I hear a lot from parents that their kids don’t like kale, which to me seems totally normal. There are always a few wonder kids who love it but I know when I was little I didn’t love it. To make me eat it, I was told that kale (and seaweed) were my form of medicine; clearly my macrobiotic mother didn’t usher me to the doctor that often. Come to think of it, I was never even sick enough to need a doctor until my first semester of college (perhaps due to the lack of kale or the increase of cheap beer?) While kale was not my favorite food growing up, I knew I needed to eat it to stay strong. My mom frequently used the the Milk “It Does A Body Good,” slogan for kale instead.
Now with kale being “cool” in America, there are more ways to eat it and ways that are fun for kids. The first of course being kale chips but Flora from Butter Beans, says they swear by their Sesame Kale Salad. Try it with your kids and tell us what you think!
Butter Beans’ Kale Sesame Salad
Serves 3-4
1 bunch of kale
1/8 cup of rice vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/8 cup of sesame oil
1 tsp of dijon mustard
salt to taste
sprinkled gomasio on top (optional but easy to find and but also easy to make at home!)
1. Thoroughly wash and de-stem the kale; dry with paper towel or salad spinner.
2. Coarsely chop the kale into bite sized pieces.
3. Place leaves into a big bowl.
4. Mix the vinegar, oils, mustard, salt together and pour over the kale.
5. Toss until lightly coated and shimmering. Do a quick kale massage if you have tougher kale, so it’s easier for kids to chew.
6. Sprinkle gomasio on top.
Olivia says
I just fell on your blog after looking for groceries to buy the Kale, and wanted to thank you, i just bought some this morning at Retour a la terre in the 11e! Love your initiative and hope the kale will spread in paris and beyond.
kristen says
Hi Olivia- Great news. It’s also great that Le retour has it in stock again. I might even be planning an event/learning session with them soon. Thanks for your support. here’s to a 2013 with kale in paris and beyond!