Delicious Creamed Kale

When I was younger, creamed kale was something I never thought I would like. Now that I’m older, I know that everyone discusses kale’s health benefits, but no one ever tells you how tasty it can be. When kale is prepared properly – whether you blanche it, sauté it or put it in a salad – it can be a delicious, healthy meal or snack any day of the year.

It’s definitely worth remembering that kale is considered a super food for a reason: it’s ridiculously healthy, as it’s full of iron, calcium and plenty of other nutrients. So, making a dish with kale – whether you already love it or just don’t know how to cook it yet – is a great way to get your nutrients while also enjoying a wonderful lunch or dinner.

Creamy Kale Everyone Can Enjoy

Much like creamed spinach, creamed kale is an amazing and easy side dish that can be made with just a few simple ingredients. It makes a perfect holiday meal alongside a protein like chicken or fish, and it also makes for the perfect comfort food. It’s warm, thick and packed full of flavors that stave off the winter blues.

This recipe for creamed kale is a decadent mixture of everything you love about creamed veggies but with a couple of extra ingredients to really bring home the flavor (particularly the nutmeg – you’ll thank me later). Best of all, it’s a recipe that you can craft to your own particular tastes and style of cooking by adding different vegetables, cheeses and spices. You can even add chopped bacon if you’re feeling particularly savory!

Whether you’re trying to beat the winter cold or just looking for a healthy side, this creamy kale recipe is a great choice for the winter months and any other time of year. Add it to your Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish rotation for something exciting and new that the whole family will love.

Eat well!

Ingredients

• 2 large bunches of kale, ribs removed
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup Parmesan

Instructions

1. Begin by gathering together your ingredients.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the kale until it is tender (8-10 minutes). Drain and rinse the kale with cool water. Press a paper towel or kitchen towel against the kale to squeeze as much liquid out as possible. Then, finely chop the kale.
3. Melt the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan until hot, then add the minced garlic and cook until golden and aromatic.
4. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute to create a roux. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and combine, then bring to a boil. Allow the mixture to reduce by about half (4 minutes).
5. Add the kale, the kosher salt, pepper, nutmeg and parmesan. Stir until combined. Add freshly ground pepper and salt to taste, then serve hot.