Winter Greens and how to cook Kale

One of the simplest ways to stay healthy during the winter months is to consume plenty of leafy green vegetables. The likes of silver beet, kale, cabbage, and spinach, all grow well through the winter and are bursting with nutrients including iron, calcium and a good dietary source of the essential fatty acid, omega 3. Winter greens help balance the more starchy food eaten during the cooler months.

Cooking greens

The most nutrient preserving way to cook greens is to wilt or steam with a little water in a covered sauce pan. Wash greens, chop and place in a sauce pan. Add a pinch of salt, cover and cook till tender. The water clinging to the leaves should be enough to create steam and cook the greens, add a splash of boiling water if needed. Serve cooked greens as a side to omelettes and meat dishes or add a scoop to stews.

How to Cook Kale

Oh Glorious kale, you either love it or hate it. I used to hate but have learned to love it by cooking it well. A member of the brassica family (i.e. broccoli), kale is quite a tough leafy green and if not cooked properly can be quite unpalatable. The trick is to remove the leafy green from the stalk, chop up the stalks and cook them first for a few minutes in boiling water. Then add the chopped leaves and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until tender to your liking.

At this stage you need to dress the kale, this can be simply with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon or splash of balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Or for an asian twist make a dressing of soy sauce (or tamari), rice vinegar, finely grated ginger root, sesame oil and a touch of honey. Drizzle this over the cooked kale and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.