In the Garden

Raise your hand if, every March, you get this little itch that tells you that you need to start planting things.

Now put your hand down, 'cause I can't see you. Hopefully nobody else did either.

If you're like a lot of Canadians, you spent much of January and February dreaming about summer. If you're anything like me, those dreams not only involved beaches and barbeques, but also digging in the dirt and mud, enjoying the delicious fruits [and vegetables] of your labour, and getting really weird sunburns on really specific areas of your body. Actually, I didn't dream about the latter, even though it is what has ended up happening! But I digress. Summer is here, and the garden is flourishing.

So far, we have enjoyed some spicy radishes and delicious fresh greens in our salads. The beans, peas, cucumbers and squash have begun to flower, and so have the tomatoes. And there is work to be done. I could harvest baby beets any day now. The vines are well on their way to taking over the world, and it's almost time to start thinning the carrots. The broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are coming along fine, but have recently suffered a massive attack from little green worms called "cabbage loopers," which are really the larvae of a little white moth. I've had to learn quickly learned about organic pesticides, one of which is me! It sounds romantic to chase butterflies around the garden, until you realize the intent is not so much to catch them as, well, squash them.

Recently, I realized that I could start harvesting kale, which meant I was confronted once again with that oft-pondered question: what to do with a boat load of kale?

Actually, for me it didn't take much pondering, since I learned so much about kale last year. I have a few choice applications, as well as a bunch of backup ideas to try out. So far, I've added some kale to my morning smoothie (it's a superfood!), steamed it like spinach, used it as a substitute for spinach in a recipe for Spinach Squares, tried canning it in my handy pressure canner (not recommended), and made Kale Chips.

Kale Chips

Kale chips can be as healthy or unhealthy as you make them. You can be creative and add different spices to see how they taste, or just keep it simple. Here's how.

1. Prepare the kale. First, you'll want to wash it. Then, cut the leaves from the stem, and rip them into bite-sized pieces.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 425 F-- or 450 if you are able to watch really closely. I get distracted, so I don't like to risk burning.

3. Lay the kale out in a single layer on a light coloured baking sheet, and spray with oil. A can of Pam works really well for this, but if you don't have it, you can also just brush the leaves with cooking oil. Different cooking oils will (obviously) produce different flavours, so I will leave that up to you!

4. Season. This is entirely a matter of choice. Salt is usually a good start, and I like to add some fresh ground pepper. This combo on its own is pretty delicious, but you can also add some other choice seasonings, as desired. Some good ones to try are: garlic powder, onion powder, basil, oregano and a combo of turmeric and cumin. I have even tried to spice it up with some cayenne, but to be honest, I found it too spicy (and I like my spice).

5. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the tips of the leaves just start to brown. Once you take the kale out of the oven, let it sit for about 5 minutes, move to a serving dish, and enjoy.

Although this is not the healthiest way of enjoying kale, it is a great alternative to potato chips or crackers, and really hits the spot when I am having that particular brand of craving.

Please don't hesitate to post a comment if you have your own special recipes for kale. I'm really excited about finding more ways to enjoy this delicious, healthy vegetable. Until then, happy summer!