I guess I don't like kale.

Cafe Society
1

(While mundane and pointless, it’s food related, so I’m putting it here. If the mundanity and pointlessness are of such a level as to require a move, feel free.)

So I’ve decided to try to reduce the role of meat in my diet, particularly red meat. (This, I’ve discovered, is difficult.) And I’ve not had a good salad from Chop’t in a while, so I decided to look 'em up on seamless and see what their seasonal selections are at the moment. One they’re calling the “Silk Road Vegan” has mesclun, kale, carrots, apples, sunflower seeds, and miso tahini dressing. I think, “Hey, I like mesclun! I like carrots and apples and sunflower seeds! And I love me some miso soup and tahini, though I’ve never really considered mixing the two. :dubious: Kale… um, well, I’ve never had that outside of southern-style “greens”, and I hate those as much for their cooked-to-death texture as their taste. And anyway, worst case scenario, I’ll just drown it in the dressing.” So I take a chance and order.

Salad comes. Pretty tasty, especially the dressing. I’m not really digging the kale when I notice it, texturally or taste-wise, but whatevs, its just one off-note in the symphony, so to speak. Until I spear a big ol’ hunk of it with almost no dressing and nothing else and pop it in my mouth. I am definitely not liking this. Not one bit. Nope. chew chew Still not liking it. And then… oh, here comes the gag reflex. Try to fight it, but that’s not happening and I do want to keep what of my lunch I’ve been able to eat so far, so I spit it out. The rest of the salad… well, I tried eating around the kale, but it was pretty much a loss.

So, I took a gamble and I lost (other than that dressing, which was really pretty yummy). But now I know I don’t like kale, at least.

2

George Bush didn’t like kale either.

3

Mmm, I love kale, but I don’t think it works well in a salad. It’s got quite a strong taste. It’s best, I find, in certain types of soup - you add it in at the last moment so it still has the bite and the flavor. It’s too strong in a salad and overpowers everything else.

4

Kale is not a salad green at all. o.o

I like it sauteed with oil and garlic.

5

You know you don’t like kale raw. I’m not too fond of it that way either, but I love it in soups. This one, for example. Absolutely delicious!

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You know who did, though? That’s right–Hitler.* Damned vegetarian.

Fair enough regarding its possibilities cooked, but I won’t get to try it that way unless I’m having a meal with someone and *they *have it. I’m not going to risk it again–losing about half of my salad bummed me out a bit.

  • I have no idea if Hitler actualluy liked kale, or even ever ate it in his life.
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Kale chips

wash and dry kale leaves
place in deep pan
coat leaves with coconut oil
season to taste
place in 350 degree oven
turn after 5 min.
cook another 5 mins or until crisp
Delicious

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The Portuguese call it caldo verde. It’s practically their national dish, although it’s much blander than that recipe.

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Which is why the wife riffs off of that recipe rather than following a straight Portuguese line. Spicy is better!

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I believe he preferred Swiss, charred.

11

Kale in soup is very good, I cannot take any other way, though.

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Before I met my vegetarian GF, I thought kale was just that green stuff separating the fish from the rice pilaf on my plate, or around the edges of the big salad bowl.

Come to think of it, that’s pretty much what it still is.

I do like kale chips, though.

13

I’ve pretty much quit kale after trying it 100 different ways. Even in soup it has this aggresively nutritious taste, like dirt and multivitamins. Blech. I don’t even take it home from my farm share anymore (toss backs and unclaimed shares go to a homeless shelter so it’s not wasted).

Lots of people toss back beet greens and fennel and I love those, so I’ve stopped feeling bad about it.

14

I like the way kale looks in my garden, but I’m not a big fan of eating it either. I’ll slip some into my “mixed greens” that I toss into soups or stir fry with chicken and garbanzos but I’ve pretty much decided it’s not for me.

Have you tried chard? (It’s OK with me if you don’t like that one either, but it’s more of a sweet green so you might like it better)

I try out at least one new vegetable in the garden each summer. Some are keepers, some aren’t, but I’ve picked up more new yummy things than not doing it.

15

Kale does need cooked… and paired with some yin to match its yang. Sweet potatoes are an excellent vegetable mix with. Steam some kale with some cubed sweet potatoes. Then stir fry them with some onions fennel seed. Add a little salt or Braggs. Life is good.

Overall I do prefer baby spinach, chard or mustard greens.

16

I like Trader Joe’s “Bistro Salad” (kale, edamame, dried cranberries, grape tomatoes and almonds). Last night I added some smoked trout and wrapped it in some whole wheat lavash…yummy!

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On the other hand, you are inflicting kale on those poor homeless people. Don’t you think they have it rough enough already? :stuck_out_tongue:

Pretty sure I’ve had chard, Broomstick, at least in its salad green form. Not so sure about cooked. I don’t do a lot of cooking at the moment, thanks to a kitchen that is the size of a small walk-in closet with about two square feet of counter space, so all I can say is that I know I’ve never personally used it and can’t remember if its ever showed up in outside food.

18

Sure you’re not thinking of Broccoli?

19

Albert R. Broccoli didn’t like kale either.

Me, I like Kale cooked. Blanched and buttered and salted, sauteed with olive oil and garlic, or served in a soup, especially with lentils.

Raw on a salad? Ugh.

20

I made braised kale with linguica for Thanksgiving.