Liquid Kale

My vegetable garden is flourishing. I planted tomatoes (no-brainer), basil, dill, cilantro, peppers, chives, eggplant and kale.

The kale has exploded, thriving with minimal care! Kale is a hearty green containing high amounts of vitamin A and C. It’s rich with antioxidants including beta carotene. Kale is high fiber and a great source of calcium, potassium and magnesium. Researchers have also discovered chemicals in kale that may inhibit cancer cell growth. So yeah, this veggie is a superfood that everyone is still obsessed with.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been enjoying kale salads from the bounty of my garden.  I’ve tried different types – kale with chickpeas, tomato and feta, with eggs, peppers and onions, and with red beans, olives, cabbage and quinoa. At this point, I’m running out of creative kale salad combos.

Eager to try something new, I decided to venture into the smoothie zone. I’ve had kale smoothies before but never made one myself.

I adapted a recipe from thelemonbowl.com. I omitted the yogurt to reduce my dairy intake, replacing with coconut milk, which makes this recipe vegan.  And I changed the proportions a bit.

The kale blueberry smoothie tasted refreshing and delicious!! The cinnamon is key. Overall though, it wasn’t too sweet or sugary which I enjoyed. If you want more sweetness, omit the kale stems which adds bitterness. I was too lazy too and included the whole leaf.  Also it’s less organic waste.

Vegan Kale Blueberry Smoothie

Ingredients:
(makes 2, 6oz. smoothies)
1  banana
1 cup chopped kale
1 ½ cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup coconut milk
6 ice cubes
1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a little more for garnish

Directions: Add ice to the blender and pulse for 5-10 seconds. Slice bananas and loosely chop the kale. Add all ingredients and pulse for 20 seconds. Pour into a glass and top with a few  blueberries and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Drink and enjoy!

If you didn’t plant kale but you’re now having kale FOMO, do not fret. You can plant this versatile crop anytime of year except right before and during the frost. Buy some plants from the garden center. I got mine from my favorite local garden shop, Lisena (12-5 Cross Bay Blvd, Broad Channel, NY 11693). Or try seeding directly into the soil (one inch deep). In two weeks,  thin the sprouts so the seedlings are spaced 8 inches apart. Water regularly but don’t overdo it. The kale is ready to harvest when the leaves are the size of your hand. Snap or cut the greens starting from the base. Leave the top intact so the plant can regenerate and continue to grow, extending the harvest.

For more on gardening and recipes visit the glorifiedtomato.com and follow on instagram (@theglorifiedtomato) for all things food, gardening and Rockaway summer related!