posted April 29, 2014 10:20 PM
I was going to start a new thread but I will add the info here...
"Intimate greens"
Just heard about this raw food technique. Massaged kale. How intimate! Haven't tried it yet, though (I guess I need to spend a little more time with my kale first.)
Only the common curly variety kale softens up properly. Won't work with lacinato or Russian kale. Amazing how a little bit of muscle gives a crunchy soft consistency, so I'm told. Here's the basic prep...
First, strip the leaves from the stems. (If you want to use stems, set them aside after slicing very thin)
Next, cut the leaves in ribbons or bite sized pieces and rinse well.
Then, let the leaves dry on a towel or blot them dry, or use a salad spinner.
Finally, transfer dry leaves to a bowl.
Time to massage. There are several different methods.
Method 1:
sprinkle 1/2-1 teaspoon (2.5-5ml) sea salt into the kale and massage 1-2 minutes till they soften and turn bright green. (Preferred method)
Method 2:
Rub small amount of olive oil into your palms, massage leaves for 30-60 seconds, until they turn bright green and soften.
Method 3:
Same as method 2 except drizzle a small amount of olive oil and lemon juice onto the greens and then massage 30-60 seconds until they turn bright green and soften.
Massaged kale can be a substitute for lettuce in any salad. Or you can add it to roasted veggies after they cool. You can also stir massaged kale into your favorite bean salad.
Here's a massaged kale salad recipe I'm going to try. If you beat me to it let me know how how appealing it is. It's supposed to be a winner. just use any massage technique to the kale and toss in remaining ingredients.
8-12 oz (227-340.2 grams) curly green kale
2/3 c (160ml) dried fruit (your choice, raisins, cranberries, cherries, apricot, etc)
1/2 c (120ml) crushed toasted nuts (cashew, pecan or walnut)
2 T (30ml) extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon to taste
1 T (15ml) agave nectar
Salt, fresh ground pepper to taste
I'm hoping my kale will reciprocate the favor, perhaps by massaging my stomach, ha!
This technique was made known to me through a 2012 Vegan publication, Wild About Greens. There were 8 kale recipes listed. If you want to get personal and intimate with your greens check it out. Authored by Nava Atlas.
This book is like a greens encyclopedia. It even has a metric conversion table in back for quantities given in recipes.
(Gee, I'm lovin' my library lately.)
Only one problem with this book, microwaving veggies is advocated and I personally don't approve. Let's see how successful the recipes turn out. If anything, it's a good read and an inspiration for Vegan cuisine.
Lindaland
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posted April 27, 2014 07:57 PM
I am going to try some of these kale recipes, they look absolutely amazing. Can't lie, I've been bitten by the kale bug.
!!!
posted May 11, 2014 08:22 AM