Kale -tips for using raw kale in salads

Why eat raw kale salad? Kale is a so-called SUPERfood chock full of big-time nutrition and very fashionable in salad circles, so if you wanna be one of the cool kids, ya gotta eat it. If the Popeye franchise is ever re-booted, I'm sure our vegetable-friendly sailor will be shunning spinach and downing kale by the bunches--not that there's anything wrong with spinach, but at the moment the kale lobby is a juggernaut.
Check out this video for tips on making a raw kale salad:

Kale Nutrition and Fun Facts:
Kale belongs to the same family as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and collards.
Kale is packed with antioxidants, which help neutralize harmful free radicals in the body.
One cup of chopped raw kale provides more than 100% of the daily value of vitamins A, C, and K.
In fact, Kale has more vitamin C than an orange.
Free Radicals are a thing scientists made up to sound smart.
Baked kale becomes crispy and can be substituted for potato chips.
Kale freezes well for future use.
Kale is a great addition to a soup.
Kale is believed to promote cell repair and may block the growth of cancer cells.

Wow...doesn't that sound terrific? Who could pass up on that! Too bad kale doesn't taste like a slice of coconut cream pie, but you can't have everything. It is a tasty addition to a salad, though--and utilizing raw kale will insure the greatest health benefit from this leafy superfood.

Moroccan Chicken Recipe

Chicken stew with olives?  Trust me!--this is super flavorful chicken recipe.  Bill cooked up this wonderful chicken with a delicious, Moroccan twist.
For more recipes, check out the Chef Buck playlist at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2EFBD7E8FE2BB552
And if you're not subscribed to Wildbill1911a1, do yourself a favor and check out his channel https://www.youtube.com/user/wildbill1911a1

And give this dish a go (I loved it)

Moroccan Chicken Recipe

ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs CHICKEN Pieces (skinned)
1 Tbsp OLIVE OIL
1 cup ONION (chopped)
2-3 cloves GARLIC (finely chopped)
1 cup CHICKEN BROTH
2 cups pitted WHOLE GREEN OLIVES
1 tsp ground CINNAMON
1/2 tsp CUMIN
1/2 inch GINGER (minced--or substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)
1-2 tsp LEMON ZEST
1/4 cup LEMON JUICE
1 Tbsp CILANTRO (chopped)
SALT and PEPPER to taste

directions:
Heat olive oil in a pot over high heat.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and then place in pot.  Brown chicken appox. 3 minutes each side and
then remove from pot.  Add onion and garlic and saute in juices for a couple of minutes.  Return chicken to pot and add Chicken Broth.  Add olives.
Add cinnamon, cumin, and ginger.  Stir, and bring pot to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.  After 45 minutes, uncover, turn
chicken, and let cook 15 more minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken and olives from pot and place in a serving dish.  To the broth in the pot, add lemon juice, zest, and cilantro.
Serve the chicken and olives over rice or couscous and top with broth as desired.  The olives are fantastic.  And the chicken is, too.
Bon Appétit!

Baingan Bharta (roasted eggplant)

Baingan Bharta is a tasty roasted eggplant recipe.  Roasted eggplant is easy to prepare and super-flavorful in this simple, classic Indian dish.  I love it.  Give it a try and let me know what you think, and check out my other cooking videos at the Chef Buck Playlist:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2EFBD7E8FE2BB552

Baingan Bharta

ingredients:

1 large EGGPLANT (roasted)

1 med/lg ONION (chopped

3-4 cloves GARLIC (finely chopped)

1 hot PEPPER (finely chopped)

1 14 oz can diced TOMATOES (or 2 fresh tomatoes)

1 cup chopped CILANTRO (coriander leaves)

1 tsp MUSTARD SEEDS

1 tsp CUMIN SEEDS

1 tsp CORIANDER POWDER

½ tsp TURMERIC

½ tsp GARAM MASALA

5-6 Tbsp OLIVE OIL

directions:

Slice the eggplant lengthwise down the middle into two halves, brush all surfaces with olive oil, place on a baking pan flat side down, and bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. 

Remove from oven. 

The eggplant will be very hot, so set aside to cool.

In a skillet, heat olive oil on medium high heat.  Add mustard and cumin seeds and cook 20-30 seconds—not too long or they will overcook.  A pinch of asafoetida can be added as well, if desired.  When cumin seeds begin to open, add onions and sauté for a couple of minutes.  Add garlic and hot pepper and continue sautéing.  Add coriander and turmeric powder and mix well.  I like to go light on the spices, but feel free to add more if desired.  If you like a spicier dish, add 1 tsp of chili powder.  I like to take it easy on the spices so as not to overpower the flavor of the eggplant.  Add salt to taste and continue cooking a couple more minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, reduce heat, and simmer 4-5 minutes. 

While tomatoes simmer, return to the eggplant.

At this point the roasted eggplant will be much easier to handle (although it may still be hot, so use care).  Using a spoon, the meat of the eggplant can be easily scooped away from the skin.  Discard the skin.  Roughly chopped the eggplant and add to the skillet, mixing well with the tomato mixture.  Cook for 3-4 minutes and then add garam masala.  Mix and continue cooking another couple of minutes.  Add 1 cup of chopped cilantro (coriander leaves).  Mix and remove from heat.

And that’s it.

Bon appétit!