What to do with Kale | The Family Practice

I love it when life just works itself out.

Does this mean I have found us a house to live in and a school for Mackenzie to attend in…two weeks? Nope. Real, important things in life have yet to work themselves out.

BUT… I did have a kale dilemma and that problem is now solved. My Google reader had all the answers!

Yes, very important things here folks.

Last night I made Nick go with me to Sandhill Farms to help with the harvest and cleaning before the CSA-ers came to pick up their vegetable goodie-bags. I know Nick was just rolling his eyes at the mere thought of picking beets and cleaning garlic – especially since it was his birthday. And add on the fact that both of us going meant both the kids would be going as well.

So yes, I know this wasn’t Nick’s first choice pick for things to do on his birthday but I promised him that he would enjoy it AND that I’d take him out for a real birthday date on Friday when we had babysitters for the kids.

*Get to the point already, geez…*

For starters Nick had a great time. He legitimately enjoyed what he was doing and the company we were in – great people over there at Sandhill. And you know who else had a great time?

Let me introduce you to Farmer Mackenzie and his sidekick Spencer.

He had a blast working in the fields with Elle, Farmer Pete’s sister, picking strawberries, pulling beets, cutting kale and snipping calendula flower heads. I don’t know how she did it but Elle managed to get Mack to taste kale, calendula and even fennel which he came running back to me exclaiming “it tastes like candy!” Man does this girl have a knack for getting kids to eat their veggies.

Telephone zucchini and a sea monster onion

Surprisingly enough, when we were clipping the kale leaves and Elle offered a taste to Mack I realized that I had never tasted kale before – I know, right?! She offered me a little piece to taste and I’ve decided that kale tastes exactly like the stem of broccoli which I happen to really like eating.

So after having our fun picking veggies, cleaning garlic and chatting with our new friends, it was time to head home. But Farmer Pete was sure to send us with a care package of veggies.

Freshly snipped mint and lavender, a few garlic bulbs that won’t pass the beauty round of getting to market but taste just fine, a gorgeous red onion, zucchini, some baby carrots and KALE.

Okay so I have lots in mind for each of these items – except the kale. Do I cook it? Do I cut it up and serve it as a salad? Do I steam it? What’s the plan here? I was almost embarrassed that I don’t know what to do with kale.

*I promise this is going somewhere*

And then this morning I opened my Google reader and bang! The solution:

Jenna over at Eat, Live, Run has a recipe up for Creamy Mushroom and Kale Quesadillas on the exact day I need to figure out what to do with all this kale! See, don’t you love when things just work out?

I also found this little article on Preserving Kale by blending and portioning it out into ice cube trays to freeze. I used to buy basil and cilantro in ice cube trays like this (at Trader Joes) and I found that it was a great way to keep “fresh” herbs on hand at all times without worrying they will go bad. So, why not do the same with kale?

I love it!

Now, if only my Google reader will have a post titled “3 bedroom house near Ogden, super cheap rent, great neighborhood and schools” – then I’d really be in business.

Does life ever present its own solutions to you? Share a time when the answer was dropped in your lap before you even had to search it out…