Baked Kale

African Americans like greens. OK, that’s a total generalization but to be fair greens are an important part of soul food cooking – collards, turnip greens, mustard greens and even kale.

Growing up my mother extolled the virtues of greens, but I wasn’t buying what she was selling. I didn’t develop my appreciation for the somewhat bitter (by the way, when cooked properly greens lose their bitter flavor) hearty green until my 20’s and then I was hooked.

I recently “discovered” kale. Kale is a member of the Brassica family – a group of vegetables known to fight disease, including cancer. In addition to its disease fighting properties, kale is high in vitamins A and K, calcium and fiber.

Try out my tasty Baked Kale recipe. It’s not soul food but it sure is yummy.

What you’ll need –

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 T Olive oil
• 1 T Parmesan cheese

-Preheat oven to 350 and lightly oil a cookie sheet with olive oil. Thoroughly wash kale and remove leaves from stems. Rip the kale into bite-sized pieces. Place kale on cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove kale from oven, flip to other side and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Continue to cook for 10 minutes, making sure that you don’t burn the kale. It should be slightly crispy. Serve as a side dish.

Go here for more information on the health benefits of kale.