Cruciferous Crunch Sauté
Kale. You either love it or you hate it. While some people eagerly guzzle their kale smoothies every morning, then eat their raw kale salad while wearing their "Kale Yeah" t-shirt, the rest of the population can't fathom choking down one bite of this bold and sometimes bitter green.
Whether you like it or not, the truth remains that this green and leafy is a nutrient powerhouse, providing heaping doses of vitamins A, C and K, as well as calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. So, I dare you to try it again- this time not in a smoothie that you gag on, but in this delicious sauté.
Trader Joe's has a fantastic mix called Cruciferous Crunch for $1.99 and I've been buying it every week for the last month. I usually cook the whole bag for two of us and it becomes one of the main attractions at the meal. The best part, it takes less than 10 minutes to make.
Lightly cooking these greens in some fat helps to soften them, eliminate the bite, and allow other flavors to take over. I dare say it's quite delicious. My husband, kale-hater, actually liked it, a lot.
Ingredients:
- 1 package of Trader Joe's Cruciferous Crunch or your own mixture of chopped cruciferous veggies: kale, brussel sprouts, broccoli and cabbage
- olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder, more or less to your preference
- good quality balsamic vinegar
- grated parmesan or other cheese of your choice; I have used grated rosemary asiago and feta crumbles on other occasions
Place the entire bag of greens in a large bowl and toss with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the greens to the pan, then evenly sprinkle the garlic powder, salt and pepper and mix well. Cook mixture for 3-5 minutes to the texture of your liking- I like mine less wilted. Right before you remove from heat, drizzle the balsamic over the greens and mix well. Remove from the pan, plate and sprinkle with a pinch of your choice of cheese.
*Not pictured, this recipe is also fabulous with sauteed mushrooms. Cook them down for several minutes in the pan before adding the veggie mixture.