Eating Your Greens: Kale

by Molly Niendorf — August 22, 2008

I'm a veggie lover and always looking for new vegetables to incorporate in my diet. Kale, a form of cabbage, has earned a lot of buzz, and rightly so. It's high in vitamins K and C, full of beta carotene and calcium, and contains antioxidants. It can be eaten in a salad, as a substitute for lettuce-- the best variety for salads is red Russian kale-- or added to hot dishes, a la spinach. When choosing a kale to cook with, look for the Tuscan variety, which is a dark bluish-green and has a crinkled texture. You can find out more about kale's origins at www.seasonalchef.com. Here's a pasta recipe I adapted, perfect for a summer evening:

Mozzarella Pasta with Kale
Serves 4

1 (8 oz) pkg uncooked penne pasta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped kale
3 garlic cloves, diced
Soft mozzarella, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes.
2. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over low-medium heat. Add diced tomatoes, kale, and garlic. Cook until tender.
3. In serving bowl, toss cooked pasta with skillet mixture and add cubed mozzarella, as much as desired.

Enjoy!