Simple Asian Sautéed Kale

So up until recently, I didn’t really like kale all that much. Like oh hello, giant leaf that looks like it came from dinosaur times that all the vegans are flipping out over and juicing. No thanks, I don’t like to drink my leaves. Is that sacrilege to say for a “healthy food blogger”? Whatever. Look how much I care. I’ll stay over here with my eggs, bacon, and avocado, thanks.

I still can’t do raw kale. It feels like I literally swallowed a whole tree and it’s roughing up my esophagus on the way down. Pretty much tastes like a tree too.

But I did realize I like kale…when you COOK IT. And put delicious sauces and toppings all over it. Sometimes cooking the crap out of it because it tastes better that way. The nutritionist in me is slightly cringing because I know you lose practically all the nutrients if you cook it like that…oops.

Also, I totally figured out the secret to making kale taste GREAT. Those vegans were on to something: “massaging” the kale. Yes, you read that right. Am I going crazy? No. We’re not talking about sending the kale to a freaking massage salon, guys. Though that sounds pretty great for me right about now. I’m talking about putting the kale in a colander, running water over it, and squeezing it with your hands to get some of the bitterness out. This makes the kale easier to cook, easier to digest, and less tree-tasting. Vegetables for the win, am I right?

I didn’t even get to the best part yet: the sauce. To make this Asian Sautéed Kale. You guys KNOW I’m a huuuuge sauce person. Chimichurri, guacamole, aioli, ranch dressing, hot sauce, coconut curry…you name it, I sauced it. Everything tastes better with sauce. Especially vegetables. Because let’s be honest…they don’t really taste like anything unless you fancy them up with some sauces and spices. You already know my feelings toward raw cauliflower (it smells like farts). But back to the sauce. This asian sauté sauce? YAS guys, YAS. I make this stuff in giant batches so I can eat it all week (and sneakily hoard it from everyone else in the house so I can have it all to myself). Sorry not sorry. You’ll see what I mean when you make it.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Simple Asian Sautéed Kale

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Dana: Real Food with Dana

Serves: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 bunches kale
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• ½ medium yellow onion, sliced
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• ⅓ cup coconut aminos
• ½ tsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil*
• sea salt, to taste
• furikake, for serving (a mixture of seaweed and sesame seeds)*

Directions

1. Combine the ginger, garlic, coconut aminos, and fish sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of sea salt to the pan. Sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon every few minutes, until the onion starts to become translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the kale. Remove the parts of the stems with little or no leaves on them, then roughly chop the rest of the kale into bite-sized pieces. Place it in a colander in the sink and run water over the kale while you squeeze it with your hands (massaging it). This allows the kale to break down easier when you cook it.
4. Add the kale to the skillet and stir in the coconut aminos mixture. Pop a lid on the skillet, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the kale is slightly wilted. Cook for about another minute or two with the lid off, so some of the liquid evaporates.
5. Take the pan off the heat, drizzle the kale with sesame oil, and stir it in. Garnish to serve with a shake of furikake.

Notes

*for AIP, omit the sesame oil and furikake.

3.5.3208