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Hi everyone!

In today’s post I will do something new and discuss a favorite green of mine: kale! While I love reviewing restaurants, I recognize that those posts are only applicable to readers who live in my same areas: DC, NYC and Miami. So I want to reach out to everyone and write about universal foods.

So now I’ll explain the reasoning behind my choice of kale. The recent kale craze isn’t unsubstantiated at all; in fact, it all makes sense in our current health-conscious (ish) society. Kale has a number of insane benefits, aside from its taste: fiber, protein, detoxification, etc. It has also been known to lower cholesterol, lower the risk of cancer, lower inflammation, and more.

Before delving into the specifics of my obsession with kale, I’ll admit that I did not really eat kale before I got to college. My aunt used to make this incredible kale, white bean and ham soup (in my carnivorous days) and serve it with toasted rustic bread and drizzle it all with olive oil. Really, it’s incredible. I’ll nag her for the recipe and share it. Anyway, I was only accustomed to eating kale in a sautéed and stewed form.

But last year at Georgetown, I was at my friend’s house and he was baking kale chips. They smelled and looked so delicious, that I couldn’t resist trying some. He made it all so quickly and simply, that I knew I wanted to start making them too! Last summer in New York, I had to prepare all my food in my apartment and did my best to eat healthfully. One day during a routine Whole Foods trip, I spotted large bags of fresh, luscious kale and couldn’t fight the urge. I threw a bag into my cart and proceeded to cook some that night. It was so filling and amazing, yet surprisingly so simple.

So what’s the simple, healthful and tasty recipe for kale chips? Just fill a baking tray with washed kale, drizzle olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper. Then put it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10-20 minutes, depending on your oven and chip crunch preference. They come out soooo delicious and are such a healthy alternative to potato chips. If you want to spice things up, sprinkle parmesan or other toppings for a twist.

Kale is also great in its sautéed form, especially when combined with spinach. Like I mentioned, it’s delicious in soups and casseroles, too! If you’re a fan of green juices, you could throw some kale into the juicer. Personally, I like the taste of whole kale so much that I prefer to not juice it. Really, there are no limits for kale.

Check out this comprehensive list of kale recipes from Real Simple! I hope you enjoy this wonderful green as much as I do. I even got my mother and grandmother hooked on it, so I feel like you will be, too!