Kale

Kale, glorious kale!! This curly green leaf is becoming my firm friend. Since I started this raw food quest, I have consistently read about the benefits of kale, so in my journey to put health before pleasure, I started buying this broad leathery leaf and must admit I was quite sceptical at first. The leaves are tough, so I was expecting something hard to chew and very earthy tasting.

I was very surprised to find it easy to eat raw and very mild in taste. So mild in fact that it's a great base for almost anything. It does not overpower any meal and I have grown to love this little leafy green. If you slice it very fine (like you would Chinese cabbage), you can't go wrong.

Here are some of the health benefits: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Health-Benefits-of-Kale&id=136177

(Sorry, blogspot doesn't let me copy and paste, so I've added a link instead)

My only grudge with it is that it doesn't last long once you bring it home. If you are like me and avoid shopping like the plague, that poses a bit of a problem.

Because of this, growing it at home is the best solution. So, if you have a little space and are willing to give it try - Grow Some Kale.

Please.

Do it for me.

This is my favourite kale salad from Martha Stewart. I love it. It's addictive. It's simple, and yummy.

http://www.wholeliving.com/recipe/raw-kale-salad-with-gouda-pear-and-walnuts

Obviously if you are trying to be totally raw, you will leave out the cheese (I did). If not, then add the cheese and let me know what you thought.

By the way, I have no idea what Russian kale is and I certainly didn't find baby Russian kale. I just bought whatever was in stock.

I also tend to play with ingredients. For example, I love chives and have plenty in the garden, so in this recipe I just added a whole handful instead of the 6 stems required.

Play with it. Make it yours.

Enjoy.

(Photo: www.marthastewart.com)

Remiss....

Oh, I know.

I am a bad, bad person. I have not posted anything for ages.

Sorry, sorry, sorry. I offer you the heart of a Camellia to brighten your day and ask for forgiveness.

We transitioned from winter/spring into spring/summer and together with long weekends, garden barbecues and dinner outside at night I didn't so much fall off the wagon, but rather jumped into the deep ditch of barbecued steaks, hamburgers on the grill and ice cold beer.

I know, so far none of that is sounding very raw is it? And yes, that is my point.

Deep down I was probably feeling too guilty to sit here with a hot dog dripping mustard and relish in one hand while trying to type with the other.

Today however, I am sitting with a hemp and banana shake and feel just self righteous enough to scratch out a few lines and beg redemption.

Falling off .... Okay, jumping off the raw food wagon has however shown me once again the strong association between our memories, our experiences and food. For example, even though I don't love red meat and don't eat it very often, it's hard for me to sit with bare feet on the grass and smell the woody smoke of a barbecue curling into a blue sky and say 'Oh, I'd just love a raw carrot with some bean dip'.

No, where there is woody smoke, there must be red meat.

And, where there is red meat and the sweat of an afternoon sun dripping down between your shoulder blades, I will not be the one to yell 'chilled hemp smoothie anyone?'. No, I'll be reaching into the back of the fridge for an ice cold Bud thank you very much. Because that is what you do on slow, sweltering summer days right?

Clearly I have some things I need to work out!

However, I have two wonderful salads for you as penance for my lack of discipline and disappearance from my own blog. Keep your eyes peeled.

Because if I can't turn up for my own work, whose work can I turn up for?

(photo - mine)