Red Russian Kale - NEW!

I wasn’t planning to save the seed of this widely available kale, but our patch last spring was so especially prolific and delicious that it convinced me. Even giant stalks were tender, and the bugs that love brassica-family plants left it alone. Great steamed, stir-fried, or juiced raw into smoothies. Now that I’ve discovered kale chips, it’s also my favorite fast-food snack.

Kale chips: tear kale leaves into 3-inch pieces.
In a blender, combine
1/3 cup water
1 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic
pinch of sea salt
2 Tbs. nut butter (I’ve been using macadamia because I have it, thanks to Kitt and Mary of Hawi Hill Organic Farm, Box 1623, Kapa’au HI 96755)
Pour this over kale in a bowl. Add more kale pieces as needed, until kale is evenly but very lightly coated. Here is when a dehydrator is handy – dehydrate until crisp, 5-6 hours at 115 degrees. Or use an oven, 20 minutes at 300 degrees.

Culture: Plant just about any time ground will not freeze. Full to 3/4 sun, appreciates good soil but will grow (a smaller version) in less than ideal conditions. Harvest leaves as needed.

Grown in 2011
Packet = around 300 seeds - $3.