Kale Chips Anyone??

December's featured Veggie of the Month for Haldane Elementary School was Kale.

Wait a second! Do kids even like kale?

Haldane's 2nd graders sure did!

Mr. Peparo and Mrs. Isler's classes had their Farm to School Month in December.
First they got a visit from the Farmer in the Classroom, Carolyn Llewellyn. She took them to the school garden and saw that kale was still growing in mid December! She also brought with her other varieties of kale both cooked and raw. The rule is, if you don't have an allergy, you have to at least try it. Everyone did. And most were begging for more!

By the time Chef Evelyn came in a few days later for Chef in the Classroom, the 2nd graders were eager for more kale.

Two things were on the menu:

Kale Salad topped with shredded carrots and apples, pomegranate seeds and roasted pumpkin seeds served with a Maple Citrus Dressing.

And Kale Chips.

Everyone enjoyed getting their hands in the kale and massaging it with the olive oil and salt. It's fun to do, but it also serves an important purpose. It breaks down the fibers to make it easier to digest and releases some of the bitter taste, making it taste naturally sweet.

One group worked on making the dressing and the toppings and another prepared the kale chips.

Fresh squeezed orange juice and lemon juice with local maple syrup and olive oil made for a sweet and tangy salad dressing.










Kale chips are a super easy treat to make in the classroom if you have a small dehydrator.

Massage the kale with a little olive oil and sea salt. Place the leaves on the individual trays. Plug it in and wait about three hours. By the afternoon you have a nice treat to give the kids before they go home.

We got a near unanimous thumbs up from the 2nd graders after tasting the Kale Salad. One student responded when we asked if he liked it, "I ate everything on my plate, and you know what that means."









The following week, the salad was served in the cafeteria as a school-wide taste test. And to round out the month, the cafeteria served a creamy potato and kale soup with fresh garlic from the school garden. The feedback from the high school students was that it was a big hit.

Here is the Chef in the Classroom recipe to try at home. Enjoy!

Kale Salad with Maple Citrus Dressing

A large bunch of kale, stems and ribs removed

Carrot shavings

Local Mutsu apples, thinly sliced

Pomegranate seeds

Pumpkin toasted seeds (pepitas)

6 Tbs. Fresh orange juice

2 Tbs. Fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs. Maple Syrup

½ tsp. Mustard

¼ cup olive oil

½ tsp. salt

Black Pepper to taste

Directions:

Remove stems and ribs from kale. Rip kale into small, bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Add a little olive oil and a pinch of salt to coat. Massage kale until it softens and starts to turn a darker color.

In a large bowl combine freshly squeezed orange juice, lemon juice, maple syrup, mustard, olive oil and salt. Whisk until emulsified. Add to the bowl of kale and massage further.

Toppings

Top with carrot shavings, green apple slices, pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds