Kale with Raisins and Pine Nuts

Mmm, kaaaale.....

It's a vegetable recipe!


Kale. I must admit, Kale has tended to be one of my "last resort" vegetables. When I'm sick of the usuals (broccoli, spinach, zucchini, even chard), then I end up buying less desirable veggies, like kale. But I've never really tried cooking kale. It usually just gets thrown in a pan and boiled (gross), or sauteed with some oil and minimal seasonings (slightly less gross). But then I found this recipe in a Family Circle magazine, and it looked exciting and tasty!  ...and so it was. Kale has redeemed itself.

THE RECIPE:

2 tbs olive oil

4 cloves garlic, mashed     ----> cook in a skillet over medium heat until garlic is golden, then add:
1 lb kale, cut into pieces   ----> saute 2 minutes, add:
1/4 tsp salt
1 pinch red pepper flakes
2 tbs raisins
2 tbs pine nuts                  ----> cover and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if kale
                                                  gets too dry.

There ya go! The kale ends up tasting rather sweet from the raisins, and the pine nuts add a complementary savory flavor. Enjoy.