...

 

[Kalidasa]

I like the Tuscan kale better than the curly kind. I roll up tuna and other stuff in it like a sushi roll

 

[Scott]

Kale makes a great salad or substitute for lettuce on a sandwich, but I mostly use it as an addition to fruit smoothies. It will mix nicely with an ordinary blender or one of the "blender on steroids" Vitamix/Blendtec units.

Haven't yet tried this, but a cousin makes "kale chips" by selecting large leaves, lightly spraying with vegetable oil, and baking them in an oven.

Not one of my birds has ever enjoyed organic kale as part of their fruit/vegetable feedings.

 

[thekarens]

As a side note, kale is probably the only thing the smaller birds and finches get every day. I give it to the big guys too but they like to feed it to the dogs.

 

[Timothy]

I personally eat kale on an almost daily basis. The birds love it too. I usually eat it with scrambled eggs or omelette, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and garlic. sometimes diced plum tomatoes. This is one thing that every bird i have agrees is my best dish ^^ No fusses ever. They will eat it all up and not waste any. Kale is one of my fav things. I usually eat it slightly steamed, til its just a bit wilty. Or, if in a salad, raw.

 

[Phlox]

I love kale too. My daughter loves it when I make Kale Chips. Baked Kale Chips Recipe - Allrecipes.com

I also just like to saute it with coconut oil and add a touch of soy sauce. I put it in soup for work -- I take a container just full of kale, pour the soup on and microwave.

 

[Allee]

As a side note, kale is probably the only thing the smaller birds and finches get every day. I give it to the big guys too but they like to feed it to the dogs.

Ha ha, Karen, my dogs get a lot of fresh leafy greens and chopped vegetables, thanks to the parrots. I guess the birds see the dogs as walking garbage disposals.

My budgies refused to touch kale until Terry57 told me to clip a leaf to the side of their cage, they attack it now.

 

[RavensGryf]

Wow EVERYONE'S suggestions sound delicious! I will have to try it in different ways now.

Such a versatile veggie... I would have never thought!

Chris - The birds and I have only tried the Tuscan type. Looks more appetizing. I haven't tried the "curly" kind, but when I see it at the store, it just reminds me of plate garnish! What is the difference in flavor of the Tuscan and the "curly" edged type?

Trish - I will see if the birds like the stalks any better, but I wish they'd eat the dark leafy part.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I'm not gonna lie, but my mouth is watering here after reading some of these AWESOME recipe ideas. :32:

My fids get kale at least once a week, they all like it, but I've only been 'drinking' my kale when I use the NutriBullet or my juicer.

Note to self: MUST eat healthier. :54:

PS. Now collard greens are a whole different story. I gag when I see them because I was forced to eat those in mass quantities when I was a wee one.

 

[RavensGryf]

Twigs (Budgie) won't eat chopped fresh foods, so I'm going to try a piece of kale on his cage today and see how it goes! Good idea.

Wendy, my mouth is watering now too :32:... I have to go eat some kale!

 

[Selestine]

Kale chiiiiiiips. Oh god, they're so good. After they're baked I put red wine vinegar on them. I could live off them.

 

[veimar]

I love kale and grow in in my garden, and my birds like to nibble on it. I add it to soups and stews a lot. But unfortunately some wild creatures out there love it very much too, so my share is not that big. LOL