Try it Tuesday - Spicy Sauteed Kale

Donielle is hosting a new carnival, Try it Tuesday, where we share a new food or recipe we have recently tried. It's perfect because just last week, Craig and I tried kale for the first time.

Kale is high in fiber, lots of vitamins including C, E, and beta-carotene, it's an easily absorbed form of calcium, and is considered an cancer fighter because of it's phytonutrients. Basically - it's an overall super veggie!

I had found a recipe online I wanted to try so when I saw kale at the farmer's market I snatched it up...but then I couldn't re-find the recipe! I did however, find this one. I was surprised that I liked it, (I really thought I was going to have to suffer through it), and Craig doesn't even really liked cooked spinach but he thought it was pretty good too. Here it is with my alterations:

Spicy Sauteed Kale:

• One Bunch of Kale
• 2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Wash and trim kale. I cut off the bottom part of the main big stem but didn't cut the leaves from the main stem - that was a mistake. That part was kinda...fibery. Take the extra time to cut all the thick stem away. Pat dry.

Heat oil in a skillet. Once warm, add kale and garlic and saute, tossing fairly regularly, for 3-5 minutes. The original recipe said 3 but I think it could have used an extra minute or two. (I sliced the garlic but I think minced would have more evenly distributed the flavor.)

Add the red pepper and Parmesan and toss to coat. The original recipe called for 1 tsp of red pepper flakes and we thought that was way too much. But then again, we are kinda wussy when it comes to hot flavors in foods. Start with 1/2 teaspoon, you can always add more after you taste it. If you are feeding any small children, I would leave it out altogether for their portion.

Serve and enjoy!